Build and run Xcode through Zed

Transcript

1. Tommy Han, 2026 How many steps do you need? Build iOS Apps from Zed
2. Build iOS App is Easy…
3. • You Cre a ted a UI View, or m a ybe some view components… • You press the Pl a y Button, w a it for a while, simul a tor a ppe a rs… • Gre a t! You c a n see you a pp a live!
4. But all of them are Xcode’s magic…
5. Code Editing Section File Directory View View Hier a rchy LLDB Process View
6. What if we don’t use Xcode IDE?
7. How does an iOS built It is a 10 Step Process…
8. iOS Simulator Run Pipeline (Technical, Step-by-Step) From dependency/library lineage to process launch and LLDB attach Build + Link (Xcode/clang/ld) Install + Launch (CoreSimulator/launchd_sim/dyld_sim) Debug + Iterate (debugserver/LLDB) 1 Resolve dependency graph targets + SwiftPM/Pods/Carthage => library lineage + build order 2 Compile sources swiftc/clang -> .o + .swiftmodule per target + per architecture 3 Assemble artifacts .a static libs / .framework outputs module interfaces + resources 4 Link simulator app binary ld -> Mach-O (arm64-simulator) writes LC_LOAD_DYLIB chain 5 Bundle + sign for simulator App.app + embedded frameworks/resources ad-hoc signing (no device provisioning) 6 Install into simulator device container CoreSimulatorService / simctl install 7 launchd_sim spawns app process SpringBoard requests app launch 8 dyld_sim resolves and loads dylibs embedded frameworks + shared cache + inits 9 Runtime entry dyld hands off -> main / UIApplicationMain / SwiftUI App 10 Attach debugger + materialize symbols debugserver bridge; LLDB loads dSYM; breakpoints/watchpoints bind Edit code -> incremental compile/link -> relaunch -> LLDB re-attaches Inspect linkage: otool -L AppBinary | Launch manually: xcrun simctl launch booted <bundle-id> | Attach manually: lldb -n <AppName>
9. Demo
10. Limitations What can we do better? • Inst a ll Libr a ries • Xcode Instruments • Debug Log Filtering
11. Thank You
12. Appendix • https://github.com/tommyming/zed- a pp-build-demo • https://luxmentis.org/blog/ios- a nd-m a c- a pps-in-zed/ • https://luxmentis.org/blog/test-xcode- a pps-in-zed/ • https://luxmentis.org/blog/swiftui-previews-in-zed/