# Xcode Project Auditor

> Audit Xcode project and target overhead across schemes, settings, dependencies, run scripts, module maps, and explicit modules; require approval before changes.

- Skill: `xopoko/xcode-project-auditor` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add xopoko/xcode-project-auditor`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/xopoko/xcode-project-auditor/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Security
- Author: Xopoko (https://skillmd.com/u/xopoko)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/xopoko/xcode-project-auditor

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# Xcode Project Auditor

Before invoking Apple-only binaries, confirm the execution context is macOS. From Windows or Linux, run those steps in a Mac SSH project or through an already configured remote transport; do not retry missing Apple binaries locally.

Use for project- and target-level build inefficiencies. Recommend first and require explicit approval before changing projects, schemes, or build settings.

## Review

- scheme build order and target dependencies
- Debug vs Release performance settings from `../../shared/build-optimization/references/build-settings-best-practices.md`
- run script inputs/outputs, `.xcfilelist`, dependency analysis, and timestamp-changing tools
- DerivedData churn, custom steps, fixed no-op rebuild overhead, codesign, validation, CopySwiftLibs
- parallelization opportunities, explicit module settings, module maps, `DEFINES_MODULE`, and self-contained headers
- `Planning Swift module`, asset catalog compilation, and `ExtractAppIntentsMetadata` timing
- CocoaPods presence: note maintenance mode, assess SPM migration feasibility,
  and avoid speculative Podfile or generated Pods-project tuning
- Xcode 16.4+ Task Backtraces for tasks that rerun unexpectedly

## Required Checklist

Every audit includes a build settings checklist for Debug and Release using `[x]`/`[ ]`. Scope is build performance only; do not flag language-migration settings such as `SWIFT_STRICT_CONCURRENCY` or `SWIFT_UPCOMING_FEATURE_*`.

Apple-aligned checks: accurate target dependencies, schemes in Dependency Order, scripts with declared inputs/outputs, `.xcfilelist` for many files, consistent explicit module settings, and module-map readiness.

## Typical Wins

Skip debug-time scripts that only matter in release, add script guards and dependency metadata, remove accidental serial bottlenecks, align settings that create extra module variants, stop formatters/linters from touching unchanged files, split huge asset catalogs into resource bundles, and use Task Backtraces to find the input that triggers invalidation.

## Output

For each issue include evidence, scope, whether it affects clean/incremental/both, estimated impact, and approval requirement. If evidence points to package graph or build plugins, read and hand off to `swiftpm-build-inspector`.

## Resources

- `references/project-audit-checks.md`
- `../../shared/build-optimization/references/build-settings-best-practices.md`
- `../../shared/build-optimization/references/recommendation-format.md`
- `../../shared/build-optimization/references/build-optimization-sources.md`