Swift

Native when the platform matters

Swift is the language Apple created for development on its platforms: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac. Compiled and strongly typed, it gives direct access to the system APIs with no translation layer in between. In practice that means fluid animations, immediate response to touch and full access to the hardware: camera, motion sensors, biometrics, Bluetooth and whatever else the device offers.

Our default for mobile is Flutter, and we are upfront about it: for most apps, one codebase for both platforms costs less to build and maintain. Swift comes in when a project demands the most from iOS: heavy graphics processing, augmented reality, real-time audio and video, or deep system integrations that a cross-platform layer would handle poorly. That is when native stops being a luxury and becomes a requirement.

For the person hiring, the choice between native and cross-platform has long-term consequences, and we put that on the table before writing the first line. A Swift app tracks the evolution of iOS closely: new system features land in the native APIs first. In exchange, Android needs a project of its own. We look at the concrete case and recommend the path that holds up, not the one that generates the most billable work.

• iOS apps with demanding graphics performance
• Experiences with camera, sensors and biometrics
• Real-time audio and video
• Deep integrations with Apple's system
• Apple Watch apps and widgets