Axiom Swiftui Debugging

What it does

This skill assists with debugging SwiftUI applications, a framework for building user interfaces on Apple platforms. It provides structured guidance for diagnosing common issues categorized as view update problems, preview crashes, and layout inconsistencies. The skill uses decision trees and reference patterns to systematically identify root causes and suggests solutions based on observable symptoms.

When to use it

• A view isn't updating when you expect it to.
• Your SwiftUI preview crashes or won't load.
• The layout of views appears incorrect, such as being in the wrong position or overlapping unexpectedly.
• You are considering using @ObservedObject as a general solution for update issues.

Key capabilities

• View Update Diagnosis: Decision tree to troubleshoot why views aren’t redrawing, covering struct mutation, lost binding identity, accidental view recreation, and missing observer patterns.
• Preview Crash Troubleshooting: Decision tree to identify causes of preview crashes including missing dependencies, state initialization failures, and Xcode cache corruption.
• Layout Issue Resolution: Provides quick reference patterns for common SwiftUI layout problems.
• Guidance on @State vs @Observable: Explains when to use each approach for managing view updates.
• Identifies ForEach Identity Issues: Helps resolve focus loss in text fields by suggesting the use of stable IDs.

Example prompts

1. "My list item doesn't update when I tap the favorite button, even though the data changed."
2. "Preview crashes with 'Cannot find AppModel in scope' but it compiles fine."
3. "Text field loses focus when I start typing, very frustrating."

Tips & gotchas

• Xcode Requirement: Requires Xcode 26+ and iOS 17+. While patterns for older iOS versions (iOS 14-16) are still valid, be aware of potential differences.
• Systematic Approach: The skill emphasizes a systematic approach to debugging – start with symptoms, test systematically, and eliminate causes one by one. Avoid guessing.
• Not for Runtime Crashes: This skill is designed for preview debugging; use axiom-xcode-debugging for app crashes at runtime or build failures.