Whats New in Xcode 12
Out with the old, in with the new.
Xcode 12 was officially released on September 16, 2020. Now that we know the big changes are done and beta is over, let’s look at what has changed.
Starting with a new project, you will see a new option called Multiplatform.
This option allows you to deploy your app directly to macOS and iOS all from the same shared codebase. Also, you do need macOS Big Sur to develop Multiplatform apps.
Storyboard Interface
Once we are inside a new project, starting on the left side Project Navigator. Some icons have changed here but the functionality is the same. But, if you’re like me and can barely see the files, there is finally a solution. If you go to Xcode -> Preferences -> General you will see an option called Navigator Size giving you four options to fit your needs. While you’re here you can go to the Navigation tab and customize shortcuts and new tabs when viewing files.
If you haven’t jumped ship in favor of SwiftUI and find yourself still using storyboards, Xcode 12 now gives you a minimap you can click and drag for easy navigation. This becomes especially useful when handling multiple ViewControllers in the same storyboard. If you don’t want to see the minimap, maybe you only have one ViewController, you can remove it from Editor -> minimap. Lastly for storyboards are some new icons you will see in the Inspector pane on the right. New look, same functionality. While we are here, with any new update there is a risk of bugs. And one I’ve noticed is the details from Attributes Inspector are sometimes missing when selecting a view, if this happens you can simply press CMD + T to open a new tab. Close the original tab and you should be good to go.
SwiftUI Interface
Swift UI has a number of great changes with the recent release of SwiftUI 2.0. But this is about Xcode so on we go. If you look at the code Preview at the right, the options have been conveniently placed at the top. On the left you can run the preview or build to a device. On the right you have a menu that lets you customize the preview for size classes, orientation, Light/Dark mode, and even the size of the Struct you are previewing. To make this even better we have the Duplicate Preview button on the far right which will automatically add another preview which you can customize with different settings to see multiple possibilities at once.
If you select a view inside the Struct, there is an improved Inspector menu you can view on the right of the screen. This is a visual representation of a few options you have for changing the selected view, and when you select one, you will see the code automatically be added. There is also an improved list of Modifiers at the bottom. If you happen to keep the right Inspector tab closed for the sake of screen space, you can access this menu by pressing Control + Option and clicking on the element you would like to customize.
Of course Xcode offers many more unique tools for making developing easier and debugging more robust, but these are a few of the stand out changes from Xcode 11 -> 12.
And remember; be like Xcode, and slowly improve yourself.
