Microsoft Visual Studio vs Xcode

May 29, 2023 | Author: Michael Stromann
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Microsoft Visual Studio
Microsoft Visual Studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) from Microsoft. Visual Studio is a comprehensive collection of developer tools and services to help you create apps for the Microsoft platform and beyond.
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Xcode
The Xcode IDE is at the center of the Apple development experience. Tightly integrated with the Cocoa and Cocoa Touch frameworks, Xcode is an incredibly productive environment for building amazing apps for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
Microsoft Visual Studio and Xcode are integrated development environments (IDEs) designed for software development, but they cater to different platforms and programming languages. Visual Studio, developed by Microsoft, is primarily focused on Windows-based development and supports languages such as C#, C++, Visual Basic, and more. It offers a comprehensive set of tools, including a powerful code editor, debugging features, integrated testing, and extensive libraries and frameworks. Visual Studio also provides seamless integration with Azure cloud services, making it a preferred choice for Windows application development. Xcode, on the other hand, is Apple's official IDE for macOS and iOS development. It supports languages like Swift and Objective-C and offers a range of tools and resources for building applications for Apple's ecosystem. Xcode includes features such as an interface builder, simulator for testing apps, debugging tools, and extensive frameworks for iOS and macOS development.

See also: Top 10 IDE Software
Microsoft Visual Studio vs Xcode in our news:

2020. Microsoft’s Visual Studio Online code editor is now Visual Studio Codespaces and gets a price drop



Approximately one year ago, Microsoft introduced Visual Studio Online, an online code editor built upon the well-known Visual Studio Code project. This offering essentially provides users with a comprehensive code editor and a hosted environment accessible directly from their web browser. Today, the company has revealed that it will be rebranding this service as Visual Studio Codespaces. Alongside the name change, Microsoft has also implemented a significant price reduction, reducing the cost of the service by over 50%. Additionally, developers now have the flexibility to utilize low-performance virtual machines at a starting price of $0.08 per hour.


2015. Microsoft launched Visual Studio 2015



Microsoft has officially introduced the latest edition of the Visual Studio integrated development environment (IDE) along with an update to its .NET framework. The availability of Visual Studio 2015 (VS 2015) for download and purchase has been announced. Additionally, Microsoft shared updated download figures for various tools within the Visual Studio ecosystem. Visual Studio Community, an enhanced free version of the software for non-enterprise users, has achieved 5 million downloads since its launch seven months ago. More than 3.2 million developers have registered for Visual Studio Online services. Visual Studio Code, the standalone code editor compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux, has garnered half a million downloads within three months of its release. Notably, over half of these downloads originated from Mac and Linux users. A noteworthy integration in Visual Studio is the inclusion of Apache Cordova, allowing developers to create iOS and Android apps using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.


2015. Microsoft Visual Studio will allow to transform Android and iOS apps to Windows apps



Amidst the challenge of limited applications on its Windows Phone and Windows 8.x platforms, Microsoft has unveiled a solution that allows developers to more seamlessly port their Android applications to Windows devices. Microsoft announced that developers can leverage their existing Java and C++ code from an Android app to create applications for Windows 10 phones, enabling code reuse. Additionally, with new tools available in Visual Studio, developers can repurpose their Objective-C apps from iOS. Furthermore, Microsoft shared that web developers now have the capability to bring their web apps and traditional Windows desktop apps directly to the Windows Store. Previously, while developers could feature their regular Windows apps in the store, purchases had to be made on the developer's website. This update enables apps to be installed directly from the Windows Store, enhancing accessibility for users.


2015. Microsoft launched Visual Studio for OS X and Linux



During its Build developer conference, Microsoft unveiled the introduction of Visual Studio Code, a lightweight and cross-platform code editor designed for creating modern web and cloud applications. This code editor is compatible with OS X, Linux, and Windows, representing Microsoft's first offering of a truly cross-platform code editor for developers. While the complete Visual Studio remains exclusive to Windows, this announcement demonstrates Microsoft's dedication to supporting other operating systems. Visual Studio Code provides developers with built-in support for various programming languages and offers rich code assistance and navigation for each of these languages. Furthermore, JavaScript, TypeScript, Node.js, and ASP.NET 5 developers will benefit from a set of additional tools specifically tailored to their needs. The code editor incorporates essential features such as syntax highlighting, customizable keyboard bindings, bracket matching, and code snippets, making it a comprehensive tool for modern development workflows.


2015. Microsoft simplifies Visual Studio pricing for Enterprise



Microsoft has announced its plans to streamline its offerings for enterprises by merging Visual Studio Premium and Ultimate into a single product with the upcoming release of Visual Studio 2015. The consolidated product, now known as Visual Studio Enterprise With MSDN, will encompass all the features that were previously available in Visual Studio Ultimate, including IntelliTrace in production and CodeLens support. Additionally, Microsoft has reduced the price of the new Enterprise version to slightly below the previous cost of the Premium edition. The initial year subscription for Enterprise with MSDN will be priced at $5,999, followed by subsequent years at $2,569 (compared to the previous prices of $6,119 and $2,569, respectively, for Premium). This represents a significant 55 percent price reduction for existing Ultimate subscribers. The pricing for Visual Studio Pro, which caters to individuals and smaller teams, will remain unchanged at $1,199 for the first year and $799 for renewals.


2014. Microsoft launches free Visual Studio for small teams



Microsoft has introduced the Community edition of Visual Studio IDE as a replacement for the previously limited Visual Studio Express version. Essentially, the Community edition offers the complete functionality of Visual Studio without any restrictions, except for its non-availability for enterprise settings and teams exceeding five members. This shift signifies Visual Studio's transition towards a freemium model. Microsoft has developed a suite of online tools around Visual Studio Online, which it expects users to pay for. The Visual Studio IDE now serves as the gateway to this broader ecosystem. By attracting more developers to this platform, Microsoft aims to increase the adoption of its paid toolset through subscriptions to MSDN and other channels.

Author: Michael Stromann
Michael is an expert in IT Service Management, IT Security and software development. With his extensive experience as a software developer and active involvement in multiple ERP implementation projects, Michael brings a wealth of practical knowledge to his writings. Having previously worked at SAP, he has honed his expertise and gained a deep understanding of software development and implementation processes. Currently, as a freelance developer, Michael continues to contribute to the IT community by sharing his insights through guest articles published on several IT portals. You can contact Michael by email stromann@liventerprise.com