Question 1

How do I run Abandoned Strings on my Xcode project?

Accepted Answer

Open Terminal, navigate to the directory containing the AbandonedStrings executable, and run './AbandonedStrings /path/to/your/source/code'. It scans .h, .m, .swift, and .jsbundle files for unused string identifiers in .strings files.

Question 2

Does Abandoned Strings work with SwiftUI?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it scans .swift files, so it can detect string references in SwiftUI code. However, its basic heuristic may not handle newer SwiftUI patterns or dynamic string usage accurately, so results should be verified manually.

Question 3

Abandoned Strings vs manual code review for unused strings

Accepted Answer

Abandoned Strings automates the process and is faster for large codebases, but manual review is more accurate for edge cases like dynamic references or commented code. Use it as a first pass, then cross-check flagged strings.

Question 4

Can Abandoned Strings detect strings in comments?

Accepted Answer

No, it does not take commented-out code into account, as stated in the README. Strings referenced only in comments will be flagged as abandoned, so you need to review those manually to avoid false positives.

Question 5

How accurate is Abandoned Strings for large projects?

Accepted Answer

Accuracy decreases with code complexity, such as dynamic string usage or extensive comments. For large projects, expect some false positives and negatives, and supplement it with manual verification for reliable cleanup.

Question 6

Is Abandoned Strings still maintained? Last update was 2016.

Accepted Answer

The project was last updated in 2016 for Swift 3, and there's no evidence of recent activity. While it may work for basic cases, consider testing it with current Swift versions or exploring alternatives for better support.

Question 7

How to handle false positives with Abandoned Strings?

Accepted Answer

Carefully review the output, especially for strings in comments or referenced via constants. Since the tool uses a simple heuristic, double-check flagged strings before removing them from .strings files to avoid deleting needed resources.

abandoned-strings

What is abandoned-strings?

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