Swift Learning provides lessons learned from building an iOS SDK for Supportify, a help center automation service. The document outlines Supportify's goals of providing a smart help center across devices including iOS apps. It then details the process of learning iOS development through online courses and communities before using Swagger code generation to create an initial Objective-C SDK, which proved challenging. Further breakthroughs incorporating the Assistant Editor and constraints helped complete a second attempt using Swift to build a fully functional SDK.

1. Swift Learning
Lessons learned as a result of
building an iOS SDK.
Supportify

2. What is Supportify?
• Help Center as a Service
– A smart help center where, when, and how
your users need it.
• Focus On Automation
– Generate content as part of your workflow;
not an addition to it.
• Get In The Loop
– Create a feedback loop to create better
content.
Supportify

3. Why Did I Need An SDK?
• “A smart help center where, when, and
how your users need it.”
• Sometimes users need it in iOS apps.
Supportify

4. My iOS Experience Before This
Supportify

5. Where Did I Start?
• Code School
– Objective C:
https://www.codeschool.com/courses/try-
objective-c
• Ray Wenderlich
– http://www.raywenderlich.com/
• Philly Cocoa Heads Slack
– http://phillycocoa.org/
Supportify

6. Breakthrough 1!
• Swagger.io
– Create an API specification. (yawn)
– http://swagger.io/
• Swagger Code Generator
– Use your Swagger spec to create code.
(ZOMG!)
– https://github.com/swagger-api/swagger-
codegen
Supportify

7. Take 1
• Swagger Code Spec
• Objective C SDK
• Started on example application.
– Ran back through to the learning resources.
– Bashed head against wall.
– Met iOS developer friends for feedback and
ideas.
Supportify

8. Breakthrough 2!
• iOS Constraints
– Holding Down CTRL Key
• The Assistant Editor
– Such amaze! Wow!
Supportify

9. Take 2
• Swagger Code Spec
– With Swift this time!
• Swift SDK
• Re-did example application.
– Ran back through to the learning resources
with Swift this time.
– Bashed head against wall.
– Completed list, detail, search, and voting!
Supportify

10. For Further Info
• Github:
https://github.com/supportify/supportify-ios
• E-Mail: jordan.yaker@supportify.io
• Twitter: @supportifyio
Supportify