I constructed a Flappy Hen clone in minutes with Apple’s free AI agent

Coding is without doubt one of the expertise I’ve been eyeing on and off for a couple of years now. When Apple first launched the Swift Playgrounds app on the iPad, I immediately fell in love with the idea and enrolled in a number of on-line programs to study iOS app improvement. Whereas I rapidly absorbed the fundamentals of coding in Swift, mastering the ability to ship purposeful iPhone apps turned out to be an actual problem. That modified when Apple launched its newest Xcode replace.

Xcode model 26.3 introduces native help for AI coding brokers, comparable to OpenAI’s Codex and Anthropic’s Claude Agent. Whilst you may beforehand depend on AI chatbots for help in Xcode, the combination had been restricted.

To check how highly effective the brand new AI extension is, I made a decision to copy the fan-favorite Flappy Hen sport (gone too quickly). To my shock, the entire endeavor took not more than an informal, one-line immediate and three minutes of my time.

Getting began

Whereas vibe-coding in Xcode doesn’t require any programming expertise, understanding the logic behind app improvement helps. For those who’re new to this, you possibly can test among the latest Xcode tutorials on YouTube or ask your favourite AI chatbot for steerage.

First, you’ll have to obtain Apple Xcode model 26.3 or later in your Mac. (Xcode is free nevertheless it takes up a variety of storage–over 12GB.) As soon as put in, go to Xcode’s Settings web page, head to Intelligence, and choose between OpenAI and Anthropic within the Suppliers part. You’ll have to sign up together with your Codex or Claude Agent account or enter the API key. It’s price noting that AI coding brokers sometimes require a paid subscription, however OpenAI is providing free Codex entry for a restricted time.

After connecting your most popular AI agent, you’ll want to go to Parts in Xcode settings to obtain the most recent iOS construct simulator. Then, go to the Apple Accounts part and enter your Apple login credentials. You possibly can then exit Xcode settings and go to Gadgets and Simulators utilizing the Window choice in your Mac’s menu bar. Join your iPhone to your Mac utilizing a USB cable and approve the pairing dialog when it pops up.

In your iPhone, allow Developer Mode by going to Privateness & Safety settings and visiting the related part in direction of the underside of the checklist. As soon as achieved, your iPhone ought to seem as a paired merchandise within the Gadgets and Simulators checklist on macOS. You possibly can then unplug your iPhone, as the next steps work wirelessly when your iPhone and Mac are linked to the identical Wi-Fi community.

Hatching Flappy Hen

At this level, we are able to begin the precise app constructing course of. Create a brand new challenge in Xcode, choose iOS as the specified platform, and provides it an acceptable title. In the direction of the top-left nook, you’ll discover a star-shaped Coding Assistant button; faucet it, then choose Codex or Claude Agent utilizing the drop-down menu. A Message [selected AI agent] textual content field ought to seem within the bottom-left nook. Right here’s the place the magic begins.

I casually typed “construct a primary Flappy Hen sport for iOS utilizing native SwiftUI stuff” within the textual content field, and Codex inserted the wanted code within the Xcode challenge inside a few minutes. The correct-sided Canvas will present you a dwell preview of the app you’re constructing as you tweak the code in actual time. I set the Canvas vacation spot as my precise iPhone (paired within the earlier part), because it’s extra intuitive to check an app on a bodily machine than a simulator. This routinely launches a brand new app in your iPhone referred to as Xcode Previews, the place you may work together with the app you’re growing. Effectively, besides that the preliminary construct failed on account of an error within the AI-generated code.

Squashing bugs

I may spend a couple of minutes (or hours, possibly) attempting to decipher the code and determine the way to repair the problem, however why would I within the brain-rot period? I merely clicked on the crimson error within the code and tapped Generate Repair for Challenge. Xcode routinely instructed the AI agent to scan the problematic line and apply a repair. Inside a couple of seconds, Codex found out what was flawed and made the mandatory amendments.

Mahmoud Itani/Foundry

And thus, my dollar-store Flappy Hen sport was born. Xcode Previews may lastly load the app on my iPhone, and I may play it simply superb. There nonetheless was an issue, nonetheless. The Xcode Previews app on iOS solely works while you’re actively viewing or enhancing a challenge on macOS. It’s not a everlasting strategy to independently launch and use an app in your iPhone.

Laying it in your iPhone

To truly set up your app on iOS, you’ll have to faucet the triangle-shaped Run button in direction of the top-left nook of the Xcode challenge–after deciding on your iPhone as the specified vacation spot. Give Xcode a couple of seconds to construct and wirelessly switch the app to your close by iPhone. As soon as the app is put in, attempt to launch it. Oops, that can fail, too.

Mahmoud Itani/Foundry

Head to VPN & Machine Administration in your iPhone’s Basic settings, and approve the app you’ve created. You’ll then be capable to open the app and use it with out relying in your Mac. Notably, Apple requires you to rebuild and deploy the app as soon as per week for those who’re not paying for its Developer Program. So, for long-term free use, you’ll have to repeat among the steps above every time it expires.

The sky’s the restrict

Past attempting the preliminary construct of your vibe-coded app, you possibly can simply make changes utilizing the linked AI agent(s) in Xcode. Proceed to insert prompts describing the specified adjustments, and the extension will deal with the remaining. You might alter the colours, shapes, fonts, and virtually something within the consumer interface. Equally, you may immediate it to make changes to how the app capabilities by including, eradicating, or tweaking options.

Mahmoud Itani/Foundry

In case your polished app doesn’t break Apple’s tips, you possibly can even be a part of the Developer Program and check out submitting it to the App Retailer–all with out buying superior coding data. In the end, a flight of a thousand miles begins with a single flap.