macOS Programming

<skill_scope skill="macos-programmer"> Related skills:

• swift-programmer — Swift language fundamentals and Swift 6 concurrency
• software-engineer — General software engineering principles and system architecture
• test-driven-development — Testing philosophy and practices

This skill covers macOS-specific development patterns, platform APIs, and decision frameworks. It applies when developing Mac apps, working with Cocoa/AppKit code, or making SwiftUI vs AppKit decisions. </skill_scope>

Core Philosophy

<core_philosophy> Critical Reality (2024-2025): SwiftUI for macOS is powerful but incomplete for production apps. Expert macOS developers must master BOTH SwiftUI and AppKit—SwiftUI for 70% of UI, AppKit for the 30% that makes professional apps professional. This hybrid approach is not a stopgap; it's the current production reality.

Platform Identity: macOS is not iOS with a bigger screen. Multiple windows, menu bars, keyboard navigation, document-based architecture, and precise window management are first-class citizens. Respect macOS conventions; don't port iOS patterns blindly. </core_philosophy>