Photo by Kevin Ku on Unsplash

Ever scratch your eyes for not learning how to code as a kid? I do every day. Not only is programming one of the best paid jobs (by far), it’s also a great way to turn brilliant ideas into working applications for everyone to use. By all accounts, you can use it to change the world profoundly.

As if programming itself wasn’t hard enough, there are dozens of different coding languages each with their own particularities that can be used to make a program. Depending on the platform you’re targeting, you’ll have a flurry of tongues to choose from.

Swift – the new kid on the block introduced by Apple at its annual developer gathering in 2014 – lifts a lot of the hurdles generally associated with app programming, and now an app called Swifty promises to simply the process even more for noobs like you and me.

Var, “string,” integer, print

If you don’t have a clue what the above title says, don’t worry – after only a few minutes spent with Swifty on your Apple device, you’ll master each of those, plus other programming essentials.

Because Swift is designed to work with Cocoa, Cocoa Touch and the large pool of existing Objective-C code written for Apple products, Swift makes development much easier, albeit only for Macs and iDevices. It’s “safer” in the face of miscellaneous errors than Objective-C, and it’s also more concise. Plus, the Playgrounds feature lets you see your code in action seconds after you’ve typed it.

Swifty takes you from variables, if and else, and loops to advanced topics like optionals, tuples and class. You’re told what to input at first, then you’re quizzed (with a lot of help from the app still) to check your progress. You can go back and forth through the sessions as you please, and there are 200+ interactive lessons to take.

A starting point for aspiring coders

Swifty is free to download and so is the first learning session. The second one can be unlocked with a simple shootout on Twitter, and the remainder can be acquired via in-app purchase for $0.99 each. All chapters can be opened with an affordable $2.99.

Developer Johannes Berger entices potential customers with a stimulating message: “Try Swifty today and become a coding pro!” I wouldn’t hold my breath for that, but I’m positive it can help any newbie understand the basics of programming – not just those involving Swift – in a fun and simple way. Personally, I felt enlightened after just 5 minutes of use.

Intimidating as it may be, coding is much like other lines of work where you can apply yourself with various degrees of competency. So if you’re looking to expand your horizons and learn what lies behind today’s tech-driven world, Swifty sounds like the ideal starting point.