// Use when implementing iOS 26 features (Liquid Glass, new SwiftUI APIs, WebView, Chart3D), deploying iOS 26+ apps, or supporting backward compatibility with iOS 17/18.
| name | ios-26-platform |
| description | Use when implementing iOS 26 features (Liquid Glass, new SwiftUI APIs, WebView, Chart3D), deploying iOS 26+ apps, or supporting backward compatibility with iOS 17/18. |
iOS 26 introduces Liquid Glass, Apple's next-generation material design system that dynamically bends light, moves organically, and adapts automatically across all platforms.
iOS 26 modernizes UI with new materials (Liquid Glass), SwiftUI APIs (WebView, Chart3D, @Animatable), and advanced features (@BackoffAnimation, free-form windows). The core principle: modern UI gets updated automatically at compile time; most Liquid Glass benefits are "free" from recompiling with Xcode 26.
ALWAYS load reference files if there is even a small chance the content may be required. It's better to have the context than to miss a pattern or make a mistake.
| Reference | Load When |
|---|---|
| Liquid Glass | Implementing glass effects, choosing Regular vs Clear variants, or understanding visual properties |
| Automatic Adoption | Understanding what iOS 26 changes automatically vs what requires code |
| SwiftUI APIs | Using WebView, Chart3D, @Animatable, AttributedString, or new view modifiers |
| Toolbar & Navigation | Customizing toolbars with spacers, morphing, glass button styles, or search |
| Backward Compatibility | Supporting iOS 17/18 alongside iOS 26, or using UIDesignRequiresCompatibility |
Ignoring backward compatibility — Targeting iOS 26+ without @available guards breaks iOS 17/18 support. Always use if #available(iOS 26, *) for Liquid Glass or new APIs.
Over-using glass effect — Applying glass to content areas, not just navigation, creates visual noise. Glass works for: tab bars, toolbars, sheets, navigation. NOT for content areas.
Animation performance issues — Liquid Glass animations can be expensive. Respect Reduce Motion accessibility setting and profile with Instruments 26 before shipping.
Assuming Clear variant looks good — Clear is for media-rich backgrounds only (photos, video). Regular variant is correct 95% of the time. Only use Clear if you explicitly need the ultra-transparency.
Not testing on actual devices — Simulator rendering differs from hardware. Test glass effects on iPhone 15 Pro, iPad, and Mac to verify visual quality.
Using old UIView patterns with new glass — Mixing UIView-based navigation with iOS 26 glass creates inconsistent appearances. Migrate fully to SwiftUI or wrap carefully with UIViewRepresentable.
Use when building features with TCA (The Composable Architecture), structuring reducers, managing state, handling effects, navigation, or testing TCA features. Covers @Reducer, Store, Effect, TestStore, reducer composition, and TCA patterns.
Use when implementing iOS 17+ SwiftUI patterns: @Observable/@Bindable, MVVM architecture, NavigationStack, lazy loading, UIKit interop, accessibility (VoiceOver/Dynamic Type), async operations (.task/.refreshable), or migrating from ObservableObject/@StateObject.
Use when writing async/await code, enabling strict concurrency, fixing Sendable errors, migrating from completion handlers, managing shared state with actors, or using Task/TaskGroup for concurrency.
Use when implementing on-device AI with Apple's Foundation Models framework (iOS 26+), building summarization/extraction/classification features, or using @Generable for type-safe structured output.
Use when writing raw SQL with GRDB, complex joins across 4+ tables, window functions, ValueObservation for reactive queries, or dropping down from SQLiteData for performance. Direct SQLite access for iOS/macOS with type-safe queries and migrations.
Use when adding haptic feedback for user confirmations (button presses, toggles, purchases), error notifications, or custom tactile patterns (Core Haptics). Covers UIFeedbackGenerator and CHHapticEngine patterns.
