What is the recommended method of styling an iOS app?

Question

What is the recommended method of styling an iOS app? For example, if there are multiple labels or text views how can updating font style/color at one place update the style

Answer 1

Frankly, the best way to go about this is to use Interface Builder. While it might seem nice to change a single constant somewhere in the code and have the entire app change styles, it never quite works out that way. Here are my reasonings:

1) Developers don't write interface code as well as interface builder does. Interface builder is a tool that has been refined, tested, and intreated over years. It offers fonts, text alignment, shadow, etc. It is backwards compatible for as far back as you'd ever want. It provides a very simple way for any number of developers and designers to jump in and work on something very straightforward.

2) There are always edge cases that you'll have to account for. Sure, a simple constant will do what you want most the time, but you'll eventually have to hack something in here and sneak something in there. The "simple" interface code you wrote to start off will grow and grow and grow. Other developers will have to maintain that code. You will have to maintain that code. You will have to file and fix bugs, tweak this, except that, etc. It will inevitably become a steaming pile of mess.

3) The more code you write, the more bugs you write. Interface builder is for building the 'look' of most iOS apps. Use it. Don't get too clever.

NOTE: I understand that Interface builder cannot do everything for all apps. There are cases that coding an interface is the only solution. This answer is simply a general "best practice" I use in the bulk of my apps.