Swift Playgrounds

File:Screenshot_of_Swift_Playgrounds_for_iPad.jpgSwift Playgrounds was designed to be a development environment and an education tool simultaneously.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imore.com/swift-playgrounds|title=Swift Playgrounds: Previewing Apple's remarkable new portal to code|date=March 27, 2018|website=iMore|language=en|access-date=January 31, 2019}} The app allows users to download lessons and challenges. Once stored on the iPad, these can be copied and modified without the need of an active internet connection.

Apple's initial lessons, available for all Swift Playgrounds users to download, introduce three characters: Byte, Blu, and Hopper. In each challenge, young coders are asked to assist these characters achieving simple goals by coding simple instructions. As challenges become more difficult, more complex algorithms are required to solve them and new concepts are introduced.{{Cite web|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/3268086/application-development/learning-to-code-with-swift-playgrounds-as-an-adult.html|title=Learning to code with Swift Playgrounds as an adult|date=April 6, 2018|website=Macworld|language=en|access-date=February 10, 2019}} Advanced lessons in Playgrounds introduce users to more complex features such as Apple's Bluetooth and Augmented Reality development platform (ARKit) APIs.{{Cite web|url=http://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2017/408/|title=What's New in Swift Playgrounds - WWDC 2017 - Videos|website=Apple Developer|language=en|access-date=February 10, 2019}}

In addition to Apple's own educational content, Swift Playgrounds can download third-party lessons through its subscriptions feature. Some third-party lessons allow the app to control robots (such as Lego Mindstorms EV3 and Sphero educational toys) and drones (such as the Parrot). Apple also offers coding classes using Swift Playgrounds at Apple Stores.{{Cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/today/event/coding-skills-robots-swift-playground/|title=Coding Skills: Programming Robots with Swift Playgrounds|accessdate=November 25, 2020|website=Apple}}

Swift Playgrounds was designed to be fully accessible to users with disabilities.{{Cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/05/apple-brings-everyone-can-code-to-schools-serving-blind-and-deaf-students/|title=Apple brings Everyone Can Code to schools serving blind and dead students|accessdate=November 25, 2020|website=Apple}} It supports Apple's VoiceOver screen reader technology, and at WWDC 2020 Apple introduced a series of lessons called "Swan's Quest" which use accessibility features to help students solve puzzles.{{Cite web|url=https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=w70xqndi|title=Coding and design starter kit|accessdate=November 25, 2020|website=Apple Developer}}

The Swift Playgrounds application was announced on June 13, 2016 at WWDC 2016 as an iPad exclusive app to help people learning to code with Apple's Swift programming language.{{Cite web|url=https://9to5mac.com/2016/06/13/apple-announces-swift-playgrounds-for-ipad/|title=Apple announces Swift Playgrounds for iPad at WWDC, public release in fall|last=Mayo|first=Benjamin|date=June 13, 2016|website=9to5Mac|language=en-US|access-date=January 31, 2019}} A beta version for Apple developers was released on the same date, followed by a public beta version in the following month. The app was presented as a teaching tool for students, introducing the core concepts of coding using an interactive environment designed for touch.{{Cite web|url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/swift-playground/id908519492|title=Swift Playgrounds|website=App Store|language=en-us|access-date=January 29, 2019}} The application's name is an apparent reference to Xcode's earlier Playgrounds feature, introduced in 2014.{{fact|date=November 2020}}

Along with iOS 10, the app was officially released on September 13, 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://9to5mac.com/2016/06/13/apple-announces-swift-playgrounds-for-ipad/|title=Apple announces Swift Playgrounds for iPad at WWDC, public release in fall|last=Mayo|first=Benjamin|date=June 13, 2016|website=9to5Mac|language=en-US|access-date=February 20, 2019}} Apple also published a [https://www.apple.com/education/docs/Swift_Playgrounds_Curriculum_Guide.pdf curriculum guide], recommending the iPad app for middle school students and up. In January 2018, Apple introduced subscriptions to the iPad application, allowing users to subscribe to playgrounds developed by third parties.

On February 11, 2020, Apple released a macOS version of Swift Playgrounds on the Mac App Store, built using Apple's Catalyst technology. Subsequent versions of the application have supported both iPadOS and macOS, with most of Apple's curriculum available on both platforms.{{fact|date=November 2020}} For WWDC 2020, Apple published a session instructing third-party developers on how to support both platforms in their subscriptions.{{Cite web|url=https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2020/10654/|title=Create Swift Playgrounds content for iPad and Mac - WWDC 2020 - Videos|accessdate=November 25, 2020|website=Apple Developer}}

The iPad version of the Swift Playgrounds (1.0) was released on September 13, 2016. Chris Lattner was also one of the few core people who drove Swift Playgrounds for iPad, including conception, design, implementation, and iteration.{{Cite web|url=http://nondot.org/~sabre/|title=Chris Lattner's Homepage|website=nondot.org|access-date=February 10, 2019}} Simultaneously with its release, Apple published guides on the iBookStore to teach users how to navigate and use the application. The launch coincided with a large Silicon Valley campaign to press public schools to teach coding and was followed by Apple's announcement of the "Everyone Can Code" initiative, a program that provides computer science curriculum to help kids learn how to code.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/13/technology/apple-coding-app-swift-playgrounds.html|title=Apple Offers Free App to Teach Children Coding (iPads Sold Separately)|last=Singer|first=Natasha|date=September 12, 2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 31, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|url=https://thejournal.com/articles/2016/09/09/apple-launches-everyone-can-code-initiative-and-apple-teacher-program.aspx|title=Apple Launches Everyone Can Code Initiative and Apple Teacher Program -|last=Ravipati|first=Sri|website=THE Journal|language=en-US|access-date=February 1, 2019}} Swift Playgrounds is included in this program as free coding curriculum and Apple provides detailed guides to walk teachers through teaching Swift.{{Cite web|url=https://9to5mac.com/2018/05/19/making-the-grade-swift-playgrounds-k12/|title=Making The Grade: Is Swift Playgrounds a useful tool in K-12?|last=Chambers|first=Bradley|date=May 19, 2018|website=9to5Mac|language=en-US|access-date=February 1, 2019}} Apple also released "App Development with Swift", a year-long curriculum for teaching Swift software development and later introduced a Swift certification program to validate coding skills for students.{{Cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2017/05/apple-launches-app-development-curriculum-for-high-school-community-college-students/|title=Apple launches app development curriculum for high school and community college students|website=Apple Newsroom|language=en|access-date=February 1, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://9to5mac.com/2018/07/30/certiport-app-development-swift-certification/|title=New Swift certification program validates coding skills for students|last=Hall|first=Zac|date=July 30, 2018|website=9to5Mac|language=en-US|access-date=February 1, 2019}}

In May 2018, Apple announced the extension of "Everyone Can Code" initiative to US schools serving blind and deaf students. In January 2017, Apple partnered with RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) to provide braille versions of the Swift Playgrounds graphics used in its coding course.{{Cite web|url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3336179/apple-ios/apple-s-everyone-can-code-courses-are-now-available-in-braille.html|title=Apple's 'Everyone Can Code' courses are now available in braille|last=Evans|first=Jonny|date=January 24, 2019|website=Computerworld|language=en|access-date=February 1, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2018/05/apple-brings-everyone-can-code-to-schools-serving-blind-and-deaf-students/|title=Apple brings Everyone Can Code to schools serving blind and deaf students|website=Apple Newsroom|language=en-US|access-date=February 1, 2019}}

In 2020, Apple launches the Swift Student Challenge, a competition in which students can submit code written in Swift through Swift Playgrounds.{{Cite web |title=Apple's WWDC20 Swift Student Challenge winners determined to shape the future |url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/06/apples-wwdc20-swift-student-challenge-winners-determined-to-shape-the-future/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=Apple Newsroom |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Build your first app in Swift Playgrounds - WWDC22 - Videos |url=https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2022/110348/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=Apple Developer |language=en}}

In February 2022, Apple launches Swift Playgrounds 3.2 for Mac as a dedicated app on the AppStore, keeping the same focus of helping kids to learn to code with Apple's Swift programming language.{{Cite web |title=Swift Playgrounds Now Available on Mac - Latest News - Apple Developer |url=https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=02122020a |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=developer.apple.com |language=en}}

Upon release, Swift Playgrounds reached the first place in the top free iPad education apps in nearly 100 countries. The app received generally positive reviews from users (4/5 rating score on the App Store) and from the press.{{Cite web|url=https://www.appannie.com/en/apps/ios/app/908519492/|title=Swift Playgrounds - AppAnnie report|website=www.appannie.com|access-date=February 10, 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/22/technology/personaltech/want-to-make-your-own-app-there-are-free-classes-for-that.html|title=Want to make your own app? There are free classes for that|last=Biersdorfer|first=J. D.|date=October 21, 2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 10, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/3268086/application-development/learning-to-code-with-swift-playgrounds-as-an-adult.html|title=Learning to code with Swift Playgrounds as an adult|date=April 6, 2018|website=Macworld|language=en|access-date=January 29, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/06/13/apple-launches-swift-playgrounds-for-ipad-to-teach-kids-to-code/|title=Apple launches Swift Playgrounds for iPad to teach kids to code|website=TechCrunch|date=13 June 2016 |language=en-US|access-date=January 29, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/3083079/application-development/swift-playgrounds-brings-ios-app-development-to-the-masses.html|title=Swift Playgrounds brings iOS app development to the masses|date=June 13, 2016|website=Macworld|language=en|access-date=January 29, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://appleinsider.com/articles/16/06/22/apples-new-swift-playgrounds-for-ipad-is-a-killer-app-for-teaching-code|title=Apple's new Swift Playgrounds for iPad is a killer app for teaching code|last=Dilger|first=Daniel Eran|website=AppleInsider|date=22 June 2016 |language=en|access-date=January 29, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/6/14/11926306/swift-playgrounds-coding-app-apple-kids-marketing|title=Swift Playgrounds sells coding as simple and fun — just like rest of Apple's products|last=Carman|first=Ashley|date=June 14, 2016|website=The Verge|access-date=January 29, 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/20/travel/travel-apps-and-games-for-children.html|title=Travel Apps and Games for Children on the Go|last=Higgins|first=Michelle|date=March 20, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 1, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} The app's ability to make serious coding accessible to young students was praised, as well as the fact that it was not excessively focused on Swift but rather in teaching good coding practices.{{Cite web|url=https://thenextweb.com/apple/2016/07/14/apple-swift-playgrounds-preview/|title=Here's why Apple really created Swift Playgrounds|last=Swanner|first=Nate|date=July 14, 2016|website=The Next Web|language=en-us|access-date=February 5, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/29/17173362/apple-swift-playgrounds-xcode-cliff-ipad-learn-to-code-education|title=The Xcode cliff: is Apple teaching kids to code, or just about code?|last=Miller|first=Paul|date=March 29, 2018|website=The Verge|access-date=February 1, 2019}} Common Sense Media rates Swift Playgrounds with a 5/5 ranking score.{{Cite web|url=https://www.commonsense.org/education/app/swift-playgrounds|title=Swift Playgrounds Review for Teachers|date=September 27, 2016|website=Common Sense Education|language=en|access-date=February 10, 2019}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|https://www.apple.com/swift/playgrounds/}}

Category:Apple Inc. software

Category:Educational software

Category:Integrated development environments

Category:IOS software

Category:MacOS programming tools

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