First things first, I would like to open a file or folder in xcode, I need to do the following:

open -a xcode <file/folder>

Now, that’s out of the way, I need to figure out what the hell xcode does on top of your existing project…

I see that a folder contains a .xcodeproj file? folder?.

I always get confused with that is or why is it ever required.

If we open it using vs code, it turns out that it’s a folder.

open -a Visual\ Studio\ Code <some>.xcodeproj

So, an xcodeproj folder is context managing folder for your xcode.

if you don’t use xcode to build and distribute your apps, then this is entirely not necessary.

All of my personal iOS and macOS apps I have built in the past have been done so using Xcode, so I simply can’t remove or drop the related .xcodeproj folder if I wanna keep the development and release flows same.

Inside a xcodeproj file, I found 3 more files and folders:

1. Project.pbxproj
2. xcsharedata folder
3. project.xcworkspace

Project.pbxproj is a 1 file containing the config context on files, references & dependencies etc.

If this is wired wrongly, then when xcode builds your app for release, things could go wrong.

Project.pbxproj settings and config is responsible for how the files and folders are wired and show up in the xcode UI in our projects.

and finally, Project.xcworkspace inside .xcodeproj should never be tampered with.

It contains information for running your xcode workspace and mainly won’t contain changes to be commited to apps.

However, swift package manager lock files should be commited.

swiftpm/Package.resolved

this can change when adding or removing dependencies using swift package manager.

all this, for doing something that go.mod and go.sum files do.

for a novice, this seems like a declarative hell. honestly.

I really wish this isn’t normalized.

~ updated at: 2026-10-04T11:37:24.607Z

I bought myself a copy of book on mobile engineering.

Building Mobile Apps at Scale! by Gergely Orosz.

~ updated at: 2026-10-04T11:38:53.506Z

I’m reading the Pragmatic Engineer Pulse newsletter…

https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/the-pulse-ror-creator-sparks-new

This edition talks about the following:

1. The shock of DHH’s positioning and words ofc (I agree with DHH overall positioning)

2. The angst in small, medium and big tech where nobody knows or owns decisions (I too feel the same recently, I’m trying to change the way I work)

This hit me specifically.

At first, in early 2026, I felt that using AI for work would mean spend less time doing design and development and spend more time living life.

Now that I’m leading a team, I am backtracking this thought right now.

No! When you are responsible in multiple areas, quality and speed, the work has increased significantly. More effort goes in to quality analysis.

So, for slow learners & fragile adopters of new tech, this is a warning call.

More effort needs to be put into place for getting this productivity in code generation in the right path to higher ROI.

It’s a Gold Rush out there for people successfully navigating this wave and keeping their sanity while realising huge return of interest.

One thing I’m noticing, people who have maintained high standards in product quality through diligent integrity and practices aren’t affected much by this. In fact, they are the ones riding this monstrous wave.

Those who have been building software the “right” are way more resilient from facing downsides right now.

The Antifragile live on.

~ updated at: 2026-10-04T09:08:32.830Z

I wouldn’t say I was really proficient with github comments formatting but today I learnt how to create a collapsable section.

and, it’s pretty straightforward!

<details>
<summary>More details:</summary>
**the usual markdown gore**
</details>

,

~ updated at: 2026-10-04T09:58:36.072Z