What are app intents ?
Generated on 8/8/2024
1 search
App Intents are a framework that allows you to expose your app's core features to the system, enabling them to be used outside of your app in various system experiences. This includes integration with Siri, Spotlight, Shortcuts, and other system features. An app intent consists of a summary of what it does, which starts with the app followed by a verb, and includes the parameters that people need to fill out before the intent is run.
App Intents can be combined with other intents into shortcuts, creating powerful new flows that they could not achieve alone. They are designed to be flexible and readable across many configurations and use cases. For example, an app intent might open the camera to a specific mode, and the mode can be changed via parameters.
To learn more about how to design and structure app intents, you can refer to the session Design App Intents for system experiences.
Relevant Sessions
Bring your app’s core features to users with App Intents
Learn the principles of the App Intents framework, like intents, entities, and queries, and how you can harness them to expose your app’s most important functionality right where people need it most. Find out how to build deep integration between your app and the many system features built on top of App Intents, including Siri, controls and widgets, Apple Pencil, Shortcuts, the Action button, and more. Get tips on how to build your App Intents integrations efficiently to create the best experiences in every surface while still sharing code and core functionality.
Design App Intents for system experiences
App Intents power system experiences in controls, Spotlight, Siri, and more. Find out how to identify the functionality that’s best for App Intents, and how to use parameters to make these intents flexible. Learn how to use App Intents to allow people to take action outside your app, and see examples of when to navigate into your app to show contextual information.