

Click Install to start the process.ĭepending on your Mac’s speed, this process can take a few hours. Make sure that it’s on the same disk where all your other applications are stored. The final screen prompts you to select an install location. The installer copies all of the Xcode from the DVD onto your hard drive. On the Custom Install screen, make sure all checkboxes except Mac OS X 10.4 are turned on, and then click Continue.

You can click each package name to see what’s being installed: Besides the integrated development environment (IDE) that you’d expect, you’ll also find tools for monitoring performance and plenty of documentation. Spend your dollars on the hardware instead of the tools and you’ll come out ahead.įigure 1-1. The Xcode installer starts out with all checkboxes except Mac OS X 10.4 selected for you. If you’re used to spending thousands of dollars on Visual Studio and MSDN, it will come as a pleasant surprise to know that all of Apple’s developer tools are free. Just launch the virtual machine, open the browser in Windows, and load the test URL.įinally, think of all the money you’re saving on development tools. Virtual machines are particularly handy when you need to see how your iPhone product website appears in Internet Explorer. Or you may find it easier to install third-party software like VMware Fusion and to run other operating systems on a virtual machine within Mac OS X. You can boot into any operating system using Apple’s free Boot Camp utility.

Macs now use an Intel processor, which means you can run Windows or any other x86-based operating system on your new machine. If you’re looking for excuses to justify the purchase, here’s some help: In particular, the new laptops are hard to resist. And if you’re developing for multiple platforms, it’s handy to put the Mac mini behind a KVM switch so you can quickly shift between machines. If you’re a software developer, you probably have this stuff already sitting around in a closet. You can save quite a bit of money by just buying a new CPU and repurposing the devices you already own. Buying a new Mac mini is a great option if you already have a display, keyboard, and other peripherals. The development tools don’t work with older PowerPC processors.Īdd a Mac mini. The only caveat when buying older hardware is to make sure the Mac has an Intel processor. The apps you’re going to create are small and don’t need a lot of processor power to build and test. Someone else’s old hardware will be perfectly fine for iPhone development. If you’re on a shoestring budget, check out eBay or craigslist.
