Building and Shipping Mac and iOS Apps Without Ever Opening Xcode
5 hours ago
- #Xcode
- #Automation
- #iOS Development
- Build and ship Mac/iOS apps without opening Xcode by using command-line tools like xcodebuild, notarytool, and devicectl.
- One-time setup includes installing Xcode, XcodeGen, configuring Apple Developer account, creating certificates, and storing notarization credentials.
- Automate the entire release pipeline with a script (e.g., release.sh) that handles archiving, signing, notarization, stapling, and installation.
- Use XcodeGen to manage project configuration via a YAML file, avoiding Git issues with .xcodeproj files.
- Secrets like signing keys and app-specific passwords are stored securely in keychains or password managers, not in the repository.
- Agents (e.g., Claude Code) can execute workflows via shell commands and documentation (e.g., CLAUDE.md), enabling fully headless operations.