4 ms·

If you're not developing an iOS/macOS app, you can skip Xcode completely and just use the `swift` CLI, which is perfectly cromulent. (It works great on Linux an

If you're not developing an iOS/macOS app, you can skip Xcode completely and just use the `swift` CLI, which is perfectly cromulent. (It works great on Linux and Windows.)

behnamoh 8mo ago
Even if you're developing for macOS you can skip xcode. I've had a great time developing a menubar app for macOS and not once did I need to open xcode.
- alex-russo 8mo ago
  curious what you used - I've been looking into making a menubar app and really hate xcode
  - hombre_fatal 8mo ago
    claude -p "Make a menubar app with AppKit (Cocoa) that does X"
mort96 8mo ago
I would avoid it for Linux and Windows. Even if they are "technically supported", Apple's focus is clearly macOS and iOS. Being a second- (or even third-) class citizen often introduces lots of issues in practice ("oh, nobody teenaged that functionality on Windows"...)
alwillis 8mo ago
There'a great indie app called Notepad.exe [1] for developing iOS and macOS apps using macOS. You can also write and test Swift apps for Linux easily [2]. It also supports Python and JavaScript. If you hate Xcode, this is definitely worth a look. [1]: https://notepadexe.com https://notepadexe.com [2]: https://notepadexe.com/news/#notepad-14-linux-support https://notepadexe.com/news/#notepad-14-linux-support
- afavour 8mo ago
  So wait this thing is real? Calling it notepad.exe gave me the impression that it's just an elaborate joke about how you can code any program in Notepad...
  - andai 8mo ago
    It might have a joke name but it costs $80!
    - fangorn 8mo ago
      That's the real joke...
    - alwillis 8mo ago
      Or pay $19.99 for a year and be able to run it on 3 devices. That's a pretty good deal.
- tempodox 8mo ago
  It claims “native performance”, which makes me suspect it’s another Electron bloat.
  - indemnity 8mo ago
    Instead of speculating you could download and see for yourself that it’s not. It’s by Marcin Krzyzanowski who is all about native iOS and macOS apps.

If you're not developing an iOS/macOS app, you can skip Xcode completely and just use the `swift` CLI, which is perfectly cromulent. (It works great on Linux and Windows.)

behnamoh 8mo ago

Even if you're developing for macOS you can skip xcode. I've had a great time developing a menubar app for macOS and not once did I need to open xcode.

alex-russo 8mo ago
curious what you used - I've been looking into making a menubar app and really hate xcode
- hombre_fatal 8mo ago
  claude -p "Make a menubar app with AppKit (Cocoa) that does X"

mort96 8mo ago

I would avoid it for Linux and Windows. Even if they are "technically supported", Apple's focus is clearly macOS and iOS. Being a second- (or even third-) class citizen often introduces lots of issues in practice ("oh, nobody teenaged that functionality on Windows"...)

alwillis 8mo ago

There'a great indie app called Notepad.exe [1] for developing iOS and macOS apps using macOS. You can also write and test Swift apps for Linux easily [2]. It also supports Python and JavaScript. If you hate Xcode, this is definitely worth a look. [1]: https://notepadexe.com https://notepadexe.com [2]: https://notepadexe.com/news/#notepad-14-linux-support https://notepadexe.com/news/#notepad-14-linux-support

afavour 8mo ago
So wait this thing is real? Calling it notepad.exe gave me the impression that it's just an elaborate joke about how you can code any program in Notepad...
- andai 8mo ago
  It might have a joke name but it costs $80!
  - fangorn 8mo ago
    That's the real joke...
  - alwillis 8mo ago
    Or pay $19.99 for a year and be able to run it on 3 devices. That's a pretty good deal.
tempodox 8mo ago
It claims “native performance”, which makes me suspect it’s another Electron bloat.
- indemnity 8mo ago
  Instead of speculating you could download and see for yourself that it’s not. It’s by Marcin Krzyzanowski who is all about native iOS and macOS apps.