Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/firebase/agent-skills --skill xcode-project-setup- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads xcode-project-setup automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
Security audits
Independent scans of the skill's instructions and bundled files.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Xcode Project Setup
⛔️ CRITICAL RULES & ENVIRONMENT CHECKS
Before performing any Xcode setup or file manipulation, you MUST adhere to the following rules. A hefty fee will be applied if you violate them.
1. The Anti-Ruby Mandate
You are strictly forbidden from using Ruby, Rails, or any Ruby gems
(including the xcodeproj gem). Under no circumstances may you write or execute
Ruby scripts.
2. Modern Xcode Folder Synchronization
Modern Xcode projects support folder synchronization. When adding new source
code (.swift) or resource files, simply write them to the correct directory on
disk. They will be automatically included in the Xcode project. Never manually
modify the .pbxproj file to add files.
3. Allowed Scripting Languages
If you absolutely must write a script to manipulate the project environment
(e.g., configuring SPM packages beyond what the provided xcode_spm_setup
script does), you must use Swift. Only as an absolute last resort, if Swift
is completely unviable, may you use Node.js or TypeScript.
4. Toolchain Verification
Because this skill relies entirely on a native Swift script, you must verify the environment:
- Run
swift --versionbefore proceeding. - If the Swift command is not found, you must stop and recommend the user
install the Swift toolchain (e.g., via
xcode-select --installon macOS), or ask if you can attempt to install it for them. Do not attempt to proceed without Swift.
5. Mandatory Linker Flags for Static Frameworks (Firebase)
When setting up SPM dependencies that heavily rely on internal Objective-C
categories and +load methods (such as the Firebase iOS SDK suite), the Apple
linker will aggressively strip these methods out if they are linked statically.
This causes fatal runtime crashes (e.g.,
FirebaseAuth/Auth.swift:167: Fatal error: Unexpectedly found nil).
The provided xcode_spm_setup Swift script automatically injects the -ObjC
flag to OTHER_LDFLAGS when adding Firebase products. However, you should
still verify it is present in the build settings if you encounter issues.
- Failing to include this flag when adding Firebase dependencies is a critical error.
Empty Directory Workflow
If you are asked to build an iOS app or configure Xcode dependencies but no
.xcodeproj or .xcworkspace exists, you MUST ask the user to create the
project first:
"No Xcode project found in this directory. Please create an empty Xcode project manually and let me know when you are ready to proceed."
Wait for the user to confirm they have created the .xcodeproj via Xcode, then
proceed with the Standard Xcode Workflow below.
Standard Xcode Workflow
Do not use raw text parsing, sed, or Ruby scripts to modify .pbxproj files
directly.
Instead, execute the Swift configuration package bundled with this skill
(scripts/xcode_spm_setup) to securely install SPM packages and link optional
config files (like GoogleService-Info.plist).
CRITICAL: Always Use Latest SDK Version
To ensure access to the latest features and security fixes, always use the most recent version of the Firebase iOS SDK. Check for the latest release version at https://github.com/firebase/firebase-ios-sdk/releases.
- Use the most recent version number (e.g.,
11.x.y) in your commands instead of hardcoded placeholders.
Understanding the Script's Actions
When adding a Swift Package to an Xcode project, two distinct steps must occur:
- Adding the package repository dependency (e.g.,
https://github.com/Alamofire/Alamofire). - Selecting the target (e.g.,
MyApp), navigating to General > Frameworks, Libraries, and Embedded Content, and hitting the+button to explicitly link the specific product modules (e.g.,Alamofire).
The provided xcode_spm_setup Swift script automatically handles BOTH of
these steps for you. By passing the list of modules as arguments, it safely
injects the package dependency and automatically wires those modules to the main
target's Frameworks build phase. You do not need to do any manual linking.
Usage
- Locate the package path: Find the absolute path to this skill's
scripts/xcode_spm_setupdirectory on disk. - Execute: Run the native
swift runcommand using the signature below:
swift run --package-path <PATH_TO_SKILL>/scripts/xcode_spm_setup xcode_spm_setup <ProjectPath.xcodeproj> <RepoURL> <VersionRequirement> [--plist <Optional/Path/To/Config.plist>] <Product1> [Product2 ...]
Example 1: Generic Package (e.g., Alamofire)
Adding Alamofire to a standard Xcode project. Notice there is no --plist flag.
swift run --package-path /Users/foo/.agents/skills/xcode-project-setup/scripts/xcode_spm_setup xcode_spm_setup MyApp.xcodeproj https://github.com/Alamofire/Alamofire 5.8.1 Alamofire
Example 2: Firebase (Requires Plist)
Adding Firebase and linking the GoogleService-Info.plist to the resources
build phase automatically. Note: Replace 11.0.0 with the actual latest
version from
the releases page.
swift run --package-path /Users/foo/.agents/skills/xcode-project-setup/scripts/xcode_spm_setup xcode_spm_setup MyApp.xcodeproj https://github.com/firebase/firebase-ios-sdk 11.0.0 --plist MyApp/GoogleService-Info.plist FirebaseCore FirebaseAuth FirebaseFirestore
Note: The script is idempotent. It will automatically skip linking files or packages that are already present in the project.
FAQ
What does the xcode-project-setup skill do?
Safely modifies Xcode projects (.pbxproj) to add Swift Packages and link files. Use this skill whenever an iOS project needs dependencies installed (e.g. Firebase, Alamofire).
How do I install xcode-project-setup?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/firebase/agent-skills --skill xcode-project-setup in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/xcode-project-setup/ (personal) or .claude/skills/xcode-project-setup/ (project).
Which AI agents can use xcode-project-setup?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is xcode-project-setup safe to install?
Security partners have reviewed it: Gen Agent Trust Hub passed; Socket passed; Snyk passed. As with any skill, read the SKILL.md and bundled scripts before installing.
Who maintains xcode-project-setup?
It is published by firebase in firebase/agent-skills, and it is an official skill from the maker of the technology it covers. It has 131,239 recorded installs.
More from firebase/agent-skills
firebase-basics
firebase/agent-skills
Provides foundational Firebase CLI setup, CLI installation, version checks (firebase-tools@latest --version), CLI login (including --no-localhost), project creation, project selection (firebase use), and app config file downloads (google-services.json, GoogleService-Info.plist). Use ONLY for CLI login, project creation/switching, or downloading app config files. Don't use for Firebase Hosting deploy, Firestore, Auth, App Hosting, Data Connect, Crashlytics, or Remote Config.
firebase-auth-basics
firebase/agent-skills
Guide for setting up and using Firebase Authentication. Use this skill when the user's app requires user sign-in, user management, or secure data access using auth rules.
firebase-hosting-basics
firebase/agent-skills
Deploys and configures classic Firebase Hosting for static websites, single-page apps (SPAs), and microservices. Use when deploying static sites/SPAs, setting up custom domains, configuring firebase.json hosting settings (redirects, rewrites, headers, multi-site), or managing preview channels. Don't use for Firebase App Hosting (Next.js/SSR), Auth, Firestore queries/rules, Data Connect, or Crashlytics.
firebase-app-hosting-basics
firebase/agent-skills
Deploys and manages full-stack web applications (Next.js, Angular) with Server-Side Rendering (SSR) using Firebase App Hosting. Use when deploying Next.js/Angular apps, configuring apphosting.yaml or firebase.json apphosting blocks, managing secrets, setting up GitHub CI/CD, or configuring Blaze billing requirements. Don't use for classic static web hosting, Auth, Firestore, Crashlytics, or Xcode.
firebase-data-connect
firebase/agent-skills
Builds and deploys Firebase SQL Connect (aka Firebase Data Connect) backends with PostgreSQL securely. Use when designing schemas with tables and relations, writing authorized queries and mutations, configuring real-time data updates, or generating type-safe SDKs. Use when you need a relational database with Firebase, or when the user mentions SQL Connect or Data Connect.
firebase-security-rules-auditor
firebase/agent-skills
Audits Firebase (Firestore, Cloud Storage) security rules for vulnerabilities, privilege escalation, role bypasses, create vs update inconsistencies, resource exhaustion, type safety, size limits, and hasOnly ownership checks. Use when auditing/reviewing rules, running red-team rule assessments, or scoring against auditor checklists. Don't use for Firebase CLI (login, deploy), Auth, Crashlytics, Remote Config, or database queries.
Popular mobile skills
design-mobile-apps
designed-by-ai/skills
Design mobile app screens with Sleek, edit Sleek projects, and implement their designs in React Native or HTML.
ios-design
uizze.sh
Design and review iOS UI/UX for iPhone apps in SwiftUI, UIKit, or React Native. Use for mobile app design, screen redesigns, navigation flows, typography, forms, keyboard and safe-area layout, and accessibility checks. Apply Apple Human Interface Guidelines and consult real product references through the optional Uizze connection.
vercel-react-native-skills
vercel-labs/agent-skills
React Native and Expo best practices for building performant mobile apps. Use when building React Native components, optimizing list performance, implementing animations, or working with native modules. Triggers on tasks involving React Native, Expo, mobile performance, or native platform APIs.
animate-expo
emilkowalski/skills
Build animations in React Native and Expo, making the decisions in the order that determines whether they feel right — should it animate, which thread it runs on, which properties, spring or timing, how the gesture hands off, how it degrades. Writes the implementation with Reanimated, Gesture Handler, Expo Router and expo-haptics. Use when animating anything in an Expo app, adding gestures, sheets, screen transitions, press feedback or haptics, or fixing motion that stutters on device. For web animation use animate.
write-swift
emilkowalski/skills
How to write modern Swift well — modeling with value types, Swift 6 data-race safety and approachable concurrency (@concurrent, main-actor-by-default, actors, task groups), protocols and generics (some vs any), API design, performance and ARC, Swift Testing, macros, and the modern language features agents don't know about yet. Use when writing, reviewing, or migrating Swift, or when a concurrency error, a hang, a data race, a retain cycle, or a performance problem needs fixing.
mobile-native
emilkowalski/skills
Make a web app feel native on a phone — the small CSS and meta-tag fixes that separate "a website in a browser" from something that feels installed. Covers sticky hover states, tap highlight flashes, the 100vh bug, inputs that zoom the page, laggy taps, pull-to-refresh hijacking scroll, content under the notch, long-press selecting button text, carousels that scroll the wrong way, mismatched status bars, and the rule that you test on real hardware. Use when a web app is being built for or reviewed on mobile, when something "works in Chrome but feels wrong on my phone", when building a PWA, a bottom sheet, a carousel, a full-screen layout, or any touch interaction. For motion itself use animate; for React Native use animate-expo.