#1
Iāve been a full stack web developer for 3 years now. But I realized I really enjoy iOS development. I enjoy OO programing and strict languages. Is native development still a good career to get into? All I hear now is Progressive web apps and React Native! How do people switch tech stacks without starting over? I really want to become an iOS engineer but Iām afraid no one will look at me since I have zero pro iOS experience.
Thanks!
@cbrandalise Thanks very much for your question!
Youāve asked a very important question that many developers face, so youāre not alone 
First off, congratulations on being a full stack web developer! You deserve credit for being established in your field already. This is not easy for many. If you can achieve success in one field, it certainly is possible for you to achieve it again!
The fact that youāre trying to go into iOS development should not be viewed by you as something ādifferentā. Rather, look at it as something that is supplementing your already well established skills. There is tremendous overlap with iOS development and web development. iOS developers work with REST APIās on a constant basis, and knowledge of web development will be a huge benefit in terms of designing UIās for the iPhone/iPad screens, as well as the architecture of apps.
Native iOS development is here to stay. In fact, I would argue that secondary technologies like hybrid app development, progressive web apps, and react native are nowhere near as established as native development. Yes, there is much hype about these technologies, and yes, there are some benefits to using them. However, remember that never will a technology made by a third party overtake, nor replace the technology made by the maker of the device itself. In this case, Apple. Appleās software tools are designed with full knowledge of the hardware capabilities of their hardware which no other company has (including the government!) so itās simply not possible for the tools of another company to provide more features, and provide better exploitation of the capabilities of iOS devices, than Apple.
On a personal level, I will say this to you:
You have the most important quality to succeed as an iOS developer that many IT professionals lack: PASSION!
You said so yourself that you really enjoy iOS development, and enjoy OO programming. The fact that you love the technology, and are not intimidated by it shows that you have the desire, and will to succeed in spite of the obstacles. With that desire, you will very likely succeed. Remember that.
To address the issue of switching stacks, this is where things can get tricky. What I would recommend is NOT quit your current role as a web developer, and try to build your skills as an iOS developer in the mean time, and then try to leverage yourself within your company, if possible. What I mean by that is, if your company is currently doing app development, see if you can gradually take on tasks or assignments from your mobile team to apply your iOS dev skills. In addition, I think it is imperative that as an iOS developer, that you should get an app of your OWN into the app store. This way, you can proudly say that youāve built something from the ground up, and is available to the public. This will have a huge psychological impact on you, in a positive way, because you can confidently, and correctly identify yourself as an iOS developer, and point to an app that YOU built, and is available from the app store. Make sure itās something that shows effort, and insight, but not out of reach.
The other thing to consider is that in our industry of IT, it is a given fact that you are constantly learning, and developing new skills. So donāt feel you are ārestartingā your career. I would argue that you are taking a step, ādiagonally upā. This ability of yours to identify an area of interest, and then pursue the time, and energy to learn and build something is something employers are constantly looking for. They want to hire people who can identify technologies, and not be afraid to āget their hands dirtyā.
Finally, simply do a job search in iOS development and see how many positions are seeking native iOS dev skills vs third party dev skills, and youāll see that there is simply no comparison. There is also a disproportionately higher number of learning resources available for native iOS development vs any other kind so this should also give you an indication as to where the future lies.
Everything that you identified as a potential negative, in fact is a positive. Be optimistic, be positive, role up your sleeves, and keep moving forward!
I hope this helps!
All the best!
Thank you! You have motivated me to keep going!
@cbrandalise Iām happy to help! Please continue to visit us at our site, and keep pushing forward!