raywenderlich Objective-C style guide vs Google style guide

The raywenderlich guide focuses on readability for educational content with print-friendly rules like 2-space indentation, while Google's guide is more corporate-oriented with different naming conventions and spacing. Choose based on whether your project is tutorial-based or needs alignment with Google's broader coding standards.

how to enforce raywenderlich style guide in Xcode

Use Xcode's text editing preferences to set 2-space indentation and consider integrating linters like ClangFormat with custom rules matching the guide. Manual code reviews are essential for enforcing conventions like the 'Golden Path' and error handling patterns.

Is the raywenderlich Objective-C style guide still used today

Yes, it remains relevant for maintaining Objective-C code in educational materials, legacy projects, or teams adopting Kodeco's conventions. However, with Apple's shift to Swift, its use is more niche compared to Swift-focused guides.

What are the most controversial rules in the raywenderlich guide

The mandatory use of dot notation for properties and the prohibition of 'and' in method names often spark debate, as they differ from other style guides. Additionally, the smiley face convention ( :] ) is seen as unprofessional by some developers.

How to handle existing code when adopting this style guide

Gradually refactor by applying naming and spacing rules first, using Xcode's refactoring tools for consistency. Prioritize high-traffic files and enforce changes through pull request reviews to minimize disruption.

Does this guide cover modern Objective-C features like blocks

Yes, it includes guidelines for blocks, advising against colon-aligning them for readability, and covers literals, constants, and error handling aligned with post-ARC best practices.

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raywenderlich Style Guide

Official Objective-C style guide for Kodeco (raywenderlich.com) focusing on readability for print and web.

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What is raywenderlich Style Guide?

The raywenderlich.com Objective-C Style Guide is a comprehensive set of coding conventions for Objective-C used by Kodeco's authors and contributors. It standardizes code style across books, tutorials, and starter kits to ensure consistency and readability, particularly for educational content in print and web formats.

Target Audience

Objective-C developers, especially those writing or contributing to Kodeco's educational materials, books, tutorials, or starter kits. It's also useful for teams seeking a readability-focused style guide for Objective-C projects.

Value Proposition

Developers choose this guide because it's tailored for educational content, emphasizing readability and consistency across multiple authors. It provides clear, opinionated rules that help maintain code quality in print and online tutorials.

Overview

A style guide that outlines the coding conventions for Kodeco

Use Cases

Best For

Standardizing Objective-C code across multi-author educational projects
Ensuring code readability in printed programming books
Maintaining consistency in iOS and macOS tutorial codebases
Adopting best practices for Objective-C naming and formatting
Writing clear, maintainable Objective-C for open-source starter kits
Teams looking for a well-documented, opinionated Objective-C style guide

Not Ideal For

Projects required to follow corporate style guides like Google's or GitHub's Objective-C conventions
Legacy codebases with established, incompatible coding standards that would demand extensive refactoring
Teams primarily developing in Swift or transitioning away from Objective-C
Environments where print-oriented formatting (e.g., 2-space indentation) offers no practical benefit

Pros & Cons

Pros

Comprehensive Coverage

Details conventions for every aspect of Objective-C, from language usage to error handling, with clear 'preferred vs not preferred' code examples throughout the README.

Educational Readability Focus

Optimized for tutorial and book formats, using rules like 2-space indentation and consistent spacing to conserve print space and enhance learner comprehension online.

Best Practices Alignment

Informed by Apple's official documentation and reputable guides, ensuring adherence to modern Objective-C standards such as using NS_ENUM() and instancetype.

Collaborative Development

Created by multiple experienced Kodeco authors, providing a balanced set of conventions tested across books, tutorials, and starter kits for consistency.

Cons

Brand-Specific Conventions

Includes Kodeco-centric elements like the 'RWT' class prefix and whimsical rules (e.g., smiley face :]), which are not applicable or professional for external projects.

Print-Oriented Formatting

Rules such as 2-space indentation and avoidance of colon-aligning are designed for space conservation in print, potentially conflicting with digital-first or team-specific style preferences.

Restrictive Syntax Mandates

Opinionated dictates like always using dot notation for properties and forbidding the 'and' keyword in method names can clash with other guides or developer habits.

Objective-C Only Scope

Does not address Swift or mixed-language development, limiting its relevance in modern iOS/macOS ecosystems where Swift is increasingly dominant.

Frequently Asked Questions

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