Add native iOS SPM package in react native library

[yllfejziu]

I created a react-native library and the example app which works fine.

However, I wish to add a native iOS library using SPM (since it's not on cocoapods). The react-native library created by CLI created just 3 files:

example.swift
example.mm
example-Bridging-Header.h

Why isn't there a .xcodeproj automatically created when the library is scaffolded? How do I add one so I import the SPM package or is there any other way?

[atlj]

Hi, Swift Package Manager support for React Native is still in discussion. You can find the discussion here.

[atlj]

The .podspec file is the iOS analog of build.gradle for your library. The dependencies under the .podspec file can be imported by your library without any problems. Once adding the pod to as a dependency to the .podspec file (Not to be confused with Podfile), you need to open example/ios/<your_lib_name>.xcworkspace using XCode. Then you'll be able to see your library under Pods/Development Pods. You can see the CONTRIBUTING.md file that's generated alongside your library for more information. Please feel free to ping me again if that didn't help.

[yllfejziu]

I don't need to import the library on the example app since this is the app that'll be using the library.
The code that I'm trying to build will use this dependency, build something on top of it, and provide it for the example app / any other app that'll use this native module.

To conclude:
I need to use the pod inside ios/...
not inside example/ios/...

And that's the reason I'm asking why there isn't an xcode project inside the ios folder.

Sorry for the misunderstandings, hopefully you get what I mean.

[Dwikavindra]

I guess in other words we are trying to ask why there is no .xcodeproj file inside the root ios folder while other packages for example https://github.com/react-native-video/react-native-video/tree/master/ios do have them. They have an .xcodeproj file in the root ios folder. As such we are able to open them in Xcode from the root ios folder not example/ios. The question then becomes how do you generate the file to begin with? @atlj

[atlj]

Folks sorry if I will sound like a broken record 😅 but the normal development workflow for libraries actually include opening the example/ios workspace in xcode and changing the code there. In the past, people were trying to open the project file located in the ios folder and they were getting issues since it's not the correct way of doing it. If you open the example app, go to the Pods target and Development Pods, you'll find your library code in the list there. If you edit the library code there, the changes will be reflected to your library (you can check the git diff).

[yllfejziu]

Oh, that's the piece I was missing 😅
Thanks a lot, this is what I needed and it answers my question.

[atlj]

@yllfejziu that's awesome that it fixed the problem! I'd also highly suggest checking out the CONTRIBUTING.md file in the project you've generated. We've added a lot of useful stuff for library development there. Thanks a lot for the detailed explanation!

[yllfejziu]

Yeah, that's helpful, thanks.
Another question that is a little bit related to the development flow (considering the project structure as above), if you were to write unit tests in Swift, where would you put those?
The example app already has a test target and then you can import your pod below, is that the correct flow (and not in the Pods target)? @atlj

[Andrew-Paystack]

Hey @atlj,

Thanks a lot for answering this question. I'm curious why does the development flow for Android differ from iOS?

In Android, we develop in the android folder while test using the example/android project.