Swift Playgrounds

Learn serious code.
In a seriously fun way.

Swift Playgrounds is a revolutionary app for iPad and Mac that makes it fun to learn and experiment with Swift — a powerful programming language created by Apple and used by the pros to build today’s most popular apps. Swift Playgrounds requires no coding knowledge, so it’s perfect for students just starting out.

Solve puzzles to master the basics. Then step up to learn the building blocks of apps with interactive walkthroughs designed by Apple.

And have fun creating your very own real-life apps.

Learn more about Swift

Real Swift code.

Real simple. Real playful.

Learning to code with Swift Playgrounds is incredibly engaging. The app comes with a complete set of Apple-designed lessons. Play your way through the basics in “Get Started with Code” using real code to guide a character through a 3D world. Then move on to more advanced concepts.

What you see is what you code.

Create code on the left side of your screen and instantly see the results on the right — with just a tap.

Conquer levels, puzzles,
and coding concepts.

Starting with the “Get Started with Code” guide, you’ll tackle goals using the same code professional developers use every day. As you move along, more advanced concepts come into play. You’ll continually build on what you’ve learned and create even more complex code.

Fundamentals of Swift.

You’ll start out by learning the important concepts you need to understand code.

Commands
Functions
Loops
Parameters
Conditional Code
Variables
Operators
Types
Initialization
Bug Fixing

Master the basics, then step up to more challenges.

In addition to the built-in library of lessons, Swift Playgrounds includes a collection of extra challenges — with new ones added over time. Go deeper on a topic you’ve already studied or try your hand at something new. You’re not just building fun creations, you’re building your skills, too.

Jump-start your creativity.

Use what you’ve learned to create something brand new. With more than two dozen examples, you can get a head start on more advanced coding, add multiple files to your project at once, and use iPad features such as Multi-Touch interactions, accelerometer, and gyroscope. Personalize your project by adding graphics, audio, and more.

Create code
on the best devices for learning.

Easily drag braces around code, wrap existing code in a loop, or choose from dozens of drag-and-drop snippets included in Swift Playgrounds — right from your iPad or Mac. Take full advantage of powerful Multi-Touch, multitasking, and Split View capabilities on iPad. You can also enjoy the view from your Mac. The larger screen makes room for the sidebar with a complete table of contents and quick access to other Swift files. Just tap, drag, or type text and numbers. Then interact with what you’ve created.

Touch to edit.

Conveniently drag the boundaries of a statement around existing code.

Help is just a tap away.

If you come across a command that’s hard to understand, simply tap it. A menu of options will appear. Choose the most relevant one and get the answer you need.

Build your first app.

And the next ones, too.

Bring your creativity to life by building apps directly in Swift Playgrounds on iPad and Mac. As you edit your code, see the results instantly in the side-by-side App Preview. Then take your app full screen for a rich experience.

Ready to build your first app? Swift Playgrounds includes a guide, “Get Started with Apps,” to help you bring your ideas to life.

Let smart code completion handle the details.

Stay focused with smart code completion, right in line with your code. This time-saving feature knows which frameworks you’re using and can help you quickly find what you’re looking for. And for more complex lookups, smart code completion shows you all possible variations — along with short descriptions — to help ensure that you’re making the right call.

Explore your creations in full screen.

Immerse yourself by using the vivid Retina display on iPad. Simply tap to expand the App Preview to experience your app full screen. You can also customize built-in games like Battleship and Brick Breaker, then go all in by letting them take up the whole screen.

Browse a library of controls, colors, and icons.

Find commonly used controls, colors, and icons in the Snippets Library and add to your code quickly. Use the search bar to find just the right icon from a library of thousands.

Take things to Xcode. And back again.

Because you’re working with real code, you can move your app projects freely between Swift Playgrounds and Xcode. So whether you’re sitting in front of your Mac or using iPad on the go, you’ll always be ready to code when inspiration strikes.

Share your creation with a friend.

Send your code to a friend’s iPad using Mail, Messages, or AirDrop. Your friends can view it in Swift Playgrounds and even build on it by adding their own twists.

Or share it with the world on the App Store.

When you’re ready to share your completed app, you can submit it to App Store Connect right from your iPad or Mac with Swift Playgrounds. Use the App Store Connect website to create your product page, invite users to provide feedback using TestFlight, and gain insights on how users are engaging with your app.

Code is universal.
So we teach it in many languages.

Swift Playgrounds is available in 14 languages — Castilian and Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, English, German, French, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Turkish, Dutch, and Swedish. Because we believe that everybody, everywhere should be able to learn to code.

Swift Playgrounds