macOS Development

You MUST use this skill for ANY macOS-specific development including windows, menus, sandboxing, distribution, AppKit bridging, and macOS SwiftUI differences.

Quick Reference

Cross-Suite Routes

These topics overlap with macOS development but live in separate suites:

SwiftUI (shared iOS/macOS)

• View state, data flow, @Observable → See axiom-swiftui
• Navigation (NavigationStack basics) → See axiom-swiftui (skills/nav.md)
• Layout (ViewThatFits, AnyLayout) → See axiom-swiftui (skills/layout.md)
• Animations → See axiom-swiftui (skills/animation-ref.md)

Data & persistence

• SwiftData, Core Data, GRDB → See axiom-data
• CloudKit sync → See axiom-data

Concurrency

• Swift 6 concurrency, actors, Sendable → See axiom-concurrency

Other

• Accessibility (VoiceOver, Dynamic Type) → See axiom-accessibility
• Networking (URLSession, Network.framework) → See axiom-networking
• Security (Keychain, passkeys, encryption) → See axiom-security

Conflict Resolution

axiom-macos vs axiom-swiftui: When working on a macOS SwiftUI app:

1. Use axiom-macos for macOS-only concerns: windows, menus, commands, sandboxing, distribution, Table, Inspector, AppKit bridging
2. Use axiom-swiftui for cross-platform SwiftUI: navigation, layout, state management, animations
3. Both may apply: A macOS app using NavigationSplitView with Table needs axiom-macos for Table specifics and axiom-swiftui for NavigationSplitView basics

axiom-macos vs axiom-security: For sandbox and code signing:

1. Use axiom-macos for macOS App Sandbox, security-scoped bookmarks, file access entitlements, Developer ID signing
2. Use axiom-security for Keychain storage, encryption, passkeys, certificate management

Decision Tree

digraph macos {
    start [label="macOS development task" shape=ellipse];
    what [label="What area?" shape=diamond];

    start -> what;
    what -> "skills/windows.md" [label="windows/scenes"];
    what -> "skills/menus-and-commands.md" [label="menus/commands/shortcuts"];
    what -> "skills/swiftui-differences.md" [label="Table/Inspector/focus/macOS SwiftUI"];
    what -> "skills/sandbox-and-file-access.md" [label="sandbox/file access"];
    what -> "skills/direct-distribution.md" [label="distribution/notarization/updates"];
    what -> "skills/appkit-interop.md" [label="AppKit bridging"];
    what -> "skills/appkit-modernization.md" [label="modernize AppKit\n(input/restoration/27 look)"];
    what -> "skills/ios-apps-on-mac.md" [label="iOS app to Mac\n(Catalyst / Designed for iPad)"];
    what -> "skills/screencapturekit.md" [label="screen capture/\nrecording/sharing"];
    what -> "axiom-swiftui" [label="cross-platform SwiftUI"];
    what -> "axiom-security" [label="Keychain/encryption"];
}

iOS screen capture? ScreenCaptureKit is macOS-only. For iOS screen recording, use ReplayKit — see axiom-media.

Resources

WWDC: 2021-10062, 2022-10061, 2022-10075, 2023-10148, 2024-10149, 2026-272, 2026-289

Docs: /security/app-sandbox, /swiftui/windowgroup, /swiftui/table

Skills: axiom-swiftui, axiom-security, axiom-concurrency, axiom-uikit