Updated 03:36 PM EDT, Thu, May 02, 2024

Apple's OS X & iOS Swift Programming Language Going Open Source

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Apple introduced their very own programming language, called Swift. This new program will allow many developers to create more applications for the brand because of its open source.

According to TechCrunch, the multi-paradigm was made open source under the Apache License that can be accessed by OS X and iOS developers. Hence, all of Apple's source codes can now be edited and organized by the programmers, including the code for "a new package manager," without any problem.

Chris Lattner, the creator of the program, started working the Swift back in 2010 and had it available in 2014 at a developer conference. The "Objective-C, Rust, Haskell, Ruby, Python, C#, CLU," and many more are the inspirations of the 37-year-old software developer.

Swift can now be used to make desktop application and iOS programs. It, too, comes with Linux binaries and a "command line tool" that can run programs without "files and folders."

This has been a smart move for Apple, and is certainly a major step to open its source. The Verge reported that Swift can also be accessed through GitHub. The non-Apple developers now have the right to check the open language, give suggestions and create new applications with it.

Apple just recently launched a new version of Swift that can run on Linux. This, too, was made for the multinational technology company's enterprise partners, like IBM.

The International Business Machines Corporation can now use Swift to make "consumer-facing" applications that can understand the Linux servers' that are able to talk like the open source. However, don't expect Apple to create more ports for Swift.

In fact, by opening the source codes, developers can also use it with its rival software, like Windows and Android. Apple wanted it to become one of the main "programming languages" for the coming 20 years.

And, to become that, Swift has to be able to work with all the major desktop and mobile devices. This, too, can help the company: if more programmers use the programming language, that means it will create more, adding to its total revenue. 

Meanwhile, it has been known that Apple is not used to opening up about their own ways, which made the open sourcing an unexpected move by the company. However, to recall, iOS's Research Kit was also open sourced earlier this year, as well as Safari's browser engine and WebKit.

Apple will announce further plans about Swift on their own website, swift.org. The code is now available to be used and edited for any platform.

Watch how Swift's work by Swift Language.

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