Macos Development
Generate structured macOS app audits or greenfield planning packs—architecture, Tahoe UI, SwiftData, security, tests, and modernization roadmaps—for Apple Silicon targets.
Overview
Macos-development is an agent skill most often used in Build (also Validate, Ship) that produces 10-part audits or 8-part planning docs for native macOS apps on Apple Silicon.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills --skill macos-developmentWhat is this skill?
- 10-document existing-app analysis: architecture, quality, Tahoe UI, data, performance, a11y, security, deps, tests, road
- 8-document new-app planning: features, architecture choice, data, UI system, testing, distribution, timeline
- Explicit modernization tracks: Intel→Apple Silicon, Core Data→SwiftData, Obj-C→Swift, Liquid Glass
- HIG and macOS 26 / Liquid Glass compatibility framing in UI/UX audit section
- Sandbox, entitlements, and dependency security review buckets for indie Mac apps
- 10 comprehensive analysis documents for existing apps
- 8 comprehensive planning documents for new macOS projects
Adoption & trust: 822 installs on skills.sh; 395 GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You inherit or start a Mac app without a structured view of architecture, Tahoe UI debt, data layer choices, or test and security gaps.
Who is it for?
Indie macOS developers using Claude Code who need Apple HIG, SwiftData, and sandbox checklists before large refactors or v1 planning.
Skip if: Cross-platform Electron-only products with no native Swift stack, or iOS-only projects with no macOS target.
When should I use this skill?
Starting a new native Mac app or analyzing an existing codebase for modernization, HIG, and Apple Silicon readiness.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You receive a full analysis or planning document set with modernization priorities you can turn into implementation tasks and review gates.
- 10-section existing app audit pack
- 8-section new app planning pack
- Modernization roadmap with prioritized timeline
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
Canonical shelf is Build → frontend because the skill drives native macOS UI architecture, HIG, and client-side structure documentation. Frontend subphase covers SwiftUI/AppKit surface, Liquid Glass, and accessibility—not server APIs alone.
Where it fits
Produce the 8 planning docs to lock MVP features and SwiftUI vs AppKit before writing production code.
Run the 10-part audit to catalog Liquid Glass gaps and UI/UX Tahoe compatibility work.
Use security, sandbox, and test coverage sections as pre-release checklists for Mac App Store review.
Refresh performance profiling and dependency analysis docs after a major macOS SDK upgrade.
How it compares
Structured Mac app discovery skill—not a single-file SwiftUI snippet generator or Xcode MCP replacement.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is macos-development for?
Solo builders shipping or modernizing native macOS applications who want agent-led architecture and UX audits aligned with current Apple platform guidance.
When should I use macos-development?
Use it in Validate to scope MVP and architecture before coding, in Build while drafting specs and modernization plans, and in Ship when pre-submission security, a11y, and test coverage reports are due.
Is macos-development safe to install?
Review the Security Audits panel on this Prism page; the skill guides analysis of your repo and may recommend entitlement changes—validate in Xcode before shipping.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Macos Development
# Existing macOS App Analysis Create 10 comprehensive analysis documents for existing apps. ## 1. Current Architecture Audit - Current tech stack - Architecture pattern used - Code organization - Dependencies ## 2. Code Quality Assessment - SOLID compliance - DRY violations - Code duplication - Design patterns used ## 3. UI/UX Tahoe Compatibility - Liquid Glass adoption - HIG compliance - macOS 26 features used - Accessibility status ## 4. Data Layer Analysis - Current persistence (Core Data, etc.) - SwiftData migration potential - Data model review ## 5. Performance Profiling - Bottlenecks identified - Memory usage - Launch time - Optimization opportunities ## 6. Accessibility Audit - VoiceOver support - Keyboard navigation - Dynamic Type - Color contrast ## 7. Security and Sandboxing - Current entitlements - Security vulnerabilities - Sandbox compatibility ## 8. Dependency Analysis - Third-party dependencies - Version currency - Security audits ## 9. Test Coverage Report - Current test coverage - Missing tests - Quality metrics ## 10. Modernization Roadmap - Intel → Apple Silicon - Core Data → SwiftData - Objective-C → Swift - Liquid Glass adoption - Priority timeline # New macOS App Planning Create 8 comprehensive planning documents for new macOS projects. ## 1. Feature Specification - Core features list - User stories - Feature prioritization (MVP vs future) - Target audience - Success criteria ## 2. Architecture Decision - SwiftUI vs AppKit vs Hybrid - MVVM architecture - Modular design approach - SwiftData for persistence - Dependency injection strategy ## 3. Data Model Design - SwiftData models and relationships - Schema design - Migration strategy - CloudKit sync (if needed) ## 4. UI/UX Wireframes - Window structure - Navigation pattern (sidebar, tabs) - Liquid Glass design integration - Accessibility considerations - Responsive layouts ## 5. Technology Stack - Swift 6 - SwiftUI/AppKit - SwiftData - Frameworks needed - Third-party dependencies ## 6. Project Structure - Feature-based modules - Swift Package organization - File structure - Testing strategy ## 7. Testing Strategy - Unit tests - UI tests - Integration tests - Test coverage goals ## 8. Distribution Plan - Mac App Store vs direct - Code signing - Notarization - Update mechanism --- name: app-planner description: Plans new macOS apps or analyzes existing projects. Creates comprehensive planning documents covering architecture, features, UI/UX, and tech stack. Use when planning a new macOS app or auditing an existing one. allowed-tools: [Read, Write, Glob, Grep, AskUserQuestion] --- # App Planner for macOS You are a macOS app architect specializing in project planning and analysis. ## When This Skill Activates - User wants to plan a new macOS app - User wants to analyze or audit an existing macOS project - User asks to architect a macOS app - User wants planning documents for their macOS app - User asks to review project structure for a macOS app ## Your Role Create comprehensive planning documents for new macOS apps or analyze existing projects. ## Core Functions 1. **New App Planning** - Create 8 planning documents for new projects 2. **Existing App Analysis** - Create 10 analysis documents for existing apps ## Module References 1. **New App Planning**: `skills/app-planner/new-app-planning.md` 2. **Existing App Analysis**: `skills/app-planner/existing-app-analysis.md` ## Approach - Ask detailed questions about requirements - Consider macOS 26 Tahoe features - Recommend SwiftData, SwiftUI where appropriate - Plan for SOLID/DRY principles - Consider accessibility and performance Begin by asking whether this is a new app or existing app analysis. # Hosting Controllers Embedding SwiftUI views inside AppKit applications using NSHostingView and NSHostingController. This is the primary pattern for incrementally adopting SwiftUI in existing AppKit apps. ## NSHostingView Wraps a SwiftUI view as an NSView. Us