Pros and Cons of Swift Programming Language

They also can’t be automatically updated since they’re stuck in the version you compiled at. **Dynamic ** libraries, on the other hand, exist outside of your code and are uploaded only when needed. Static libraries need to have copies in all files of your program while dynamic ones only need one. Swift first introduced dynamic libraries to iOS when it launched. … But, at the same time, these steps, i.e., frequent updates and changes, often make developers doubt if their today’s code will be compatible with previous versions tomorrow and if their project can be compiled at all. ### Limited talent pool While the Swift community is growing fast, it is still significantly smaller as compared to any other open source language. According to the latest StackOverflow Developer Survey, only 5.1 percent of the 83,053 respondents use Swift. It means that if you decide to create your next project using Swift, you might struggle with finding developers that are experienced enough with it. … ### Poor interoperability with third-party tools and IDEs Largely due to frequent updates, as mentioned above, it is often hard to find the right tools to help with certain tasks. Moreover, the official Apple IDE, XCode, lags in terms of tooling and support for Swift. Developers often report issues with syntax highlighting, autocomplete, refactoring tools, and compilers. ### Incomplete cross-platform support As we mentioned earlier, Swift supports all Apple platforms, as well as Linux and Windows. However, it was originally created and still works best for native iOS development, leaving the cross-platform market to React Native, Xamarin, and Flutter. ### Lack of support for earlier iOS versions You can only use Swift in the apps that target iOS7 and later. That said, Swift can’t be used for legacy projects running on older versions of the operating system. It’s not that significant since only a tiny percent of Apple devices currently run on iOS6 or earlier versions, but you still have to keep that in mind, you know, just in case.