Bootstrap iOS

Use this as the single entry point before touching an Apple-platform app. It is a router skill: discover the project, load only the references needed for the current job, verify that build/test tools exist, then act.

The default posture is conservative:

Build and test before judging code.
Prefer modern Swift, SwiftUI, Observation, Swift Concurrency, Swift Testing, SwiftData, and current Xcode APIs.
Avoid deprecated APIs unless the deployment target requires them.
Use XcodeBuildMCP or an agent-friendly build script instead of raw, unfiltered xcodebuild output when possible.
Load focused skill packs on demand. Do not dump every Swift rule into context.

First move

Detect surfaces: iOS, iPadOS, macOS, mixed web/native, SwiftPM, Xcode project/workspace, Tuist, XcodeGen, CocoaPods, or buildable folders.
Read references/workflow.md.
If the task involves setup or machine bootstrap, read references/install-and-bootstrap.md.
If the task involves building, running, simulator, tests, or debugging, read references/xcodebuildmcp.md.
Pick only the external skill packs relevant to the current task from references/skill-map.md.

Mode picker

| User asks for... | Load | |---|---| | "Bootstrap iOS", "install my iOS skills", "one command" | install-and-bootstrap.md | | Build, test, simulator, logs, debug, device install | xcodebuildmcp.md | | SwiftUI screen, navigation, sheets, app wiring | skill-map.md SwiftUI entries | | Animation, motion, "make it feel alive", loaders, delight | Also use swiftui-animation-match (interaction-to-animation matcher) | | Async/await, actors, Sendable, Swift 6 migration | skill-map.md concurrency entries | | Unit tests, Swift Testing, XCTest migration | skill-map.md testing entries | | SwiftData, models, queries, migrations, CloudKit | skill-map.md SwiftData entries | | Core Data stack, fetches, background contexts | skill-map.md Core Data entries | | Slow builds, compiler time, project settings | SwiftLee Xcode Build Optimization in skill-map.md | | Architecture/rules loader/advanced Swift discipline | Merowing rules in skill-map.md | | App Intents, Siri, Shortcuts, widgets | Official Build iOS Apps plugin notes in skill-map.md | | QA this iOS app | Also use running-bug-review-board and its iOS simulator playbook |

When installing external skills

Do not silently modify the user's machine. If the user asks to install or bootstrap, explain what will be installed, then use the helper script in dry-run first:

bash scripts/bootstrap-ios-skills.sh --dry-run --agent cursor

After the user confirms, run without --dry-run. The helper is idempotent and keeps optional/non-GitHub sources as instructions instead of pretending it can install them. After a real install it verifies every expected skill actually landed and is complete (every references/, scripts/, and assets/ file cited by each SKILL.md exists on disk) and fails loudly with reinstall instructions if any skill is missing entirely or installed shallow. See references/install-and-bootstrap.md.

Verification

Before reporting an Apple-platform task done:

Confirm the scheme/project/workspace you used.
Run the smallest meaningful build or test command.
Capture build errors from clean output, not raw wall-of-text logs.
If using XcodeBuildMCP, name the tool/command used.
If build/test is blocked by signing, missing simulator, or missing Xcode, report the blocker with the exact next command to fix it.
For UI work, run in Simulator when feasible and capture enough evidence for the next agent to verify.

Sources

This skill synthesizes Paul Solt's X article "Install These Skills Before Codex Touches Your Xcode Project", the linked community skill repos, official OpenAI plugin references, Merowing rules, AppCreator notes, and getsentry/XcodeBuildMCP. See references/sources.md.