Xcode 27 System Prompts & Documentation

This repository contains system prompts and documentation from Xcode 27 beta 3, providing insights into Apple's approach to AI-assisted coding and comprehensive guides for iOS 26/27 features and frameworks. You can also find them at Xcode.app/Contents/PlugIns/IDEIntelligenceChat.framework/Versions/A/Resources.

Repository Structure

System Prompt Templates (.idechatprompttemplate)

Core prompts that power Xcode's AI coding assistant in different modes and contexts:

Basic Coding Assistant Prompts

• BasicSystemPrompt.idechatprompttemplate - Foundation prompt for code analysis and suggestions
• ReasoningSystemPrompt.idechatprompttemplate - Enhanced reasoning for complex coding tasks
• VariantASystemPrompt.idechatprompttemplate / VariantBSystemPrompt.idechatprompttemplate - Alternative system prompt variants

Specialized Workflow Prompts

• IntegratorSystemPrompt.idechatprompttemplate - Precise code editing with specific instructions
• NewCodeIntegratorSystemPrompt.idechatprompttemplate - Integration of entirely new code
• FastApplyIntegratorSystemPrompt.idechatprompttemplate - Rapid code modifications
• TextEditorToolSystemPrompt.idechatprompttemplate - Tool-assisted text editing mode
• PlannerExecutorStylePlannerSystemPrompt.idechatprompttemplate - Planning-based coding approach

Context Provider Prompts

• CurrentFile.idechatprompttemplate - Full current file context
• CurrentFileAbbreviated.idechatprompttemplate - Condensed file context
• CurrentFileName.idechatprompttemplate - File name only context
• CurrentSelection.idechatprompttemplate - Selected code context
• NoSelection.idechatprompttemplate - No selection context
• OriginalFile.idechatprompttemplate - Original file state

Tool-Assisted Prompts

• ToolAssistedBasicSystemPrompt.idechatprompttemplate - Enhanced with search and editing tools
• ToolAssistedReasoningSystemPrompt.idechatprompttemplate - Reasoning with tool access
• ToolAssistedInQueryDetailedGuidelines.idechatprompttemplate - Detailed tool usage guidelines

Agent Prompts

• AgentSystemPromptAddition.idechatprompttemplate - Xcode agent system prompt with MCP tools, documentation search, and code style guidelines
• AgentAdditionalContext.idechatprompttemplate - Project structure and file context for agent mode
• AgentVersions.plist - Agent version configuration (Claude, Codex)

Coding Tool Templates

• CodingToolTemplateDocument.idechatprompttemplate - Documentation generation via XcodeUpdate tool
• CodingToolTemplateExplain.idechatprompttemplate - Code explanation tool template
• CodingToolTemplateGeneratePlayground.idechatprompttemplate - Swift #Playground generation tool template
• CodingToolTemplateGeneratePreview.idechatprompttemplate - SwiftUI #Preview generation tool template

Specialized Generation Prompts

• GenerateDocumentation.idechatprompttemplate - Code documentation generation
• GeneratePlayground.idechatprompttemplate - Swift Playground creation
• GeneratePreview.idechatprompttemplate - SwiftUI Preview generation with smart embedding rules

Support & Utility Prompts

• PromptSuggestionGenerator.idechatprompttemplate - Suggests 3 contextual prompts based on project, active file, branch, commits, and build diagnostics
• ChatTitleResolver.idechatprompttemplate - Chat session title generation
• Query.idechatprompttemplate - Query processing
• SearchResults.idechatprompttemplate - Search result formatting
• Issues.idechatprompttemplate - Issue identification and resolution
• Snippets.idechatprompttemplate - Code snippet management

Agent Skills (new in Xcode 27 beta 1)

On-demand skills that pair a system prompt with bundled *-ref-*.md.packaged reference docs (and helper scripts), loaded only when the task matches:

• audit-xcode-security-settings.idechatprompttemplate - Audits and progressively enables security build settings: compiler warnings, static analyzer checkers, Enhanced Security, Pointer Authentication, hardware memory tagging, typed allocators, stack zero-init, etc. Reworked in beta 3 into a phased plan-and-approve workflow (editable plan file, XcodeUpdate edits, per-target task tracking) with a new universal-binaries-for-libraries reference. Ships with audit-xcode-security-settings-script-filter_build_settings.py
• adopt-c-bounds-safety.idechatprompttemplate - Guide for adopting, reviewing, and debugging the C -fbounds-safety language extension (pointer annotations, build settings, runtime trap debugging). Renamed from c-bounds-safety in beta 3 with expanded trigger conditions
• swiftui-specialist.idechatprompttemplate - SwiftUI best practices and idiomatic patterns: view structure, data flow, environment, modifiers, localization, animations, ForEach identity, soft-deprecated APIs
• swiftui-whats-new-27.idechatprompttemplate - New SwiftUI APIs/behaviors for the 2027 OS releases: @State macro migration, reorderable(), AsyncImage caching, toolbar overflow, item-binding alerts/dialogs, swipe actions, document-based apps, @ContentBuilder, deprecations
• uikit-app-modernization.idechatprompttemplate - Modernizes UIKit apps for multi-window environments by replacing legacy shared-state APIs (UIScreen.main, interfaceOrientation, asymmetric safe areas) with scene-aware alternatives

Additional Documentation

Comprehensive guides for iOS 26 features and framework updates:

Foundation & Core Frameworks

• FoundationModels-Using-on-device-LLM-in-your-app.md - Apple's on-device LLM integration
• Foundation-AttributedString-Updates.md - AttributedString enhancements
• Swift-Concurrency-Updates.md - Latest Swift concurrency features
• Swift-InlineArray-Span.md - New Swift array types
• SwiftData-Class-Inheritance.md - SwiftData inheritance support

UI & Design Frameworks

• SwiftUI-Implementing-Liquid-Glass-Design.md - New Liquid Glass visual material
• UIKit-Implementing-Liquid-Glass-Design.md - Liquid Glass in UIKit
• AppKit-Implementing-Liquid-Glass-Design.md - Liquid Glass for macOS
• WidgetKit-Implementing-Liquid-Glass-Design.md - Liquid Glass in widgets
• SwiftUI-New-Toolbar-Features.md - Enhanced toolbar capabilities
• SwiftUI-Styled-Text-Editing.md - Advanced text editing features
• SwiftUI-WebKit-Integration.md - Web content in SwiftUI
• SwiftUI-AlarmKit-Integration.md - System alarm functionality

Intelligence & Accessibility

• Implementing-Visual-Intelligence-in-iOS.md - Camera-based object recognition
• Implementing-Assistive-Access-in-iOS.md - Accessibility enhancements

Platform-Specific Features

• Widgets-for-visionOS.md - visionOS widget development
• Swift-Charts-3D-Visualization.md - 3D chart capabilities
• MapKit-GeoToolbox-PlaceDescriptors.md - Enhanced location services

App Store & Commerce

• StoreKit-Updates.md - StoreKit improvements
• AppIntents-Updates.md - App Intents framework updates

Supporting Files

• IDEIntelligenceChat.xcplugindata - Plugin data for Xcode's AI chat feature
• bert-estimate.vocab - BERT model vocabulary for embeddings
• Various embedding and search configuration templates

Core Apple Prompting Principles

Based on analysis of the system prompts, Apple follows these key principles for AI coding assistance:

1. Apple-First Development Philosophy

• Always favor Apple programming languages: Swift, Objective-C, C, C++
• Prefer Apple frameworks and APIs available on Apple devices
• Use official platform names: iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS
• Avoid recommending third-party packages unless already in use

2. Platform-Aware Suggestions

• Detect platform context from code clues
• Avoid suggesting iOS-only APIs for macOS projects
• Respect platform-specific design patterns and conventions

3. Modern Swift Preferences

• Swift Concurrency (async/await, actors) over Dispatch/Combine
• Swift Testing framework with @Test and #expect macros
• #Preview macro instead of PreviewProvider protocol
• Stay current with latest language features

4. Code Editing Philosophy

• Complete File Replacement: Never partial edits - always return entire file content
• Precise Instructions: Unambiguous, self-contained editing instructions
• Preserve Existing Style: Maintain formatting, indentation, and conventions
• Syntactic Validity: Ensure all edits maintain correct syntax

5. Context-Aware Assistance

• Use project search tools extensively for understanding codebase
• Distinguish between explanation vs. code modification requests
• Provide concrete examples with code snippets
• Break complex tasks into sequential steps