Developing iOS Apps in Cursor with Sweetpad (Yes, It Works)

Why I Rarely Open Xcode Anymore

For the past few months, I’ve been using Sweetpad, a macOS extension that integrates with VS Code-based editors like Cursor. It’s completely changed how I approach Apple app development. I can now build native iOS, watchOS, and macOS apps directly in Cursor—and deploy them from the terminal—without constantly relying on Xcode.

That’s not to say I never touch Xcode anymore—but I do so far less frequently.

How My Workflow Changed

With Sweetpad, I can:

• Select my app target
• Choose a simulator or real device
• Build and deploy—all from within Cursor

This means less context switching and more time using Cursor’s powerful AI code models and smarter completions. I've found it to be a productivity win.

Custom Keyboard Shortcuts in Cursor

I've mapped a few shortcuts in Cursor’s terminal for everyday tasks:

• Cmd+Shift+K → Clean builds
• Cmd+Shift+B → Build & run

Once triggered in the terminal, Cursor lets me pick the destination device (simulator or real) streamlining testing.

Hot Reload with InjectionIII

For UI iteration, I use InjectionIII, which adds hot-reloading to SwiftUI views. It lets me see changes without doing a full redeploy—huge time-saver for fiddly frontend tweaks.

Where I Learned This

I picked up these tools from the Cursor Masterclass by Rudrank Riyam and Ray Fernando. I expected the Cursor + Sweetpad workflow to feel hacky—but I was genuinely impressed. It’s smooth, modern, and lets me stay inside a developer-friendly, AI-enhanced environment.

My Swift Rules for Cursor

I’ve published a Cursor rules file (Markdown) for Swift iOS development. It includes:

• Sweetpad build support
• InjectionIII hot reload integration
• VIPER architecture scaffolding
• SwiftUI best practices

Note: These rules are heavily inspired by the Swift Cursor Rules from Ray Fernando & Lou Zell and include some verbatim text with attribution.

When I Still Use Xcode

As my projects grow more complex—like handling shared data in app groups across iOS and watchOS—I still turn to Xcode for things like:

• Debugging multiple simulators
• Managing entitlements
• Deep integration testing

I've also been experimenting with Alex Sidebar, a tool that brings AI assistance alongside Xcode. It's a huge step up from what Xcode offers out of the box and offers many of the benefits of using Cursor with Sweetpad.

Final Thoughts

For someone new to Swift, tools like Sweetpad and Cursor have significantly streamlined Apple app development. I’d love to see Apple adopt AI-native workflows that match the quality of these tools. In the meantime, they’ve been instrumental in helping me build quickly and efficiently.