HomeIT GlossaryXcodeXcode vs. Visual Studio for macOS: Which one is best for development?

Xcode vs. Visual Studio for macOS: Which one is best for development?

Choosing between Xcode and Visual Studio for macOS depends on your development goals. Xcode is Apple's official Integrated Development Environment (IDE) designed specifically for Swift and Objective-C applications. It provides seamless integration with macOS and iOS, a robust Interface Builder, and SwiftUI previews. Visual Studio for Mac, on the other hand, is better suited for C#, .NET, Unity, and cross-platform development, offering Git support and better collaboration features.

If you’re developing native Apple apps, Xcode is the best choice. However, for cross-platform development and .NET applications, Visual Studio for Mac offers more flexibility.

Key takeaways:

Xcode is essential for iOS/macOS development and App Store deployment.
Visual Studio for Mac supports .NET, Unity, and cross-platform apps.
SwiftUI previews and Interface Builder work best in Xcode.
Visual Studio for Mac excels in .NET Core and C# development.

AppCode vs. Xcode: Key differences

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Dejan Velimirovic
Full-Stack Software Developer
React Native Software Freelance Startup Mobile App
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React Native Software Offshore Startup Mobile App
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Marko Tadic
iOS Developer
iOS Swift Objective-C Mobile App
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Seniority verified on Apr 16, 2024
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Aleksandar Nikolic
iOS Developer
iOS Swift Mobile App
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Seniority verified on Apr 16, 2024
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Aleksandar Orelj
Full-Stack Developer
React Native Software Mobile App
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Luka Patarcic
Technical Lead
React Native
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Seniority verified on Oct 03, 2022
With over 7 years in web and mobile development, Luka combines technical expertise and leadership to solve complex problems and deliver top-quality projects from start to finish. Brining verstaile tech stack and leadership experience Luka has worked on various projects from
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Andrija Djuric
Fullstack Developer
Mobile App
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Vanja Culum
Fullstack Developer
Offshore Mobile App
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Darko Simic
Fullstack Developer
React Native Software Startup Mobile App
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Lana Ilic
Fullstack Developer
React Native Mobile App
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Seniority verified on Feb 28, 2025
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Ivana Jovic
Frontend Developer
React Native Offshore Mobile App
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