crafter
A Ruby CLI tool to automate and standardize Xcode project configuration with reusable templates.
What is crafter?
Crafter is a command-line tool built as a Ruby gem that automates the setup and configuration of Xcode projects for iOS and macOS development. It allows developers to define a standardized template for build settings, warnings, scripts, and dependencies, which can be applied consistently across multiple projects to eliminate manual, repetitive configuration work.
iOS and macOS developers, particularly those working in teams or across multiple projects who need consistent Xcode configurations, and developers tired of manually setting up the same warnings, build options, and scripts repeatedly.
Crafter saves hours of manual configuration by providing a reusable, flexible template system for Xcode projects, ensuring consistency and reducing human error. Unlike Xcode's built-in templating, it supports optional modules, interactive setup, and integrates with CocoaPods and Git.
Overview
Crafter - Xcode project configuration CLI made easy.
Use Cases
Best For
- Standardizing Xcode project configurations across a development team
- Automating repetitive setup tasks for new iOS/macOS projects
- Managing consistent build settings and warnings across multiple targets
- Integrating CocoaPods dependencies and scripts via a template
- Duplicating build configurations for ad-hoc or profiling builds
- Adding optional features like networking or CoreData with interactive prompts
Not Ideal For
- Teams exclusively using Swift Package Manager for dependency management
- Projects targeting non-Apple platforms like Android or web
- Organizations with policies against installing Ruby on developer machines
- Dynamic projects requiring runtime configuration changes beyond static templates
Pros & Cons
Pros
Crafter eliminates manual Xcode configuration by allowing developers to define settings once and apply them across projects, saving hours per setup as highlighted in the README's value proposition.
A shared Ruby configuration file ensures uniform build settings, warnings, and scripts across multiple projects, reducing human error and maintenance overhead for teams.
The CLI guides users through target selection and optional modules like networking or CoreData, providing customization without complexity, as shown in the interactive setup example.
Automatically generates .gitignore files and includes scripts for icon versioning, streamlining version control setup directly from the configuration.
Cons
Requires Ruby and gem installation, which adds an extra layer of tooling for teams not already using Ruby in their iOS/macOS workflow, increasing setup complexity.
The README only shows integration with CocoaPods for dependencies, lacking native support for modern managers like Swift Package Manager or Carthage.
Users must write and maintain Ruby code for custom configurations, which can be a barrier for developers unfamiliar with Ruby syntax, despite the provided examples.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
TuistYour platform team, as a service
xcproj📝 Read, update and write your Xcode projects
SwiftPlateEasily generate cross platform Swift framework projects from the command line
liftoffCLI for creating and configuring new Xcode projects
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