ios-slim-bindings

name

ios-slim-bindings

description

Create and update slim/native platform interop bindings for iOS in .NET MAUI and .NET for iOS projects. Guides through creating Swift/Objective-C wrappers, configuring Xcode projects, generating C# API definitions, and integrating native iOS libraries using the Native Library Interop (NLI) approach. USE FOR: iOS bindings, xcframework integration, Swift interop, Objective Sharpie, bridging native iOS SDKs to .NET. DO NOT USE FOR: Android bindings (use android-slim-bindings), general MAUI app development, NuGet package issues.

When to use this skill

Activate this skill when the user asks:

• How do I create iOS bindings for a native library?
• How do I wrap an iOS SDK for use in .NET MAUI?
• How do I create slim bindings for iOS?
• How do I use Native Library Interop for iOS?
• How do I bind a Swift library to .NET?
• How do I use Objective Sharpie for iOS bindings?
• How do I integrate an xcframework into .NET MAUI?
• How do I create a Swift wrapper for a native iOS library?
• How do I update iOS bindings when the native SDK changes?
• How do I fix iOS binding build errors?
• How do I expose native iOS APIs to C#?
• How do I handle CocoaPods dependencies in iOS bindings?
• How do I handle Swift Package Manager dependencies?

Overview

This skill guides the creation of Native Library Interop (Slim Bindings) for iOS. This modern approach creates a thin native Swift/Objective-C wrapper exposing only the APIs you need from a native iOS library, making bindings easier to create and maintain.

When to Use Slim Bindings vs Traditional Bindings

Scenario	Recommended Approach
Need only a subset of library functionality	Slim Bindings
Easier maintenance when SDK updates	Slim Bindings
Prefer working in Swift/Objective-C for wrapper	Slim Bindings
Better isolation from breaking changes	Slim Bindings
Need entire library API surface	Traditional Bindings
Creating bindings for third-party developers	Traditional Bindings
Already maintaining traditional bindings	Traditional Bindings

Inputs

Parameter	Required	Example	Notes
libraryName	yes	FirebaseMessaging, Lottie	Name of the native iOS library to bind
bindingProjectName	yes	MyBinding.MaciOS	Name for the C# binding project
dependencySource	no	cocoapods, spm, xcframework	How the native library is distributed
targetFrameworks	no	net10.0-ios;net10.0-maccatalyst	Target frameworks (default: latest .NET iOS + Mac Catalyst)
exposedApis	no	List of specific APIs	Which native APIs to expose (helps scope the wrapper)

Project Structure

MyBinding/
 macios/
 native/   
 MyBinding/                    # Xcode project      
 MyBinding.xcodeproj/          
 project.pbxproj             
 MyBinding/          
 DotnetMyBinding.swift  # Swift wrapper implementation             
 Podfile                    # If using CocoaPods          
 Package.swift              # If using Swift Package Manager          
 MyBinding.MaciOS.Binding/   
 MyBinding.MaciOS.Binding.csproj       
 ApiDefinition.cs       
 sample/
 MauiSample/                        # Sample MAUI app   
 MauiSample.csproj       
 MainPage.xaml.cs       
 README.md

Step-by-step Process

For detailed code examples and full implementation walkthroughs, see references/ios-slim-bindings-implementation.md.

Step 1: Create Project Structure

Install XcodeGen (brew install xcodegen) and create the directory structure:

BINDING_NAME="MyBinding"
mkdir -p ${BINDING_NAME}/macios/native/${BINDING_NAME}/${BINDING_NAME}
mkdir -p ${BINDING_NAME}/macios/${BINDING_NAME}.MaciOS.Binding

Step 2: Create the Xcode Project

Create a project.yml for XcodeGen with framework target, then run xcodegen generate. Key build settings:

• BUILD_LIBRARY_FOR_DISTRIBUTION: YES
• MACH_O_TYPE: staticlib
• DEFINES_MODULE: YES
• SWIFT_VERSION: "5.0"

Step 3: Create the C# Binding Project

Create a .csproj with <IsBindingProject>true</IsBindingProject> and reference the Xcode project:

<XcodeProject Include="../native/MyBinding/MyBinding.xcodeproj">
  <SchemeName>MyBinding</SchemeName>
</XcodeProject>

Create an initial ApiDefinition.cs with [BaseType], [Static], and [Export] attributes.

Step 4: Build and Verify

dotnet build

This invokes XcodeBuild, creates the xcframework, and generates the C# binding assembly.

Step 5: Add Native Library Dependencies

Choose the appropriate method:

Method	When to Use
CocoaPods	Library distributed via CocoaPods. Use use_frameworks! :linkage => :static. After pod install, reference .xcworkspace instead of .xcodeproj.
Swift Package Manager	Library distributed via SPM. Add via Xcode UI or Package.swift.
Manual XCFramework	Pre-built xcframework. Drag into Xcode project, set "Do Not Embed" for static linking.

Step 6: Implement the Swift Wrapper

Create DotnetMyBinding.swift with these requirements:

• All classes must inherit from NSObject and have @objc(ClassName) annotation
• All methods must be public with @objc(selector:) annotation
• Use only Objective-C compatible types (see Type Mapping table below)
• Use completion handlers (Result?, NSError?) -> Void for async operations
• Convert all errors to NSError for proper propagation to C#

Step 7: Generate ApiDefinition.cs

After building, find the generated Swift header and use Objective Sharpie:

sharpie bind --output=sharpie-output --namespace=MyBinding --sdk=iphoneos18.0 \
  --scope=Headers "path/to/MyBinding-Swift.h"

Clean up the generated output: add [Async] attributes, [NullAllowed] for nullable types, remove [Verify] attributes after review, and remove InitWithCoder constructors.

Step 8: Build the Final Binding

dotnet build -c Release

Step 9: Use in Your MAUI App

Add a conditional <ProjectReference>, initialize in MauiProgram.cs with #if IOS || MACCATALYST, and use [Async]-generated methods with await.

Updating Bindings When Native SDK Changes

1. Update native dependency version (CocoaPods: pod update, SPM: update version, or replace xcframework)
2. Update Swift wrapper if APIs changed
3. Clean and rebuild: dotnet clean && dotnet build
4. Regenerate Objective Sharpie output and diff with existing ApiDefinition.cs
5. Merge changes: add new bindings, update signatures, preserve custom attributes.
6. Test with sample app

For detailed update instructions, see references/ios-slim-bindings-implementation.md.

Troubleshooting

Error	Cause	Solution
"Framework not found"	XCFramework path incorrect or missing architectures	Verify path in <XcodeProject>, check lipo -info
"Undefined symbols for architecture"	Missing linked frameworks or symbol visibility	Add system frameworks, verify public + @objc annotations
"No type or protocol named"	Missing import or protocol mismatch	Add using directives, use interface types
"Duplicate symbol"	Multiple framework references	Remove duplicates, resolve version conflicts
"Native class hasn't been loaded" (runtime)	Framework not embedded or missing @objc	Set <ForceLoad>true</ForceLoad>, check annotations
"unrecognized selector" (runtime)	Selector mismatch between C# and Swift	Verify [Export("...")] matches @objc(...) exactly
"Library not loaded: @rpath" (runtime)	Swift runtime or embedding issue	Add linker flags, set "Embed & Sign" for dynamic frameworks
Callbacks not working	Wrong thread, GC'd reference, or missing @escaping	Use DispatchQueue.main.async, hold strong reference

For detailed troubleshooting with code examples, see references/ios-slim-bindings-implementation.md.

Quick Reference

Swift Wrapper Annotation Requirements

@objc(ClassName)
public class ClassName: NSObject {
    @objc(methodNameWithParam:anotherParam:)
    public func methodName(param: String, anotherParam: Int) -> Bool { ... }

    @objc(staticMethodWithValue:)
    public static func staticMethod(value: String) -> String { ... }
}

Type Mapping

Swift Type	Objective-C Type	C# Type
String	NSString *	string
Bool	BOOL	bool
Int, Int32	int	int
Int64	long long	long
Double	double	double
Float	float	float
Data	NSData *	NSData
[String: Any]	NSDictionary *	NSDictionary
[Any]	NSArray *	NSArray
UIView	UIView *	UIView
UIImage	UIImage *	UIImage
URL	NSURL *	NSUrl
Custom Class	Must inherit NSObject	Interface with [BaseType]
(Result, Error?) -> Void	Block	Action<Result?, NSError?>

ApiDefinition Attributes

Attribute	Purpose
[BaseType(typeof(NSObject))]	Specifies base class
[Static]	Static method/property
[Export("selector:")]	Objective-C selector
[Async]	Generate async wrapper for completion handler methods
[NullAllowed]	Nullable parameter/return
[Protocol]	Objective-C protocol
[Model]	Protocol implementation
[Abstract]	Required protocol method
[Internal]	Don't expose publicly
[Sealed]	Prevent subclassing

XcodeProject MSBuild Properties

Property	Description	Default
SchemeName	Xcode scheme to build	Required
Configuration	Build configuration	Release
Kind	Framework or Static	Auto-detected
SmartLink	Enable smart linking	true
ForceLoad	Force load all symbols	false

Resources

Official Documentation

• Native Library Interop - .NET Community Toolkit
• iOS Binding Project Migration
• Binding Objective-C Libraries
• Objective Sharpie

Tools

• XcodeGen — Generate Xcode projects from YAML specification

Templates and Examples

• Maui.NativeLibraryInterop Repository
• CommunityToolkit.Maui Bindings

Reference Files

• ios-bindings-guide.md — comprehensive binding reference
• ios-slim-bindings-implementation.md — detailed code examples, troubleshooting, and complete scripts
• For Android bindings, use the android-slim-bindings skill

Output Format

When assisting with iOS slim bindings, provide:

1. Project structure - File/folder layout for the binding
2. Swift wrapper code - Complete DotnetMyBinding.swift implementation
3. Xcode configuration - Build settings and dependency setup
4. C# binding project - .csproj and ApiDefinition.cs files
5. Usage examples - How to call the binding from MAUI/C#
6. Troubleshooting guidance - Common issues and solutions for the specific library

Always verify:

• Swift classes have @objc(ClassName) annotations
• Methods have @objc(selector:) annotations matching Objective-C conventions
• Types are marshallable between Swift and C#
• Async operations use completion handlers with [Async] attribute
• Error handling uses NSError for proper propagation