Whats new in xcode 16?

Xcode 16 introduces several exciting new features and improvements to enhance the app development process. Here are some of the highlights:

1. Code Completion: Xcode 16 features an innovative new engine for code completion, powered by a model specifically trained for Swift and Apple SDKs. This engine predicts the code you need by using your project symbols to customize suggestions, and it runs locally on your Mac, ensuring privacy and fast results. This feature is available when running Xcode 16 on macOS Sequoia.

2. Swift 6: The new Swift 6 language mode provides concurrency safety guarantees, turning data races that typically occur at runtime into compile-time issues, improving code correctness and safety.

3. Build Improvements: Xcode 16 supercharges builds with explicit modules, offering improved parallelism, better diagnostics, and faster debugging without changing any code. For C and Objective-C, explicit modules are on by default, while for Swift, you need to opt in.

4. Swiftassist: A new companion tool for coding tasks, Swiftassist, can answer coding questions and help with tasks like experimenting with new APIs. It runs in the cloud and is designed to enhance productivity.

5. Previews and Customizations: Xcode Previews now have a new dynamic linking architecture, using the same build artifacts for previews and when you build and run, which avoids rebuilding your project when switching between the two. This results in a smoother workflow.

6. Instruments and Profiling: Xcode 16 introduces a flame graph for profiling data in Instruments, providing deeper insights into app performance. This visual representation helps in identifying performance issues more effectively.

7. Localization Enhancements: Enhancements to localization catalogs make it easier to bring apps to a wider audience around the world.

For more detailed information, you can check out the session What’s new in Xcode 16 (00:07) and Platforms State of the Union (21:10).