How to Use Cursor for iOS App Development

Want to write iOS apps outside of Xcode? Cursor can help. It is a code editor with AI tools built in. This guide shows you how to set it up for Swift and iOS development with full debugging support.

What is Cursor?

Cursor is like VS Code but with smart AI features baked in. It can help you write code faster, understand complex codebases, and refactor with confidence. You can use it free or pay $20 per month for more features.

Download it here: cursor.com

Why Cursor for iOS?

While Xcode remains essential for iOS development, Cursor offers AI assistance, faster navigation, and a lighter editor experience. It is perfect for editing Swift files, reviewing code, and doing quick fixes.

Step 1: Install Tools

Open your terminal and run these commands to install the necessary tooling:

xcode-build-server

Terminal

brew install xcode-build-server

This tool lets Cursor understand your Swift code. You can jump to where code is defined and see where it is used. It provides full Language Server Protocol (LSP) support for Swift.

xcbeautify

Terminal

brew install xcbeautify

This makes build output look nice and easy to read. Instead of verbose xcodebuild logs, you get clean, colorized output.

swiftformat

Terminal

brew install swiftformat

This keeps your code clean and formatted consistently. It enforces Swift style guidelines automatically.

Step 2: Add Extensions

Open Cursor. Go to the Extensions tab (Cmd+Shift+X). Install these two extensions:

Swift Language Support

Adds syntax highlighting to Swift code
Provides basic language features
Helps you read code better with proper coloring

Sweetpad

Lets you build and run iOS apps from Cursor
Works like Xcode but inside your editor
Provides simulator management
Integrates with the debugger

Step 3: Set Up Your Project

Press Cmd+Shift+P to open the command palette. Type and select:

Command Palette

Sweetpad: Generate Build Server Config

This creates a buildServer.json file in your project root. Now Cursor knows about your project structure, schemes, and targets.

Step 4: Build Your App

Use the Sweetpad panel in the sidebar to see your app targets. Click on a scheme to build and run it.

First Build Required

Build your project once before expecting full IDE features. After the initial build, autocomplete, go-to-definition, and other LSP features will work properly.

Step 5: Use the Debugger

Press F5 to start debugging. You get full debugging capabilities:

Stop code at any line with breakpoints
See variable values in the debug panel
Step through code line by line
Inspect the call stack

Add this configuration to your .vscode/launch.json file:

.vscode/launch.json

{
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "type": "sweetpad-lldb",
            "request": "launch",
            "name": "Attach to running app (SweetPad)",
            "preLaunchTask": "sweetpad: launch"
        }
    ]
}

Quick Setup Checklist

Step	Action
1	Download Cursor from cursor.com
2	Install xcode-build-server via Homebrew
3	Install xcbeautify via Homebrew
4	Install swiftformat via Homebrew
5	Add Swift extension in Cursor
6	Add Sweetpad extension in Cursor
7	Run 'Sweetpad: Generate Build Server Config'
8	Build your project once

Summary

Cursor is a solid choice for iOS development alongside Xcode. It offers AI tools that help you code faster, and with Sweetpad you get most Xcode features in a lighter, more customizable editor.

The combination of xcode-build-server for LSP support, Sweetpad for building and debugging, and Cursor's AI assistance creates a productive environment for Swift development.

Try It

Start with a small project to get familiar with the workflow. Once comfortable, you can use Cursor for quick edits on larger projects while keeping Xcode available for tasks that require it, like Interface Builder or complex debugging scenarios.

References

1
Cursor Editor(Cursor)
2
Sweetpad Extension(VS Code Marketplace)
3
xcode-build-server(GitHub)
4
xcbeautify(GitHub)