Writing Your Own Apps - Codea

Today we will be taking look at a general way to introduce yourself into programming for apple IOS.

In general, to make your own apps, you will need the IOS device you are writing for, a mac computer with operating system Mountain Lion, and an apple developer license for $99.

Today we will be looking specifically at a cheaper way to get a feel for app writing.

Ironically I am referring to an app that allows us to make apps. Codea is an app where if you have an idea, you can put it to code. Codea uses a language called Lua, an objective-c language that is easy to pick-up. When you download Codea you receive an app that allows you to type code and when you hit play, the code executes on your iPad only.

My first experience with Codea was really nice. In minute I had an object following my finger on a screen. In a week I had my first game made entitled "Square Wars". Within a month, I had my first version of my math app in place, in which I later transferred this to my new mac computer and produced the app WileD Math.

Codea has a lot of "tutorial"-like help where you can click on various categories and see how the code works and executes. Codea also has an amazing community. I have received a lot of help as well as given a lot of help when possible. If you have a situation you are stuck at, the forums are a great place to go to get help.

Codea Forums - Check it out


Codea of course has its downsides. There is a lot more work in transferring the code to the mac computer later on and the language provides limitations on what you can do from the iPad until you transfer to the mac and work on it via xCode. Still, I have never felt restricted on what I wanted to do for my app(s) and anything extra I wanted to add, I have been able to do eventually with some frustration and time.

Regardless, Codea provides an amazing opportunity to write some basic programs on your iPad. The makers of Codea have done an amazing job with updates and they are pushing to have Codea do more and more with every update.
Watch the power of Codea here

To all the schools out there:

Have a cart? Download Codea and let your imagination go!

Programming is a logical, mathematical process. From a personal experience, I have never actually applied half the math I have learned in high school except for in programming, such as using trig to determine the angle from a point, and using functions to determine whether or not two objects collide. Math is the key component to code and I really want to encourage schools to see that if you focus on a programming course that perhaps math abilities will improve do to the nature of programming, not to mention the problem solving and the ability to make truly make your own ideas come to life on a screen. If you already have an iPad cart, why not get Codea and have a little iPad programming course to get students interested in computer science.