Swift Get Started

Tools You Need

To write Swift code on a Mac, Apple provides Xcode, a free integrated development environment (IDE) that includes a code editor, compiler, debugger, and simulators for testing apps. For a lighter-weight, beginner-friendly experience, Apple also offers Swift Playgrounds, available on both Mac and iPad.

If you're on Windows or Linux, or simply want to experiment without installing anything, you can use an online Swift compiler or the interactive examples throughout this tutorial to try code instantly.

Installing Xcode

• Open the Mac App Store and search for "Xcode"
• Click Get / Install and wait for the download (it can be several gigabytes)
• Launch Xcode and accept the license agreement
• Choose File > New > Project to start a new app
• Select a template such as "App" under the iOS tab

Writing Your First Program

Every Swift program needs an entry point where execution begins. In a simple script or Playground file, Swift runs code from top to bottom automatically — there's no need for a special main function like in C or Java.

print("Hello, Swift!")

let myName = "Ganesh"
let greeting = "Welcome to Swift, \(myName)!"
print(greeting)
print("Let's start coding.")

// Playgrounds show results live in the sidebar
for i in 1...3 {
    print("Line number \(i)")
}