Native development

Build and debug iOS and macOS apps.

Codex works great on Apple platform projects when each pass has a build, run, or simulator loop attached to it. These use cases are helpful when you are building new or existing iOS and macOS apps and need to iterate on the UI and debug issues.

Build the app shell

Ask Codex to scaffold iOS and macOS apps with repeatable build loops. The Mac shell use case goes deeper on sidebar-detail-inspector layouts, commands, settings, and other desktop-native structure.

Refactor iOS SwiftUI screens

Use Codex to split large SwiftUI views without changing behavior, then move selected iOS flows to Liquid Glass when the app is ready.

Expose iOS actions to the system

Leverage Codex to identify the actions and entities your app should expose through App Intents, so users can reach app behavior from system surfaces.

https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-app-intents

Debug your app

Have Codex reproduce bugs in Simulator or add telemetry to your macOS app to help you debug and fix issues.

use-cases/collections/native-development.md +11 −54

~~1# Native development – Codex~~1# Native development

3Build and debug iOS and macOS apps.

2 4

3Codex works great on Apple platform projects when each pass has a build, run, or simulator loop attached to it.5Codex works great on Apple platform projects when each pass has a build, run, or simulator loop attached to it.

4These use cases are helpful when you are building new or existing iOS and macOS apps and need to iterate on the UI and debug issues.6These use cases are helpful when you are building new or existing iOS and macOS apps and need to iterate on the UI and debug issues.

7 9

8Ask Codex to scaffold iOS and macOS apps with repeatable build loops. The Mac shell use case goes deeper on sidebar-detail-inspector layouts, commands, settings, and other desktop-native structure.10Ask Codex to scaffold iOS and macOS apps with repeatable build loops. The Mac shell use case goes deeper on sidebar-detail-inspector layouts, commands, settings, and other desktop-native structure.

9 11

~~10[![](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/native-ios-apps.webp)~~12- https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/native-ios-apps

11 13- https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/native-macos-apps

~~12### Build for iOS~~14- https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/macos-sidebar-detail-inspector

~~14Use Codex to scaffold iOS SwiftUI projects, keep the build loop CLI-first with `xcodebuild`...~~

~~16iOS Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/native-ios-apps)[![](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/native-macos-apps.webp)~~

~~18### Build for macOS~~

~~20Use Codex to build macOS SwiftUI apps, wire a shell-first build-and-run loop, and add...~~

~~22macOS Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/native-macos-apps)[![](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/macos-sidebar-detail-inspector.webp)~~

~~24### Build a Mac app shell~~

~~26Use Codex and the Build macOS Apps plugin to turn an app idea into a desktop-native...~~

~~28macOS Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/macos-sidebar-detail-inspector)~~

29 15

30## Refactor iOS SwiftUI screens16## Refactor iOS SwiftUI screens

31 17

32Use Codex to split large SwiftUI views without changing behavior, then move selected iOS flows to Liquid Glass when the app is ready.18Use Codex to split large SwiftUI views without changing behavior, then move selected iOS flows to Liquid Glass when the app is ready.

33 19

~~34[![](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-swiftui-view-refactor.webp)~~20- https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-swiftui-view-refactor

35 21- https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-liquid-glass

~~36### Refactor SwiftUI screens~~

~~38Use Codex and the Build iOS Apps plugin to break a long SwiftUI view into dedicated section...~~

~~40iOS Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-swiftui-view-refactor)[![](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-liquid-glass.webp)~~

~~42### Adopt liquid glass~~

~~44Use Codex and the Build iOS Apps plugin to audit existing iPhone and iPad UI, replace custom...~~

~~46iOS Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-liquid-glass)~~

47 22

48## Expose iOS actions to the system23## Expose iOS actions to the system

49 24

50Leverage Codex to identify the actions and entities your app should expose through App Intents, so users can reach app behavior from system surfaces.25Leverage Codex to identify the actions and entities your app should expose through App Intents, so users can reach app behavior from system surfaces.

51 26

~~52[![](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-app-intents.webp)~~27- https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-app-intents

~~54### Add iOS app intents~~

~~56Use Codex and the Build iOS Apps plugin to identify the actions and entities your app should...~~

~~58iOS Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-app-intents)~~

59 28

60## Debug your app29## Debug your app

61 30

62Have Codex reproduce bugs in Simulator or add telemetry to your macOS app to help you debug and fix issues.31Have Codex reproduce bugs in Simulator or add telemetry to your macOS app to help you debug and fix issues.

63 32

~~64[![](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-simulator-bug-debugging.webp)~~33- https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-simulator-bug-debugging

65 34- https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/macos-telemetry-logs

~~66### Debug in iOS simulator~~

~~68Use Codex to discover the right Xcode scheme and simulator, launch the app, inspect the UI...~~

~~70iOS Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/ios-simulator-bug-debugging)[![](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/macos-telemetry-logs.webp)~~

~~72### Add Mac telemetry~~

~~74Use Codex and the Build macOS Apps plugin to add a few high-signal `Logger` events around...~~

~~76macOS Code](https://developers.openai.com/codex/use-cases/macos-telemetry-logs)~~