Day 1 picks up after the pre-reading with more basic programming language constructs common to other languages. Arrays, dictionaries, functions, and enumerations. In addition, Swift adds a few more concepts that I have not used professionally yet – Ooptionals and closures.

The instructors at Big Nerd Ranch really encourage you to type out all the example code in the chapter as it helps reinforce the concepts being introduced. I’m taking the approach that if typing the examples is good then typing the example code and the slides should be better. Hopefully RSI doesn’t creep in by the end of the week…

We spend the day getting short lectures to introduce a chapter in the unreleased Big Nerd Ranch Swift book, follow by reading the chapter just introduced, and working the examples. At the end of each chapter is typically 1-3 coding challenges to extend the examples in the chapter. Since you can get by simply typing in the example code verbatim, I really like that the challenges don’t provide a solution; you’re on your own, just like the “real world”.

I believe I have a good grasp on most of today’s instruction, although the finer points of closures will warrant some deeper exploration to truly grasp to their fullest.

After a 10 hour day of mostly coding, reading, and instruction… I’m exhausted. But loving every minute of it.