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"

Development Run Script

Create Scripts/compile_and_run.sh:

#!/bin/bash
set -e

source version.env

# Kill existing instance
pkill -x "$APP_NAME" 2>/dev/null || true

# Package
./Scripts/package_app.sh

# Launch
open ".build/release/$APP_NAME.app"

Code Signing

Development Signing

# Sign for local development
codesign --force --sign - ".build/release/MyApp.app"

# Or with a specific identity
codesign --force --sign "Developer ID Application: Your Name" ".build/release/MyApp.app"

Create Stable Dev Identity

# Generate self-signed certificate for consistent dev signing
security create-keychain -p "" dev-signing.keychain
security default-keychain -s dev-signing.keychain
# Follow prompts in Keychain Access to create certificate

Notarization and Release

Create Scripts/sign-and-notarize.sh:

#!/bin/bash
set -e

source version.env

APP_PATH=".build/release/$APP_NAME.app"
ZIP_PATH=".build/release/$APP_NAME-$VERSION.zip"

# Sign with Developer ID
codesign --force --options runtime --sign "Developer ID Application: Your Name" "$APP_PATH"

# Create zip for notarization
ditto -c -k --keepParent "$APP_PATH" "$ZIP_PATH"

# Submit for notarization
xcrun notarytool submit "$ZIP_PATH" \
    --apple-id "your@email.com" \
    --team-id "TEAM_ID" \
    --password "@keychain:AC_PASSWORD" \
    --wait

# Staple the ticket
xcrun stapler staple "$APP_PATH"

# Re-zip with stapled ticket
rm "$ZIP_PATH"
ditto -c -k --keepParent "$APP_PATH" "$ZIP_PATH"

echo "Release ready: $ZIP_PATH"

Sparkle Updates (Optional)

Generate Appcast Entry

#!/bin/bash
source version.env

ZIP_PATH=".build/release/$APP_NAME-$VERSION.zip"
SIZE=$(stat -f%z "$ZIP_PATH")
SIGNATURE=$(./bin/sign_update "$ZIP_PATH")
DATE=$(date -R)

cat << EOF
<item>
    <title>Version $VERSION</title>
    <pubDate>$DATE</pubDate>
    <sparkle:version>$BUILD_NUMBER</sparkle:version>
    <sparkle:shortVersionString>$VERSION</sparkle:shortVersionString>
    <enclosure
        url="https://example.com/releases/$APP_NAME-$VERSION.zip"
        length="$SIZE"
        type="application/octet-stream"
        sparkle:edSignature="$SIGNATURE"
    />
</item>
EOF

GitHub Release

# Create tag
git tag -a "v$VERSION" -m "Release $VERSION"
git push origin "v$VERSION"

# Create GitHub release
gh release create "v$VERSION" \
    ".build/release/$APP_NAME-$VERSION.zip" \
    --title "v$VERSION" \
    --notes "Release notes here"

Checklist

Scaffolding

Package.swift with correct targets and resources
version.env with app metadata
Info.plist template or generation script
Basic app entry point (@main App)

Build

swift build succeeds
swift test passes
Resources copied correctly

Packaging

.app bundle structure correct
Info.plist generated with correct values
App launches from Finder

Release

Code signed with Developer ID
Notarized and stapled
Zip created for distribution
(Optional) Sparkle appcast updated

macos-spm-app-packaging