release-macos-spm-packaging

macOS SwiftPM App Packaging

Overview

Bootstrap a complete SwiftPM macOS app, then build, package, and run it without Xcode. This skill covers the full workflow from project scaffolding to release distribution.

Project Scaffolding

Basic Structure

MyApp/
├── Package.swift
├── Sources/
│   └── MyApp/
│       ├── MyApp.swift          # @main App entry
│       └── ContentView.swift
├── Resources/
│   ├── Assets.xcassets/
│   └── Info.plist
├── Scripts/
│   ├── package_app.sh
│   ├── compile_and_run.sh
│   └── sign-and-notarize.sh
└── version.env

Package.swift

// swift-tools-version: 5.9
import PackageDescription

let package = Package(
    name: "MyApp",
    platforms: [.macOS(.v14)],
    products: [
        .executable(name: "MyApp", targets: ["MyApp"])
    ],
    targets: [
        .executableTarget(
            name: "MyApp",
            resources: [
                .process("Resources")
            ]
        )
    ]
)

version.env

APP_NAME="MyApp"
BUNDLE_ID="com.example.myapp"
VERSION="1.0.0"
BUILD_NUMBER="1"
MIN_MACOS="14.0"
# Set to 1 for menu bar apps
MENU_BAR_APP=0

Build and Run

Build with SwiftPM

# Debug build
swift build

# Release build
swift build -c release

# Run tests
swift test

Package as .app Bundle

Create Scripts/package_app.sh:

#!/bin/bash
set -e

source version.env

BUILD_DIR=".build/release"
APP_BUNDLE="$BUILD_DIR/$APP_NAME.app"
CONTENTS="$APP_BUNDLE/Contents"
MACOS="$CONTENTS/MacOS"
RESOURCES="$CONTENTS/Resources"

# Build release
swift build -c release

# Create bundle structure
rm -rf "$APP_BUNDLE"
mkdir -p "$MACOS" "$RESOURCES"

# Copy binary
cp "$BUILD_DIR/$APP_NAME" "$MACOS/"

# Copy resources
cp -r Resources/* "$RESOURCES/" 2>/dev/null || true

# Generate Info.plist
cat > "$CONTENTS/Info.plist" << EOF
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>CFBundleExecutable</key>
    <string>$APP_NAME</string>
    <key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
    <string>$BUNDLE_ID</string>
    <key>CFBundleName</key>
    <string>$APP_NAME</string>
    <key>CFBundleVersion</key>
    <string>$BUILD_NUMBER</string>
    <key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
    <string>$VERSION</string>
    <key>LSMinimumSystemVersion</key>
    <string>$MIN_MACOS</string>
    <key>CFBundlePackageType</key>
    <string>APPL</string>
$([ "$MENU_BAR_APP" = "1" ] && echo "    <key>LSUIElement</key>
    <true/>")
</dict>
</plist>
EOF

echo "Created $APP_BUNDLE"