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I'd like to build a email client prototype for OS X. For personal reasons, I'd like to use something else than Objective-C and XCode to build it (I wouldn't mind using XCode only to compile the code).

If you wonder what are the reasons, let's say that I built several iOS apps and one OS X app using XCode and Objective-C and I always disliked both the IDE and the language. I like more Java-like/C#-like languages to build software apps.

I heard of some wrapper like a Ruby one but I'd like advice from someone who built an app that way and if this is a viable way of working.

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    MacRuby is your best bet (and it enjoys fairly close to native support on OS X). god knows why you think you could write in Java or C# for good OS X applications. Commented May 27, 2013 at 4:00
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    Just an opinion here, but... Objective-C is a strange language. Being a Java dev, I loathed it when I first started using it, and I think it took a few projects before I "got it". Still, after that clicked, I've loved the language immensely. I'd give it a try, and if that doesn't work out, MacRuby is always a valid option. Commented May 27, 2013 at 4:17
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    The best way to use to take advantage of the latest technologies, compatibility, and build a consistent experience on mac is to use Objective-C. If you use macruby or something you still have to learn the frameworks, the only real difference for you is syntax. Commented May 27, 2013 at 4:21
  • There's a great but slightly dated book from Apress called Objective-C for Java Developers Commented May 27, 2013 at 5:02
  • MacRuby is not a long term viable option. It relies on Garbage Collection and the guy who built it left Apple, started RubyMotion (which works without the Apple Objective-C GC) and has not ported non-GC to MacRuby and GC from Apple is deprecated. Commented May 27, 2013 at 5:06

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I would suggest you look into RubyMotion. It just this month added support for OS X, but has been available for iOS for a year or so, and there are many apps already available in the App Store built with it. There's also a decent community of developers who have done a lot of work to build libraries that make the native Objective-C API's seem more Ruby-like.

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Other options than RubyMotion include non-standard GUI elements generally and will result in an app that offers a poor user experience, an inconsistent user experience, poor performance or a combination of those. These include Java, any language with QT or Tk bindings etc.

Objective-C is the lingua Franca of Mac app development for the user space. The frameworks are built with it in mind. RubyMotion (and MacRuby ) work because of how closely Ruby's object model matches Objective-C.

A successful app will be one that embraces Objective-C, C and possibly Objective-C++ and C++ and definitely Xcode. Anything else will be in addition to that or a series of crappy compromises.

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If you like C# and Visual Studio you can use the Xamarin framework to build native applications for iOS, Mac and Android. (Xamarin comes with a license fee)

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For C# you can use "Mono" or for Java there are nice IDE's: IntelliJ IDEA 12 or NetBeans 7.3

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