axiom-apple-docs

Apple Documentation Router

Apple bundles for-LLM markdown documentation inside Xcode. These are authoritative, up-to-date guides and diagnostics written by Apple engineers. Read them directly with Claude Code's native Read tool — no MCP server or special tool required.

When to Use

• You need the exact API signature or behavior from Apple
• An Axiom skill references an Apple framework and you want the official source
• A Swift compiler diagnostic needs explanation
• The user asks about a specific Apple framework feature

Priority: Axiom skills provide opinionated guidance (decision trees, anti-patterns, pressure scenarios). Apple docs provide authoritative API details. Use both together.

How to Read These Docs

The session-start hook resolves Xcode's location and echoes the literal base directories into session context (look for "Apple for-LLM Documentation: Xcode detected at <path>"). Use the Read tool with <that base>/<filename>.

Default Xcode location (/Applications/Xcode.app) base directories:

Example invocation Claude should produce:

Read /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/PlugIns/IDEIntelligenceChat.framework/Versions/A/Resources/AdditionalDocumentation/SwiftUI-Implementing-Liquid-Glass-Design.md

Xcode-beta users: the session-start hook respects AXIOM_XCODE_PATH and reports the resolved path in session context — use that path, not the default above.

Guide Files (AdditionalDocumentation)

20 files. Read with the path pattern {guides base}/{filename}.

UI & Design

Data & Persistence

Concurrency & Performance

Apple Intelligence

System Integration

Accessibility

Computer Vision

Swift Compiler Diagnostics

46 files in the diagnostics directory. Read with the path pattern {diagnostics base}/{filename}.

Concurrency Diagnostics

Type System Diagnostics

Build & Migration Diagnostics

Swift Language Diagnostics

Index

If a diagnostic you need isn't listed above, list the diagnostics directory first:

ls $AXIOM_XCODE_PATH/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/share/doc/swift/diagnostics/

Filenames follow the diagnostic's short name (lowercase, hyphenated).

Routing Decision Tree

User question about Apple API/framework?
├── Specific compiler error/warning → Read {diagnostics base}/<diagnostic-name>.md
├── Liquid Glass implementation     → Read {guides base}/<Framework>-Implementing-Liquid-Glass-Design.md
├── Swift concurrency patterns      → Read {guides base}/Swift-Concurrency-Updates.md
├── Foundation Models / on-device AI → Read {guides base}/FoundationModels-Using-on-device-LLM-in-your-app.md
├── SwiftData features              → Read {guides base}/SwiftData-Class-Inheritance.md
├── StoreKit / IAP                  → Read {guides base}/StoreKit-Updates.md
├── App Intents / Siri              → Read {guides base}/AppIntents-Updates.md
├── Charts / visualization          → Read {guides base}/Swift-Charts-3D-Visualization.md
├── Text editing / AttributedString → Read {guides base}/SwiftUI-Styled-Text-Editing.md or Foundation-AttributedString-Updates.md
├── WebKit in SwiftUI               → Read {guides base}/SwiftUI-WebKit-Integration.md
├── Toolbar features                → Read {guides base}/SwiftUI-New-Toolbar-Features.md
└── Other                           → ls the base directory to see what's available

Fallback When Xcode Is Unavailable

If AXIOM_XCODE_PATH is unset, or the path doesn't exist, or the IDEIntelligenceChat.framework directory is missing (older Xcode), fall back to:

1. sosumi.ai (markdown mirror of developer.apple.com — see axiom-tools/apple-docs-research.md)
2. WebFetch of the equivalent developer.apple.com URL
3. Suggest installing the latest Xcode for full Apple docs coverage

Do not silently fail — tell the user when Xcode docs aren't available locally and which fallback you used.

MCP Convenience Path

Clients using axiom-mcp can also invoke axiom_read_skill with the legacy ID (e.g., apple-guide-swiftui-implementing-liquid-glass-design). The MCP server reads the same Xcode files and returns the same content. Both paths are supported — the file-Read path works everywhere; the MCP path is a convenience for catalog/search workflows.

Research Methodology

For WWDC transcript capture (Chrome auto-capture), sosumi.ai documentation access, and multi-session research workflows, see skills/apple-docs-research.md.

Resources

Skills: axiom-swiftui, axiom-concurrency, axiom-data, axiom-ai, axiom-integration