How to build a Budget tracker app with Xcode and AI
Tutorial
Estimated completion time: 4 min read
Overview
Welcome to "How to build a Budget Tracker app with Xcode and AI". In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a budget tracking app using Xcode and Swift, with the assistance of Alex, an AI tool for iOS development.
By the end of this tutorial, you will have built a fully functional app that allows users to track their income and expenses, and get a clear picture of their financial situation.
Prerequisites
Before starting, make sure you have the following:
Implementation Steps
1. Project Setup & Planning
Start by creating a new Xcode project. In Xcode, navigate to File > New > Project… and choose the iOS "App" template.
Planning App Features
Our budget tracker app will have the following features:
- Adding incomes and expenses
- Viewing a summary of incomes, expenses, and balance
- Categorizing incomes and expenses
Use Alex to help brainstorm data models. Just describe the structure in natural language and let Alex do the initial work. For example, you could say, "I need a transaction model with an amount, a category, and a type that can be income or expense".
Outlining Basic UI/UX
Sketch your initial UI/UX ideas on paper. Then, describe your ideas to Alex and let it generate some initial SwiftUI views. Remember that you are still in control and can customize the output to your liking.
2. Core Features
Implementing main app functionality
Let's start by creating the main views of our app: Income, Expenses, and Summary. Use Alex to help translate your UI ideas into code. For example, tell Alex, "I want a view with a button to add a new transaction."
Building UI with SwiftUI
Using SwiftUI, we can create reusable components for our app, such as a TransactionRow view that displays information about a transaction. If you're not sure how to implement this, ask Alex!
Wiring up logic and user interactions
We also need to handle user interactions like adding a new transaction. Implement this in your SwiftUI views and make sure to update your view models accordingly.
3. Data & Storage
Persisting data locally
The simplest way to persist data locally in our app is to use UserDefaults. However, as our data grows, we might want to use a more robust solution like CoreData. Alex can help you set up these data storage solutions.
Creating functions to save and retrieve data
Create functions to add, retrieve, and delete transactions. If you run into any issues, ask Alex for help. Alex can generate boilerplate code to get you started and help debug if things don't work as expected.
Managing state and updates
Use SwiftUI's @State and @Binding properties to manage state in your app. This will ensure your UI always reflects the current app state.
4. Polish & Refinement
Adding animations
Use SwiftUI's built-in animation support to add polish to your app. For example, you could animate the addition of a new transaction to the list.
Handling loading and error states
Don't forget to handle error states in your app. SwiftUI makes this easy with the @State property.
Making final performance tweaks
Ensure your app is running smoothly by profiling it using Xcode's Instruments tool. Alex can also help optimize your code by suggesting improvements.
Next Steps
In the next tutorial, we'll add more advanced features like custom categories and recurring transactions. In the meantime, try adding some of your own features like a detailed view for each transaction.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You've built a functional Budget Tracker app using SwiftUI, with the help of Alex. You've seen how Alex can speed up development by generating boilerplate code, helping design the UI, and even debugging issues. If you enjoyed this tutorial, be sure to check out our other tutorials, and don't forget to try Alex with a free trial. Happy coding!