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Xcode Project Setup

Firebase (Google)OfficialCreated by Google LLCDistributed by Firebase (Google)

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Software development
  • Apache-2.0
  • Low risk
  • Has scripts
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From the author

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).
— the description by Google LLC

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill provides a secure, automated method for adding Swift Package Manager (SPM) dependencies to Xcode projects. It replaces manual, error-prone modifications to .pbxproj files by utilizing a dedicated Swift script that handles both repository dependency injection and target linking. The tool is designed to be idempotent and includes specific support for complex configurations, such as injecting the -ObjC linker flag required for static frameworks like Firebase.

What it does

  • Adds Swift Package Manager dependencies to Xcode projects.
  • Automatically links package modules to the main project target.
  • Injects necessary linker flags like -ObjC for static frameworks.
  • Integrates configuration files such as GoogleService-Info.plist into the build phase.
  • Verifies the local Swift toolchain environment before execution.
  • Ensures safe project modification without manual .pbxproj editing.

When to use it

  • When you need to add external Swift Package dependencies to an iOS project.
  • When integrating Firebase or other SDKs that require specific linker flags.
  • When you want to automate dependency management while avoiding manual Xcode UI steps.
  • When you need to ensure consistent project configuration across development environments.

Advantages

  • Prevents common errors associated with manual .pbxproj file editing.
  • Automates the multi-step process of adding and linking packages.
  • Ensures critical build settings like -ObjC are correctly applied.
  • Idempotent execution prevents duplicate configurations.
  • Uses native Swift for project manipulation, avoiding external dependencies like Ruby.

Usage examples

“Add Alamofire version 5.8.1 to my project MyApp.xcodeproj.”
The agent executes the Swift script to add the Alamofire repository and link the module to the project target.
“Install Firebase version 11.0.0 and include my GoogleService-Info.plist.”
The agent runs the setup script, adds the Firebase SDK, links the specified products, and configures the plist and linker flags.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/firebase/xcode-project-setup/download

  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip xcode-project-setup.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Google LLC

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 --version before proceeding.

  • If the Swift command is not found, you must stop and recommend the user install the Swift toolchain (e.g., via xcode-select --install on 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:

  1. Adding the package repository dependency (e.g., https://github.com/Alamofire/Alamofire).

  2. 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

  1. Locate the package path: Find the absolute path to this skill's scripts/xcode_spm_setup directory on disk.

  2. Execute: Run the native swift run command 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.

Files

scripts/xcode_spm_setup/.gitignore

.DS_Store
/.build
/Packages
/*.xcodeproj
xcuserdata/
DerivedData/
.swiftpm/configuration/project.xcworkspace/
.swiftpm/xcode/
.swiftpm/xcode/xcuserdata/

Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

The author says: Requires Swift to be installed locally and macOS environment.

Security

What our scanner noticed· Low risk

  • Scripts that your agent may run

This skill includes scripts that your agent may run. Read them before you use it.

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Created by
Google LLC
Publisher
Firebase (Google) (Official)
Distributed by
Firebase (Google)
Source
firebase/agent-skills · skills/xcode-project-setup · commit b76be96
Licence
Apache License 2.0 (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google LLC or Firebase (Google).

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download xcode-project-setup.zip