Objective-C for Codebases Between Rewrites
Maintain, extend, and modernize legacy iOS and macOS apps while you plan the path to Swift.
👋 Talk to an Objective-C expert.
Trusted and top rated tech team
Legacy iOS apps that still need attention
Your Objective-C codebase still runs, still generates revenue, and still needs updates when Apple releases new iOS versions. But finding developers who know the language gets harder every year. We maintain and extend Objective-C apps, handle Swift bridging, and help you modernize incrementally without halting feature delivery.
Our capabilities include:
- Legacy iOS and macOS app maintenance
- Swift bridging and incremental migration
- Cocoa and UIKit framework expertise
- Memory management and performance tuning
- iOS version compatibility updates
- Codebase modernization strategy
Who we support
We work with companies where Objective-C apps still drive revenue, internal teams have moved on to Swift, or iOS updates threaten apps nobody wants to touch anymore.
Enterprise iOS App Owners
Your Objective-C app still makes money, but your team dreads every iOS release. The code is confusing, documentation is scarce, and the original developers are long gone. You need engineers who can navigate the codebase without breaking it.
Mobile Teams Mid-Migration
Your app is half-migrated. Some modules are Swift, others are Objective-C, and bridging headers are getting unwieldy. New features stall because nobody knows which language to use or how to connect them cleanly.
Companies Planning Swift Transitions
A full rewrite isn't in the budget, but staying on pure Objective-C isn't sustainable. You need a migration strategy that moves to Swift piece by piece while the app keeps shipping updates.
Ways to engage
We offer a wide range of engagement models to meet our clients’ needs. From hourly consultation to fully managed solutions, our engagement models are designed to be flexible and customizable.
Staff Augmentation
Get access to on-demand product and engineering team talent that gives your company the flexibility to scale up and down as business needs ebb and flow.
Retainer Services
Retainers are perfect for companies that have a fully built product in maintenance mode. We'll give you peace of mind by keeping your software running, secure, and up to date.
Project Engagement
Project-based contracts that can range from small-scale audit and strategy sessions to more intricate replatforming or build from scratch initiatives.
We'll spec out a custom engagement model for you
Invested in creating success and defining new standards
At Curotec, we do more than deliver cutting-edge solutions — we build lasting partnerships. It’s the trust and collaboration we foster with our clients that make CEOs, CTOs, and CMOs consistently choose Curotec as their go-to partner.
Why choose Curotec for Objective-C?
Our engineers still work in Objective-C regularly, not just Swift developers reading documentation. We understand ARC, categories, runtime quirks, and Cocoa patterns that predate modern iOS. You get developers who can ship updates today while helping you plan the migration to Swift.
1
Extraordinary people, exceptional outcomes
Our outstanding team represents our greatest asset. With business acumen, we translate objectives into solutions. Intellectual agility drives efficient software development problem-solving. Superior communication ensures seamless teamwork integration.
2
Deep technical expertise
We don’t claim to be experts in every framework and language. Instead, we focus on the tech ecosystems in which we excel, selecting engagements that align with our competencies for optimal results. Moreover, we offer pre-developed components and scaffolding to save you time and money.
3
Balancing innovation with practicality
We stay ahead of industry trends and innovations, avoiding the hype of every new technology fad. Focusing on innovations with real commercial potential, we guide you through the ever-changing tech landscape, helping you embrace proven technologies and cutting-edge advancements.
4
Flexibility in our approach
We offer a range of flexible working arrangements to meet your specific needs. Whether you prefer our end-to-end project delivery, embedding our experts within your teams, or consulting and retainer options, we have a solution designed to suit you.
Objective-C capabilities for legacy app support
Runtime & Dynamic Features
ARC & Memory Management
Cocoa & UIKit Patterns
Bridging Header Architecture
Legacy Dependency Management
iOS Compatibility Updates
Tools and technologies for Objective-C development
Core Development Environment
Our engineers configure Xcode builds, debugging workflows, and static analysis to catch issues in legacy Objective-C before they hit production.
- Xcode — Apple’s IDE for building, debugging, and profiling iOS and macOS applications with integrated Interface Builder and asset management
- LLDB — Low-level debugger for inspecting runtime state, setting breakpoints, and evaluating Objective-C expressions during development
- Clang Static Analyzer — Compile-time analysis that detects memory leaks, null pointer dereferences, and logic errors before code ships
- Interface Builder — Visual editor for XIB and Storyboard files that defines UI layouts, outlets, and action connections without code
- Xcode Build System — Configuration of schemes, build phases, and compiler flags for complex multi-target Objective-C projects
- Command Line Tools — xcodebuild, xcrun, and related utilities for CI/CD pipelines, automated builds, and scripted workflows
Cocoa & UIKit Frameworks
Curotec works with Apple’s core frameworks daily, from Foundation data types to UIKit view hierarchies and AppKit desktop patterns.
- Foundation — Core framework for data types, collections, networking, file management, and threading primitives across iOS and macOS apps
- UIKit — iOS framework for view controllers, navigation stacks, table views, gestures, and touch-based interface patterns
- AppKit — macOS framework for windows, menus, document architecture, and desktop interaction patterns in Mac applications
- Core Data — Object graph and persistence framework for managing model objects, relationships, and local database storage
- Core Animation — Layer-based rendering engine for smooth animations, transitions, and GPU-accelerated visual effects
- Grand Central Dispatch — Concurrency framework for managing background tasks, dispatch queues, and thread-safe code execution
Memory & Performance Profiling
We use profiling tools to trace memory allocations, detect retain cycles, and identify bottlenecks that slow legacy iOS apps.
- Instruments — Apple’s profiling suite for tracking memory allocations, CPU usage, energy impact, and network activity in running apps
- Allocations Instrument — Traces object creation and destruction to identify memory growth, abandoned allocations, and heap usage patterns
- Leaks Instrument — Detects retain cycles and unreleased memory by scanning the heap for objects with no valid references
- Time Profiler — Samples CPU activity to identify slow methods, hot paths, and performance bottlenecks in Objective-C code
- Zombies Instrument — Catches messages sent to deallocated objects by replacing freed memory with zombie proxies that log access attempts
- Memory Graph Debugger — Xcode tool for visualizing object relationships and identifying retain cycles in running applications
Dependency Management
Our team updates, migrates, and maintains third-party libraries using package managers that keep legacy projects building cleanly.
- CocoaPods — Dependency manager for Objective-C and Swift with centralized spec repository, versioning, and Xcode workspace integration
- Carthage — Decentralized dependency manager that builds frameworks without modifying project files or requiring a central spec repo
- Swift Package Manager — Apple’s native package manager with Xcode integration for migrating legacy dependencies to modern tooling
- Git Submodules — Source-level dependency management for vendoring third-party code when package managers aren’t practical
- Private Podspecs — Internal CocoaPods repositories for managing proprietary libraries and shared code across multiple projects
- Dependency Auditing — Review of outdated, unmaintained, or vulnerable libraries with upgrade paths and replacement recommendations
Testing & Quality Assurance
Curotec implements automated test suites that validate changes to legacy code without manual regression testing on every release.
- XCTest — Apple’s native testing framework for unit tests, integration tests, and assertions in Objective-C and Swift projects
- XCUITest — UI automation framework for simulating user interactions, validating screen flows, and testing accessibility features
- OCMock — Objective-C mocking library for creating stubs, mocks, and partial mocks to isolate units under test
- Code Coverage — Xcode reporting that measures which lines and branches execute during test runs to identify untested paths
- Fastlane — Automation toolchain for running tests, capturing screenshots, and managing builds in CI/CD pipelines
- SonarQube — Static analysis platform for tracking code quality, technical debt, and maintainability metrics across legacy codebases
Swift Interoperability
Our developers configure mixed-language builds so Objective-C and Swift modules communicate without bridging header chaos.
- Bridging Headers — Configuration files that expose Objective-C classes, protocols, and headers to Swift code in mixed-language projects
- Module Maps — Definitions that organize Objective-C headers into importable modules for cleaner Swift integration and build performance
- @objc Annotations — Swift attributes that expose classes and methods to the Objective-C runtime for cross-language method calls
- NS_SWIFT_NAME — Objective-C macros that customize how APIs appear in Swift, improving naming conventions during migration
- Nullability Annotations — Header decorations that specify optional versus required references, enabling safer Swift interop without force unwrapping
- Swift Migration Assistant — Xcode tool that automates conversion of Objective-C syntax patterns to Swift equivalents during incremental adoption
FAQs about our Objective-C services
Can you work in a codebase with no documentation?
Undocumented legacy code is the norm, not the exception. We trace execution paths, analyze headers, and build understanding through the code itself before making changes that could break production.
How do you find developers who still know Objective-C?
Our team includes engineers who’ve worked with Objective-C since before Swift existed. They understand runtime behavior, memory management patterns, and Cocoa conventions that newer developers never learned.
Should we migrate to Swift or stay on Objective-C?
Depends on your timeline, budget, and app complexity. Some codebases benefit from incremental Swift adoption in new modules. Others are stable enough that maintaining Objective-C makes more financial sense than rewriting.
How do you handle iOS updates that break legacy code?
Deprecation warnings and API changes get addressed before each major iOS release. We test against betas, update affected code paths, and ensure App Store compliance without rushing fixes at the last minute.
Can you work with mixed Swift and Objective-C projects?
Bridging headers, module maps, and build configurations are something we handle regularly. New Swift modules integrate without friction, and we keep header dependencies clean so builds stay manageable as you add more Swift code.
What if our app still uses manual retain/release?
MRC codebases still exist, and we can work with them. Whether maintaining as-is or migrating to ARC incrementally, we handle memory management patterns that most modern developers have never touched.
Ready to have a conversation?
We’re here to discuss how we can partner, sharing our knowledge and experience for your product development needs. Get started driving your business forward.
