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by prezjordan 4402 days ago
So, how on earth did they get this out that quickly?
2 comments

The code generator for PaintCode is probably fairly small -- all the complexity of the app is in the beautiful UI.

The graphics code they generate is mostly just using these CGContext APIs: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/Graphi...

Mapping to the Swift counterparts should be straightforward.

Let's say that this thing in their pocket was indeed them being happy to see an Objective-C replacement.

On a more serious note, Apple has a practice of cooperating with a small selection of developers (who sign a bunch of scary NDA's) when testing new technologies.

It's certainly the case that some folks get early access, I don't really think that was necessary to make this happen so quickly. I'm not saying they didn't have early access, just that they...

1) already had a code generator for Objective-C

2) already had infrastructure for alternate code generators (they also support C#)

3) Swift and Objective-C share the same libraries and have similar semantics where it counts

4) Writing code generators isn't really all that difficult

It's perfectly believable that they banged out enough of a first-cut at this to make an announcement within a day or two of the Swift release.

Of course.

You know Swift is just so natural to both Objective-C, Java, Scala, C# etc. devs already, and so much simpler than Objective-C, I have the feeling we'll see the fastest adoption of a brand new language in the history of computing here.