Xcode tips

Here are some useful tips for working efficiently in Xcode, as presented in the "Xcode essentials" session at WWDC 2024:

1. Creating New Files:

   • You can create an empty file by right-clicking almost anywhere and skipping the template chooser.
   • To use the format of an existing file, you can copy and paste or duplicate it. Alternatively, hold the option key, then click and drag an item to copy it. This is a quick way to create new files with similar content (Xcode essentials).

2. Navigating and Finding Content:

   • Use the project navigator to view your project's file hierarchy.
   • The bottom bar can be used to narrow down searches by filtering for additional words or file names (Xcode essentials).
   • The "Open Quickly" feature (CMD + Shift + O) allows you to quickly jump to any file or symbol by typing part of its name (Xcode essentials).

3. Using Shortcuts and Commands:

   • Xcode supports various text editing shortcuts, including native macOS text editing interactions and basic emacs commands like control + A, E, P, and N (Xcode essentials).
   • Multi-cursor editing can be enabled by holding control + shift and clicking where you want to insert multiple cursors (Xcode essentials).

4. Code Completion and Annotations:

   • Xcode's code completion engine can predict the code you need, and you can hold the option key when choosing a completion to accept all arguments (Xcode essentials).
   • Error and warning annotations in Xcode are interactive. Clicking on them can reveal more information (Xcode essentials).

5. Using Git:

   • To see the last change for a line, right-click and select "Show last change for line." This provides an overview of the commit for that line (Xcode essentials).
   • Before making a commit, you can preview the upcoming commit in the changes navigator (Xcode essentials).

6. Debugging and Testing:

   • Debugging involves setting breakpoints and using the console to inspect variables and program state (Xcode essentials).
   • Testing is crucial for catching bugs before shipping. You can run all tests in your project or quickly iterate on a single test by clicking the diamond next to the test function (Xcode essentials).

For a more detailed exploration of these tips, you can watch the full "Xcode essentials" session from WWDC 2024.