difference in developing an iOS app between a MacBook and an iPad

You can use Combine for both.

Otherwise, the architecture of a Mac app and an iOS app are really different, both for UI architecture, API, …

What is the difference in developing an iOS app between a MacBook and an iPad?

I’d like to clarify your question. When building an app on macOS, you typically Xcode. When building an app on iOS, your only option is Swift Playgrounds. Are you asking about the difference between Xcode and Swift Playgrounds?

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Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"

I wanted to know the difference between Xcode and Swift playgrounds.

There are huge differences between the two. Xcode is a big and complex IDE that can do pretty much anything. And if it’s missing some feature you need, you can extend it, taking advantage of the open nature of the Mac platform. Swift Playgrounds, OTOH, is much more focused. Its goal is to do a very limited set of things and do them well.

As to which you should choose, it’s context dependent. If you have an iPad but don’t have a Mac, the choice is easy (-: If your Mac is a desktop, then you might favour the iPad, and hence Swift Playgrounds, because it lets you code on the go. If you’re building a huge, complex app, the Xcode is clearly the better choice.

What I will say is that choosing Swift Playgrounds isn’t an irrevocable decision. If you start off their, you’ll be able to switch to Xcode without rewriting everything.

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—
Quinn “The Eskimo!” @ Developer Technical Support @ Apple
let myEmail = "eskimo" + "1" + "@" + "apple.com"