repository·main·Indexed 23 days ago
https://github.com/sweetpad-dev/sweetpadA suite of tools for developing Swift/iOS projects (iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS) without the Xcode IDE. It includes a VS Code extension for editor-integrated build, run, debug, and test workflows, and the sweetpad-cli, a native binary for terminal-based automation and CI/CD that provides JSON output for structured data parsing.
SweetPad is a suite of tools designed for developing Swift/iOS projects (iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS) outside of the Xcode IDE. It provides two primary interfaces:
sweetpad-lib is an internal implementation detail of the SweetPad VS Code extension. It is shipped as an N-API native addon (@sweetpad/lib). It has no stable API and no semver guarantees for external consumers.
sweetpad-lib is a Rust-based resolver designed to compute Xcode build settings and compiler arguments. Unlike tools that observe build logs (which can be stale or inaccurate), sweetpad-lib derives settings directly from the project files (pbxproj, xcconfig, etc.).
pbxproj, xcconfig, and xcspec into a resolved build-settings dictionary (validated against xcodebuild -showBuildSettings).swiftc, clang, or the linker) based on the resolved settings.sourcekit-lsp for use in editors like VS Code or Cursor.SweetPad is a toolset designed to help you build, run, debug, and test Xcode projects for iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS without needing to use the Xcode IDE. It supports Xcode workspaces, Xcode projects, Tuist, XcodeGen, and Swift Packages.
SweetPad is available in two primary forms:
sweetpad) designed for terminal-based workflows, scripting, git hooks, and CI/CD.Requirement: Both the extension and the CLI drive Xcode's command-line tools under the hood, so Xcode must be installed on your Mac.
SweetPad provides a suite of tools for Swift/iOS development in VS Code or Cursor, including:
xcode-build-server.xcodebuild.swift-format or other chosen formatters.Homebrew.CodeLLDB.The feature coverage matrix tracks which Xcode build-system features are exercised by the project's test corpus. It is used to verify that the settings oracle can correctly resolve complex build configurations.
Legend:
Key coverage areas include:
.xcodeproj, .xcworkspace (single or multiple projects), nested sub-projects, Swift Package Manager (SPM) root projects, and Xcode 16+ Buildable Folders.BUILD_DIR, OBJROOT, and DERIVED_DATA_DIR based on various DerivedDataLocationStyle and BuildLocationStyle settings..xcconfig inheritance, and conditional settings.$(inherited) propagation, variable substitution (e.g., $(SRCROOT), $(TARGET_NAME)), and modifier syntax (e.g., ${VAR:default=...}).iphoneos, iphonesimulator, macosx, watchos, xros (visionOS), and architectures like arm64, x86_64, and arm64e.xcstrings, and Privacy Manifests.Once a compatible project is opened, the SweetPad sidebar (accessed via the 🍭 icon) provides three main functional sections:
xcbeautify).The sweetpad CLI is a standalone, headless command-line interface designed as "xcodebuild for humans." It serves as a native front-end to the sweetpad-lib Rust engine, allowing you to run, build, and explore Xcode projects from a terminal or CI environment without needing an editor or a Node.js runtime.
Key Characteristics:
sweetpad <resource> <action> [flags] pattern (e.g., sweetpad simulator list).vscode namespace (a JSON-RPC client for controlling the VS Code extension).The sweetpad-lib project aims for 100% structural correctness compared to xcodebuild. The roadmap is organized into several tracks:
CLANG_COVERAGE_MAPPING) and auditing skipped corpus captures.compiler-args (e.g., visionOS coverage, .mm source handling, and version-specific flags).When using SweetPad for settings resolution, it is important to distinguish between what is resolvable from project inputs and what is not.
In Scope (Derivable from pbxproj/xcconfig + Apple defaults):
DEVELOPMENT_TEAM, CODE_SIGN_IDENTITY defaults like - on simulators, CODE_SIGN_STYLE, ENABLE_HARDENED_RUNTIME, and maccatalyst. prefixes).Out of Scope (Requires environment/machine state):
EXPANDED_CODE_SIGN_IDENTITY, PROVISIONING_PROFILE_SPECIFIER, or resolved profile UUIDs.~/Library/MobileDevice/Provisioning Profiles/, or specific Xcode user accounts.Hot reload via SweetPad (using InjectionNext) allows for live updates of certain code elements without a full relaunch, but it has specific constraints regarding memory layout and symbol binding.
func, init that doesn't mutate stored properties, computed property getters, subscript getters).body.@State arrays, etc.).If you modify any of the following, you must rebuild and relaunch the app because the memory layout or symbol names change:
var x: Int, @State var name).throws-ness.@main or the App body.lets or global functions outside a type.-Xlinker -interposable in its linkerSettings.DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES stripping) and watchOS Simulator.-interposable flag adds a small overhead (similar to a C library call) to every Swift function call. This is negligible for UI code but measurable in hot inner loops. Do not ship Release builds with this flag enabled. SweetPad only injects this flag when sweetpad.hotReload.enabled is true.@State, @StateObject, @AppStorage, and other stored data. However, if you change a stored property's type, the in-memory instance will still use the old layout, leading to undefined behavior. Relaunch to fix.The CLI provides different output formats depending on your needs:
build and test commands provide a concise, colorized stream of events (compile, link, sign, diagnostic, etc.) without requiring external dependencies like xcbeautify.-v flag to pass raw output through without beautification.--json flag for machine-readable output. This is useful for CI/CD or integration with other tools.-o ndjson flag to output a Newline Delimited JSON stream.sweetpad vscode command allows the CLI to communicate with a running VSCode window. This enables scripts or AI coding agents to trigger builds and read results directly within the editor session. This is an advanced feature used for agentic workflows.