How AI Helped Me Thrive as a Beginner in iOS Development

When I first started dipping my toes into iOS development, my experience level was absolutely zero. No engineering degree, no formal training – just a pull to build something of my own.

Luckily, tools like SwiftUI made development feel almost within reach, even for someone like me with a non-tech background.

SwiftUI was relatively fresh on the scene, and with that freshness came a wave of resources: YouTube tutorials, blog posts, online courses. Suddenly, basic UI elements and the nuts and bolts of interface building were at my fingertips.

Hitting the Walls of Traditional Learning Resources

As I went deeper, though, I quickly discovered there were gaps in these resources — especially when I wanted to go beyond the basics.

Background tasks, for example, turned out to be a tough nut to crack. Trying to wrap my head around BGTaskScheduler left me feeling like I'd dropped into a rabbit hole of outdated or UIKit - specific content. SwiftUI examples for these concepts were either sparse or simply nonexistent.

I found myself unsure of where SwiftUI stopped and where Swift APIs began. SwiftUI, in all its simplicity, blurred those lines even further, which was both its strength and my learning curve.

At first, I tried diving into Reddit, Stack Overflow, and dev forums, but honestly, as a beginner, it felt like stepping onto shaky ground. There’s a real risk of being downvoted into oblivion for asking something "obvious" — which, to a newcomer, is hardly encouraging.

Enter AI: My New Coding Companion

After a crash course in UIKit and a bit of iOS basics, I was getting somewhere. Slowly but surely, I was understanding the Apple Developer documentation and managing to put together some rudimentary apps.

But then I found ChatGPT. And I mean, game-changer. It was like having a patient, experienced dev beside me, ready to answer my (often basic) questions without judgment.

I’d ask, “How would you integrate background tasks with SwiftUI?” And boom — there it was. Not only an answer but code examples, suggestions, even explanations that actually made sense in my SwiftUI world.

For someone without a coding background, it was like suddenly having a set of step-by-step instructions, and an infinite "explain it to me like I'm five" option. It wasn’t always spot-on, but it was enough to make tackling new features achievable, learning and implementing as I went.

The Strengths and Limitations of AI as a Development Mentor

Using AI as a sounding board was a massive plus for me, especially as a newbie.

For starters, it’s totally nonjudgmental. No downvotes, no “RTFM.” And unlike standard tutorials that stop short, I could keep firing off follow-up questions — even about seemingly small stuff. How many times I asked it to break things down further or explain something differently? I’ve lost count.

Even better, I could ask it to refactor code, generate mock data, and produce real-world-style data for testing. Days saved, literally.

But let’s be real. AI isn’t perfect.

It did occasionally produce inaccurate information or outdated advice, so I learned to double-check — particularly anything that seemed too neat and tidy. Going in blindly is no better than lifting code off StackOverflow and pasting it in without a thought.

Sure, it’s helpful, but if you’re not understanding why, it’s wasted potential. AI’s real value lies in prompting you to dig deeper, research more, and make the answer truly your own.

And there’s a risk of leaning too heavily on AI instead of really understanding what’s happening under the hood. Balance is everything: AI is an incredible guide, but it’s no substitute for genuine learning.

Why Accessible AI Tools Matter for Aspiring Developers

Looking back, I honestly doubt I’d have made it this far in iOS development without AI tools in my corner.

For people like me without a formal dev background, AI has made tackling the technical side of app development much less intimidating and, crucially, more achievable.

I can’t be alone here — there are likely loads of solo developers or small teams out there tackling APIs, background tasks, and advanced features thanks to the support AI provides.

Sometimes, I’ll even hit up AI before Googling, just to get a rough idea of the process steps and organise my thoughts before diving into research mode.

The power of AI is all about accessibility. I don’t feel limited by my experience level when I want to try something complex or approach an API with minimal documentation.

AI has removed so many barriers and created a more level playing field, where anyone with an idea can start building.

In the end, that’s why AI matters in development today. It doesn’t replace learning but supercharges it, helping turn ideas into apps more seamlessly. For a non-traditional developer like me, it’s hard to think of anything more empowering.

So yeah, that’s my two cents on the topic.