Using Swift to Build an IMDb Search App

Name: Using Swift to Build an IMDb Search App
Rating: 4.5 (57 reviews)

A guide to using Apple's new programming language with the JSON web service to pull real results from IMDb.

Created byJake Johnson

Last updated 9/2014

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

A working knowledge of how to combine Swift and UIKit to develop and design a working iOS app
Connect your app(s) to the web through a service called JSON to give your users a rich in-app experience.
A solid understanding of best and functional practices in developing applications in Swift
Lifetime access to over 3 hours of detailed content

Course content

9 sections • 29 lectures • 3h 3m total length

Downloading Xcode 62:19

The Storyboard4:37
Learn to design the IMDb search app interface with the storyboard in Xcode 6, adding labels, buttons, search bars, and image views, and sizing the view controller.
Hooking Up Storyboard Elements with Swift Code8:52
Learn to hook storyboard elements to Swift code using the MVC pattern, wiring outlets and actions in the view controller, and validating connections to update the UI.
Controlling IBOutlets and Responding to IBActions7:59
Udemy reformats the picture title to "kong-poster.jpeg". You should use that in your project.
Xcode, Swift, and UIKit

Creating a New Class in Xcode3:57
Create a dedicated IMDb API controller in Xcode, define a delegate protocol, and implement delegation to pass a dictionary of results back to the view controller, refining the model-view-controller pattern.
Separation Anxiety - Why Separating Code is a Good Thing3:36
Separate the IMDb search api logic into its own api controller class using a protocol with a dictionary result, and leverage optional binding to avoid runtime errors in mvc.
Optional Binding and Its Role in Safe Programming3:05
Conforming to Protocols / Becoming a Delegate1:38
Conform your view controller to the protocol and become a delegate for the IMDb API controller. Implement the required protocol functions to resolve compilation errors.
Lazy Stored Properties4:40
Formatting an Image from a URL8:20
Format the poster image from a URL by converting the poster string to a URL, creating NSData, and displaying the image in the poster image view with aspect fill.
Section 6 Recap

Identifying Potential Problems in Your App's Design2:37
Identify and address UX and UI issues in the app by repositioning the search bar, improving the white background, enriching imagery, and refining typography.
UI - Sources of Inspiration2:25
Explore sources of UI inspiration from mobile patterns, app dot itcz e dot us, and dribble, filter by topic, and note current design trends for the IMDb search app.
The Advantages of Predesign2:57
UIBlurEffect and UIVisualEffectView16:13
Extending Swift's String Type10:55
A quick look at extending Swift's String type. This is not intended to be a "fix all" and may not be appropriate for EVERY movie title, but it IS a handy solution for being able to parse a title from a subtitle as long as they are separated by a colon. It's also great practice for Swift extensions.
Using the String Extension to Parse Your Movie Title7:09
Extend Swift's string type with a subscript to split a title at a colon. Implement parse title from subtitle in the view controller and update the title and subtitle labels.
Customizing Label Fonts13:37
Adding Rotten Tomatoes Data8:40
Finishing Touches14:43
Finish the IMDb search app by refining the UI, creating a perfect circle poster, adjusting the yellow header, and enabling internet-driven results with rating, release data, and rotten tomatoes.

Requirements

An iOS Developer Account (now FREE to download Xcode 6 w/ Swift)
Access to of Xcode 6 (as mentioned above - now free, no more $99 annual cost)
A basic understanding of the Swift Programming Language

Description

Building an app is an exciting process, but connecting your app to the web opens up a world of possibilities and gives your users access to the content of their choice while keeping them in your app. This provides a clean and enjoyable user experience, which is what software should really be all about in the first place.

In this course, you can not only expect to learn how to use Swift and Xcode 6 to build an application, but also how to leverage web services like JSON so your users can perform in-app searches for real IMDb content.

Using Swift to Build an IMDb Search App should only take a few hours of your time, but will establish best practices that will make app development in Swift not only easier, but more enjoyable for you - and your users.

If you're tired of taking the same old "To-Do List App" tutorial and want to learn how to open your application up to the web, then this is the course for you. We'll walk through each step of the process together and I will be available through the Udemy forums for any support you may require or questions you may have along the way.

Hope to see you inside!

Who this course is for:

New and experienced programmers who have a basic understanding of the Swift Programming Language. Expert knowledge is absolutely not necessary here, but if you've browsed through the Swift documentation and have at least a bit of experience with object oriented programming, you're all set.

Using Swift to Build an IMDb Search App

What you'll learn

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Course content

Introduction - Apple Developer Program and Downloading Xcode 61 lecture • 2min

Getting Ready2 lectures • 4min

Swift and UIKit3 lectures • 21min

Choosing an API2 lectures • 7min

Making an API Request with Swift2 lectures • 21min

Building Your Own API Controller Class6 lectures • 25min

Searching and Tapping3 lectures • 22min

UI / UX - Why Not Both?9 lectures • 1hr 19min

Next Steps1 lecture • 2min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: