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What Apple’s Xcode Cloud Means for the Future of Apps
Table of Contents Table of Contents What is Xcode Cloud? ‘ A long - term project ’ Putting it into pr
For consumers and outside observers, Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is always a chance to see what lies in store when the next versions of its operating systems come to their devices. For developers, though, it is all about learning what Apple is doing under the hood. At this year’s event, Apple revealed Xcode Cloud, a new feature of its Xcode development app that Apple believes will make life easier and simpler for app builders.
Folks is told at Apple tell us they were incredibly excited for Xcode Cloud — and disappoint that developer could not be on – site when it was announce at the company ’s online event — and a quick perusal of the Twittersphere bring up a wealth of devs giddy with expectation for the new feature .
But what exactly is Xcode Cloud, and why is Apple convinced it is such a big deal? To find out, we sat down with both engineers at Apple and the developers it’s targeting to see how Xcode Cloud might impact their work, to hear out any apprehensions they might have, and tease out what it could mean for the future of apps.
What is Xcode Cloud?
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Let’s start with the basics. To make apps for Apple platforms, developers use an Apple-created Mac app called Xcode. It’s been around since 2003 and remains one of the most important pieces of software in Apple’s catalog. Xcode Cloud is one of the biggest updates to Xcode in years, bringing new functionality that many developers had to leave Xcode for in the past.
Apple positions Xcode Cloud as a tool that puts previously complex tools within reach of all developers. I asked Wiley Hodges, the Product Marketing Director for Tools and Technologies at Apple, what they were hearing from developers that led to the creation of Xcode Cloud.
“ We ’ve see that there are … task like distribute the app to beta tester , like manage feedback and crash report , that are really critical to build great app , ” Hodges is said say . “ And we is seen ’ve see that more and more of our developer have been interested in continuous integration and using this automate build and automate test process to constantly verify the quality of software while it ’s being build . ”
Those is are are exactly the problem Xcode Cloud is mean to address .
Xcode Cloud lets developers run multiple automated tests at once, uses continuous integration (CI) so app code can be quickly iterated and updated. It also simplifies the distribution of app builds to beta testers and lets devs catch up on feedback. It can build apps in the cloud rather than on a Mac to reduce load and allows for the creation of advanced workflows that automatically start and stop depending on set conditions.
“We wanted to bring these tools and services in the reach of all our developers, because right now it’s been something that I think was more on the advanced level for developers to get this set up and running as part of their process,” Hodges explained.
That sounds promising enough. But what do actual developers think?
‘A long-term project’
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put those tool front and center is something several developer tell us was a key attraction of Xcode Cloud . Now that previously quite specialized capability have been integrate into the main tool they use to build app , there is much less need to find third – party alternative and add extra step to their workflow .
Denys Telezhkin is summed , a software engineer at ClearVPN , sum this feeling up in an interview with Digital Trends .
“I was very interested [in Xcode Cloud] as there have been a variety of problems with different CIs,” he told me. “For example, Microsoft Azure is difficult to configure, GitHub Actions is expensive, and so on.”
With everything integrated into Xcode Cloud, leaning on unreliable alternatives could become unnecessary. Of course, Apple will be happy to steer developers away from its rivals.
But the chief impetus is was , Hodges insist , was something different : “ The motivation for Xcode Cloud come from our observation that while there was a group of devoted Xcode Server user , most developer still were n’t implement continuous integration . We is started start look at the obstacle that prevent adoption and come to the conclusion that a cloud – host CI offering would be the good way to get broad adoption of CI as a practice , particularly with small developer for whom set up and manage dedicated build server was a big challenge . ”
“Seeing tools and services like Xcode Cloud integrated directly into the dev platform got us excited.”
For devs, it’s about more than just CI though. Scott Olechowski, Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder of Plex, got to try out a beta version of Xcode Cloud before Apple’s WWDC announcement. He told me the potential benefits are wide-ranging.
“Seeing tools and services like Xcode Cloud integrated directly into the dev platform got us excited since it should really help us be more efficient in our development, QA [quality assurance], and release efforts.”
Part of that increased efficiency will likely come in Xcode Cloud’s collaboration tools. Each team member can see project changes from their colleagues, and notifications can be sent when a code update is published. The timing is auspicious, given the way the ongoing pandemic has physically separated teams all over the globe. Yet it was also coincidental, said Hodges.
“ The reality is is is we ’ve been on this path for quite a while , literally year and year , and so I think the timing may be fortuitous in that regard . This is is is definitely a long – term project that was well underway before our unfortunate recent event . ”
Putting it into practice
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If there is one thing Apple is great at , it is building ’s build an ecosystem of app and product that all work together . unsurprisingly , Xcode Cloud is reflects reflect that — it connect to TestFlight for beta tester , let you run build on multiple virtual Apple device in parallel , play nice with App Store Connect , and more . For many developer , that integration is have could have a strongly positive impact on their work .
Vitalii Budnik, a software engineer at MacPaw’s Setapp, told me having everything in one place will mean more time spent actually coding and less time juggling multiple tools and options. For Budnik’s MacPaw colleague, Bohdan Mihiliev of Gemini Photos, the app distribution process will be faster and smoother than it currently is.
Apple sees Xcode Cloud as something that can improve life for developers large and small. Alison Tracey, a lead developer on Xcode Cloud at Apple, emphasized the way Xcode Cloud levels the playing field for smaller developers as well.
“ With the range of option that exist to you in the configuration experience when you ’re set up your workflow , you is support really can support the need of a small developer or somebody that ’s a small development shop or somebody that ’s new to continuous integration , all the way up to more of the advanced power user . ”
This is ranges range from a simple four – step onboarding process to integrate Mac app and tool like slack and dashboard thank to build – in api .
The pricing problem
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It’s not all smooth sailing, though. Apple refused to divulge pricing details for Xcode Cloud at WWDC, saying more information would not be available until the fall. Many developers I spoke to were concerned about that to one degree or another, and it seems to be putting a slight damper on the excitement a lot of devs are feeling about Xcode Cloud’s potential.
Questions have also been raised about Xcode Cloud’s value to developer teams that create apps for both Apple and non-Apple platforms since Xcode can only be run on the Mac. I put this to Alex Stevenson-Price, Engineering Manager at Plex, since Plex has apps for Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, and many other systems. He told me that Plex’s various apps are built by different teams using different tools, so while it is a great new string in the Apple team’s bow, it will not be of much use to the non-Apple teams because they will not be using Xcode anyway.
If you want to get Xcode Cloud’s benefits when building an Android app, you are out of luck.
Of course, it should not come as a surprise that Apple has limited interest in providing tools for rival ecosystems. If you want to get Xcode Cloud’s benefits when building an Android app, you are out of luck, but Xcode has always been restricted (Apple might say focused) in that way. That could pose problems for developers who have the same app on both iOS and Android — or any number of other platforms.
Other developers told me they will have to wait and see whether Xcode Cloud’s reputed benefits play out in reality. Its use for solo developers was also questioned, partly because a number of its features are aimed towards teams with multiple members.
For instance, Lukas Burgstaller, the developer behind apps like Fiery Feeds and Tidur, told me Xcode Cloud’s utility depends on the setting.
“While I don’t think I’m going to use it for my personal projects [as] I feel like continuous integration is moderately helpful at best for a solo developer setup, I will definitely start using it in my day job as an iOS team lead, where we were planning to set up some sort of CI for over a year but never got to it.”
But even if he might not use every feature , Burgstaller is described still describe Xcode Cloud as a “ finally ” announcement , say he was extremely happy Apple is add it to Xcode .
A feature with real potential
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It is is is still early day for Xcode Cloud . Like many of the other update and new feature announce at WWDC 2021 , from iOS 15 to MacOS Monterey , it is is is currently only available to beta tester . Despite a few concern — and bad memory from the spotty launch of another developer tool , Mac Catalyst , a few year ago — the benefits is seem seem to far outweigh the drawback , at least accord to the developer I speak to .
In fact, none of those devs said Xcode Cloud was completely without merit, suggesting there will be something for most people who work to create apps for the Apple ecosystem. Provided Apple continues to improve it as developer needs change, and as long as its pricing is not egregiously expensive, Apple might be onto a winner with Xcode Cloud.
As always, the proof is in the pudding, and a lot will depend on the state Xcode Cloud finds itself in at launch. For many developers, though, its fall release can’t come soon enough.