Today we are open-sourcing a component that makes it easy to build responsive sidebar views for iOS apps. We recently released a new iOS app for organizing workout timers called Extimer. The app design called for a menu that the user could access by sliding the main view away or tapping a button. This type of navigation is becoming increasingly common because it allows an app to present a set of menu options in a place that is quick to get to when you need it but stays out of the way the rest of the time.

If you are developing a content-based iPhone or iPad app that connects to the internet you have to be prepared for real-world networking. The fast hard-wired connection you have on your development machine and the strong wi-fi signal you get on your device are great for testing things quickly, but they don't prepare your app for what it will face in the hands of iPhone users all over the world. Your app will have to handle network dropouts, packet loss and high ping times without crashing and while maintaining a good user experience.