Documentation

Installation

Install ACT-iOS into your existing iOS project in two steps.

# Clone or download the toolkit

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/act-ios.git

# Install into your project

cd act-ios

./install.sh /path/to/your/ios-project

This copies the .claude/ directory (skills, agents, rules) into your project. It does not modify any of your source code.

What gets installed

45 skills, 3 research agents, 12 knowledge base files, and artifact directories (ai_specs/, ai_docs/).

Your First Command

Open Claude Code in your project and try the knowledge base:

cd /path/to/your/ios-project

claude

# Inside Claude Code:

/ios-development principles

This displays the 12 iOS development principles. Try /ios-development patterns or /ios-development mvvm to explore more.

Full Workflow

The standard development cycle follows six commands in sequence:

1
/act:spec feature-name

Create a detailed feature specification. The codebase-researcher agent analyzes your project and asks clarifying questions.

2
/act:refine-spec

Adversarial review of the spec. Finds gaps, impossible states, missing error handling, and architecture violations.

3
/act:plan

Generate a phased implementation plan with file creation order, dependencies, and test strategy.

4
/act:work

Execute the plan phase-by-phase. Runs swift build after each phase, creates conventional commits.

5
/act:review

Code review against the knowledge base. Checks architecture compliance, SwiftUI patterns, accessibility, concurrency.

6
/act:compound

Capture reusable insights from the session for future sessions.

Requirements

  • Claude Code CLI or OpenCode CLI
  • An LLM subscription or API key
  • An existing iOS/Swift project (or use /ios-create)
  • Xcode 15+ / Swift 5.9+

Workflow Skills

The core development lifecycle commands that orchestrate spec-driven development.

CommandDescription
/act:specCreate detailed feature specifications with codebase analysis
/act:refine-specAdversarial review for gaps, impossible states, and anti-patterns
/act:planGenerate phased implementation plan with dependencies and test strategy
/act:workExecute the plan phase-by-phase with builds and conventional commits
/act:reviewCode review against knowledge base for architecture and pattern compliance
/act:compoundCapture reusable insights and learnings from the current session

Git Skills

Version control automation with conventional commits and pull request workflows.

CommandDescription
/act:commitCreate conventional commits (feat/fix/refactor) with scope and description
/act:push-make-prPush branch and create a GitHub pull request with structured description
/act:git-worktreeSet up git worktrees for parallel feature development

iOS Skills

Project setup, testing, data persistence, third-party integrations, and platform capabilities.

CommandDescription
/ios-createScaffold a new iOS project with architecture, CI, and testing pre-configured
/ios-developmentAccess the knowledge base: principles, patterns, architecture guides
/ios-swift-testingGenerate Swift Testing tests with @Test, #expect, and parameterized traits
/ios-ui-testingGenerate UI tests with XCUITest, accessibility identifiers, and page objects
/ios-tddTest-driven development flow: write failing test, implement, refactor
/ios-swiftui-previewGenerate Xcode previews with mock data, dark mode, and device variants
/ios-swiftdata-setupConfigure SwiftData models, containers, and migration plans
/ios-coredata-migrationGenerate Core Data migration mappings (lightweight and custom)
/ios-firebase-setupIntegrate Firebase (Auth, Firestore, Crashlytics, Analytics)
/ios-sentry-setupIntegrate Sentry error tracking with breadcrumbs and performance monitoring
/ios-storekit2-setupConfigure StoreKit 2 subscriptions, products, and receipt validation
/ios-tca-setupSet up The Composable Architecture with reducers, store, and dependencies
/ios-accessibilityAudit and fix VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, and color contrast issues
/ios-localizationSet up String Catalogs, pluralization rules, and locale testing
/ios-spm-upgradeUpgrade Swift Package Manager dependencies with compatibility checks
/ios-screenshotGenerate App Store screenshot automation with fastlane/snapshot

Component Generator Skills

Production-ready SwiftUI components with design tokens, previews, accessibility, and tests.

CommandDescription
/ios-component-textfieldStyled text field with validation, error states, and floating label
/ios-component-buttonButton system with primary/secondary/destructive variants and loading state
/ios-component-bottomsheetDraggable bottom sheet with detents, snap points, and keyboard avoidance
/ios-component-dropdownDropdown selector with search, multi-select, and custom styling
/ios-component-cardContent card with image, title, subtitle, and action buttons
/ios-component-alertCustom alert dialog with configurable actions and destructive styling
/ios-component-listList with swipe actions, sections, pull-to-refresh, and pagination
/ios-component-formForm builder with validation, sections, and field types (text, toggle, picker)
/ios-component-empty-stateEmpty state view with illustration placeholder, message, and CTA button
/ios-component-loadingLoading indicators: skeleton views, progress bars, and shimmer effects
/ios-routerType-safe navigation router with deep linking and NavigationStack

Infrastructure & Platform Skills

Networking layers, security hardening, CI/CD pipelines, and platform integrations.

CommandDescription
/ios-networkGenerate async/await networking layer with interceptors, retry logic, and caching
/ios-securityKeychain wrapper, certificate pinning, biometric auth, and data encryption
/ios-ciGitHub Actions CI/CD pipeline with build, test, lint, and TestFlight deployment
/ios-widgetWidgetKit extension with timeline provider, multiple families, and intents
/ios-appstoreApp Store metadata, screenshots config, review notes, and submission checklist
/ios-deeplinkUniversal links and custom URL schemes with route parsing and handling

Advanced Skills

Analytics integration, modularization, and migration tools for mature codebases.

CommandDescription
/ios-analyticsAnalytics abstraction layer with provider-agnostic event tracking and consent management
/ios-modularizeExtract features into Swift packages with dependency graphs and interface modules
/ios-migrateMigrate between architectures (UIKit to SwiftUI, ObservableObject to @Observable, etc.)
/ios-performanceProfile and optimize: Instruments automation, memory leak detection, launch time analysis

MVVM Architecture

Model-View-ViewModel — the natural fit for SwiftUI with @Observable.

Features/

UserProfile/

Views/UserProfileView.swift

ViewModels/UserProfileViewModel.swift

Models/UserProfile.swift

Run /ios-development mvvm in Claude Code for the full guide with code examples.

TCA (The Composable Architecture)

Unidirectional data flow with composable reducers and exhaustive testing.

Features/

ItemList/

ItemListFeature.swift // @Reducer

ItemListView.swift

Run /ios-development tca for the full guide.

Clean Architecture

Layered architecture with strict dependency rules: inner layers never depend on outer layers.

Domain/ // Entities, UseCases, Repository protocols

Data/ // Implementations, DataSources, DTOs

Presentation/ // Views, ViewModels, Navigation

Run /ios-development clean for the full guide.

VIPER

Module-based architecture with strict single-responsibility per component.

Modules/Home/

HomeView.swift

HomeInteractor.swift

HomePresenter.swift

HomeRouter.swift

HomeBuilder.swift

Run /ios-development viper for the full guide.

Troubleshooting

"Unknown skill" error

The skills aren't installed in your project. Re-run the installer:

./install.sh /path/to/your/project

Duplicate skills in autocomplete

Claude Code loads .claude/ from parent directories too. If your project is inside the toolkit repo, skills appear twice. Move your project outside, or delete the nested .claude/ copy.

Skills don't appear after install

Exit Claude Code and reopen it. Skills are loaded at startup.

Swift build fails after code generation

Check that your deployment target matches the generated code. ACT-iOS targets iOS 17+ by default. For iOS 16, some patterns (like @Observable) need to be replaced with ObservableObject.

FAQ

See the FAQ on the home page.

Changelog

v1.0.0 — March 2026

  • Initial release with 45 skills, 3 research agents, 12 knowledge base files
  • 6-command workflow: spec, refine, plan, work, review, compound
  • 11 component generators with design token system
  • 4 architecture guides: MVVM, TCA, Clean, VIPER
  • Networking, security, CI/CD, widget, and App Store skills