Building MarkdownObserver From Source

March 31, 2026 ยท View on GitHub

This document explains how to compile and test MarkdownObserver locally on macOS.

Prerequisites

  • macOS
  • Xcode (latest stable recommended)
  • Command line developer tools installed (xcode-select --install)

1. Get the Source

git clone https://github.com/larspohlmann/markdownobserver.git
cd markdownobserver

2. Resolve Swift Package Dependencies

xcodebuild -resolvePackageDependencies -project minimark.xcodeproj -scheme minimark

3. Build (No Signing Required)

Open-source defaults disable code signing for local builds and tests.

Choose one of the following build configurations:

  • Release (recommended for most users who just want to run the app):
xcodebuild -project minimark.xcodeproj -scheme minimark -configuration Release -destination 'platform=macOS' build
  • Debug (recommended for contributors who are actively developing or debugging):
xcodebuild -project minimark.xcodeproj -scheme minimark -configuration Debug -destination 'platform=macOS' build

4. Run Tests

xcodebuild test -project minimark.xcodeproj -scheme minimark -destination 'platform=macOS' -only-testing:minimarkTests

Optional: Build and Test via VS Code Task

If you use VS Code in this repository, run the verify:macOS task.

Optional: Enable Signing for Your Own Distribution Build

Local development and tests do not need signing. If you want to create signed distributable builds:

  1. Copy Config/Signing.local.example.xcconfig to Config/Signing.local.xcconfig.
  2. Set your DEVELOPMENT_TEAM and any optional bundle identifier overrides.
  3. Build using your preferred archive/export flow.

Troubleshooting

  • If package resolution fails, run dependency resolution again and verify network access.
  • If Xcode selection is wrong, run sudo xcode-select -switch /Applications/Xcode.app.
  • If a previous build appears stale, clean first:
xcodebuild -project minimark.xcodeproj -scheme minimark -configuration Debug clean