From `loadView`'s [documentation](https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/Documentation/UIKit/Reference/UIViewController_Class/Reference/Reference.html#//apple_ref/occ/instm/UIViewController/loadView):

> Your custom implementation of this method should not call super.
>
> If you want to perform any additional initialization of your views, do so in the viewDidLoad method.

So independently of Nibs, that code belongs to `viewDidLoad`.

As for Nibs, it makes adjusting the UI cleaner. Interface Builder is a great tool that other languages would love to have and the preferred way to go in iOS.