Adding and Removing Swift Package dependencies in Xcode

Apple introduced Swift Package Manager (SPM) in 2017 as a way to manage dependencies in Swift. Then two years later (Xcode 11), SPM has fully integrated into Xcode. We can easily manage Swift Package dependencies since then.

In this article, I will show you how easy it is to manage Swift Package dependencies in Xcode.

1. Adding a Package dependency to your app.
2. Updating a Package dependency.
3. Removing a Package dependency.

Adding a Package dependency

To add a package dependency to your Xcode project.

1. Select File > Add Packages...
2. Enter a repository URL of a package you want to add in the search field on the top right. In this example, I try to add Swift Algorithms package, and this is the URL I use https://github.com/apple/swift-algorithms.git.

3. Select a version you want to add to the Dependency Rule.

4. Then, click the "Add Package" button to add.

You can also add a package dependency from your target's General pane.

1. Click on the target that you want to add a package.
2. Select the General pane.
3. Scroll down to the "Frameworks, Libraries, and Embedded Content" section.
4. Click the + button, select "Add Other...", and choose "Add Package Dependency...".

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Updating a Package dependency

To update an individual package.

1. Find a package you want to update in the Project Navigator. All packages sit at the bottom of the panel under the "Package Dependencies" section, so you need to scroll down a bit.
2. Right-click on the package and choose "Update Package" action.

To update all packages.

1. Right-click on the Package Dependencies section header.
2. Choose "Update to Latest Package Versions".

Or Select File > Packages > Update to Latest Package Versions.

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Removing a Package dependency

If you no longer need any package, you can remove it using these steps.

1. Click on the project root file.
2. Select the "Package Dependencies" pane.
3. Select the Swift package you want to delete from the list.

4. Click the minus (-) button to remove the selected package.