Reference
Comprehensive guides and documentation for Apple platform development. Reference skills provide detailed information without enforcing specific workflows.
UI & Design
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| hig-ref | Comprehensive Apple HIG coverage — color, typography, shapes, materials, accessibility, platform-specific patterns |
| liquid-glass-ref | Liquid Glass adoption guide — app icons, controls, navigation, menus, windows, search, platform considerations |
| sf-symbols-ref | SF Symbols API reference — rendering modes, symbol effects, variable values, UIKit equivalents |
| swiftui-26-ref | All iOS 26 SwiftUI features — Liquid Glass, @Animatable macro, WebView, rich text, 3D charts, spatial layout, scene bridging |
| swiftui-animation-ref | SwiftUI animation reference — VectorArithmetic, Animatable protocol, @Animatable macro, springs vs timing, CustomAnimation (iOS 13-26) |
| swiftui-containers-ref | SwiftUI stacks, grids, outlines — LazyVGrid, Grid, OutlineGroup, container patterns |
| swiftui-layout-ref | SwiftUI adaptive layout API — ViewThatFits, AnyLayout, Layout protocol, onGeometryChange, size classes, iOS 26 window APIs |
| swiftui-nav-ref | SwiftUI navigation API — NavigationStack, NavigationSplitView, NavigationPath, deep linking (iOS 16-26) |
| swiftui-search-ref | SwiftUI search APIs — .searchable, isSearching, suggestions, scopes, tokens, programmatic control (iOS 15-18) |
| textkit-ref | TextKit 2 reference — architecture, migration from TextKit 1, Writing Tools integration, SwiftUI TextEditor (iOS 26) |
| transferable-ref | CoreTransferable — Transferable protocol, TransferRepresentation, ShareLink, drag and drop, UTType declarations (iOS 16+) |
| typography-ref | Apple platform typography — San Francisco fonts, text styles, Dynamic Type, tracking, leading, internationalization |
Persistence & Storage
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| storage | iOS storage decision framework — database vs files, local vs cloud, SwiftData/CloudKit/iCloud Drive selection |
| cloudkit-ref | Modern CloudKit sync — SwiftData integration, CKSyncEngine (WWDC 2023), database scopes, conflict resolution |
| icloud-drive-ref | File-based iCloud sync — ubiquitous containers, NSFileCoordinator, conflict resolution, NSUbiquitousKeyValueStore |
| file-protection-ref | iOS file encryption and data protection — FileProtectionType levels, background access, Keychain comparison |
| sqlitedata-ref | SQLiteData advanced patterns — @Select, @Join, batch operations, CloudKit sync, query optimization |
| storage-management-ref | Storage management and purge priorities — disk space APIs, backup exclusion, cache management, URL resource values |
| realm-migration-ref | Migration guide from Realm to SwiftData — pattern equivalents, threading models, schema strategies, CloudKit sync transition |
Concurrency
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| swift-concurrency-ref | Swift concurrency API — actors, Sendable, Task/TaskGroup, AsyncStream, continuations, migration patterns |
| energy-ref | Energy optimization API — Power Profiler, timer/network/location efficiency, background execution, MetricKit |
Integration
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| alarmkit-ref | AlarmKit API — alarm scheduling, authorization, Live Activity integration (iOS 26+) |
| app-discoverability | Discoverability strategy — App Intents, App Shortcuts, Core Spotlight, NSUserActivity for Spotlight and Siri |
| app-intents-ref | App Intents framework — AppIntent, AppEntity, parameters, queries, Siri, Apple Intelligence, Shortcuts, Spotlight |
| app-shortcuts-ref | App Shortcuts — AppShortcutsProvider, suggested phrases, Siri/Spotlight availability, debugging |
| avfoundation-ref | AVFoundation audio APIs — AVAudioSession, AVAudioEngine, bit-perfect DAC, iOS 26+ spatial audio, ASAF/APAC |
| background-processing-ref | Background processing API — BGTaskScheduler, BGAppRefreshTask, BGProcessingTask, BGContinuedProcessingTask |
| camera-capture-ref | Camera capture API — AVCaptureSession, AVCaptureDevice, photo/video recording, preview layers |
| core-location-ref | Core Location APIs — CLLocationUpdate, CLMonitor, CLServiceSession (iOS 18+), geofencing, background location |
| core-spotlight-ref | Core Spotlight indexing — CSSearchableItem, IndexedEntity, NSUserActivity integration, search and prediction |
| extensions-widgets-ref | Extensions & Widgets API — WidgetKit, ActivityKit, Control Center widgets, timeline providers |
| foundation-models-ref | Foundation Models framework — LanguageModelSession, @Generable, streaming, tool calling, context management (iOS 26+) |
| haptics | Haptic feedback and Core Haptics — UIFeedbackGenerator, CHHapticEngine, AHAP patterns (WWDC 2021) |
| localization | App localization — String Catalogs (.xcstrings), type-safe symbols (Xcode 26+), #bundle macro, plurals, RTL layouts |
| mapkit-ref | MapKit API — SwiftUI Map, MKMapView, annotations, search, directions |
| network-framework-ref | Network.framework API — NWConnection (iOS 12-25), NetworkConnection (iOS 26+), TLV framing, Coder protocol |
| networking-migration | Network framework migration guide — NWConnection to NetworkConnection transition patterns |
| now-playing-carplay | CarPlay Now Playing integration — MPNowPlayingInfoCenter, transport controls, CarPlay framework |
| now-playing-musickit | MusicKit Now Playing — MusicPlayer, queue management, system integration |
| photo-library-ref | Photo Library API — PHPickerViewController, PhotosPicker, PHAsset, photo selection patterns |
| privacy-ux | Privacy manifests and permission UX — just-in-time permissions, App Tracking Transparency, Required Reason APIs |
| push-notifications-ref | Push notifications — APNs HTTP/2, UserNotifications framework, silent push, rich media, service extensions |
| storekit-ref | StoreKit 2 API — Product, Transaction, subscription management, receipts, testing |
Computer Vision
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| vision-ref | Vision framework API — subject segmentation, hand/body pose, text recognition, barcode scanning |
Machine Learning
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| coreml-ref | CoreML API — MLTensor, coremltools conversion, model compression, state management |
Games
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| spritekit-ref | SpriteKit API — all 16 node types, physics bodies, action catalog, texture atlases, SKRenderer |
| metal-migration-ref | Metal migration API — OpenGL/DirectX conversion, shader translation, rendering pipeline |
| realitykit-ref | RealityKit API — Entity-Component-System, RealityView, materials, animations, AR |
| scenekit-ref | SceneKit API — scene graphs, materials, animations, SceneKit migration to RealityKit |
Tools & Profiling
| Skill | Description |
|---|---|
| app-store-connect-ref | App Store Connect API — builds, beta testing, metadata management |
| asc-mcp-ref | App Store Connect MCP — automated submission workflows |
| app-store-ref | App Store submission — review guidelines, metadata requirements, rejection troubleshooting |
| axe-ref | AXe (Simulator Automation) — automated iOS Simulator interaction and testing |
| code-signing-ref | Code signing CLI — certificates, provisioning profiles, entitlements, Keychain, fastlane match, error codes |
| lldb-ref | LLDB command reference — variable inspection, breakpoints, thread navigation, expression evaluation |
| metrickit-ref | MetricKit API — field performance metrics, diagnostics, crash reporting |
| timer-patterns-ref | Timer patterns — invalidation, memory-safe usage, dispatch timers, CADisplayLink |
| xctrace-ref | xctrace CLI — automated Instruments profiling, trace recording, data export |
Quality Standards
All reference skills are reviewed against 4 criteria:
- Accuracy — Every claim cited to official sources, code tested
- Completeness — 80%+ coverage, edge cases documented, troubleshooting sections
- Clarity — Examples first, scannable structure, jargon defined
- Practical Value — Copy-paste ready, expert checklists, real-world impact
Related Resources
- Diagnostic — Systematic diagnostics with mandatory workflows
- Skills — Discipline-enforcing TDD-tested workflows
- Commands — Quick automated scans
- WWDC 2025 Sessions