PureXML/third_party/rules-swift/exp/when-to-create.md

When to Create a New Target

Always-loaded core. Use the decision tree first. The DO/DON'T list and the checklist below cover the corner cases.

TARGET CREATION DECISION TREE

Need to add new code?
├─ Is it a reusable domain model?
│   └─ YES → Add to SharedModels
│
├─ Is it UI-related?
│   ├─ Colors/semantic colors? → Add to AppColors
│   ├─ Fonts/typography? → Add to AppFont
│   ├─ Combined theme? → Add to AppTheme (uses AppColors + AppFont)
│   ├─ Component system infrastructure? → Add to Components (core system)
│   ├─ Hot reload support? → Add to SharedComponents
│   ├─ Reusable app component? → Add to AppComponents
│   └─ View helper/modifier? → Add to SharedViews
│
├─ Is it a complete user-facing feature?
│   └─ YES → Create new *Feature target
│       Example: ProfileFeature, SettingsFeature, PaymentFeature
│
├─ Is it API/networking related?
│   ├─ Client-side? → Add to ApiClient (or create new client target)
│   ├─ Server-side? → Add to ApiServer
│   ├─ Shared DTOs? → Add to ApiShared (OpenAPI generated)
│   └─ Middleware? → Create new *Middleware target
│
├─ Is it shared infrastructure?
│   └─ YES → Create new Shared* target
│       Example: SharedUtilities, SharedNetworking
│
└─ Still unsure?
    └─ Ask: "Could this be reused in isolation?"
        ├─ YES → Create new target
        └─ NO → Add to most specific existing target

WHEN TO CREATE A NEW TARGET

✅ DO Create New Target When:

1. New Feature Module

   • Complete user-facing feature (login, profile, payments)
   • Example: ProfileFeature, PaymentFlowFeature

2. Reusable Infrastructure

   • Can be tested in isolation
   • Might be used by multiple features
   • Example: CachingMiddleware, LoggingUtility

3. Third-Party Integration

   • Wraps external library
   • Isolates external dependencies
   • Example: ApplePayIntegration, BiometricAuth

4. Platform Separation

   • Platform-specific code (iOS vs macOS)
   • Example: IOSBiometrics, MacOSNotifications

5. Build Optimization

   • Large, stable code that rarely changes
   • Expensive compilation (generated code)
   • Example: ApiShared (OpenAPI generated)

❌ DON'T Create New Target When:

1. Single Use Case

   • Only used by one feature
   • Tightly coupled to specific screen
   • → Add to that feature's target

2. Trivial Helper

   • 1-2 small functions
   • No external dependencies
   • → Add to existing utility target

3. Temporary Code

   • Proof of concept
   • Spike/experiment
   • → Keep in feature until proven stable

DECISION CHECKLIST

Before Creating a New Target

• Target has single, clear responsibility
• Target name follows conventions (Feature, Shared, Api*, *Components)
• Dependencies are minimal and explicit
• No circular dependencies introduced
• Can be built and tested in isolation
• Fits into architectural layer (Foundation/Infrastructure/Feature/App)
• Test target created alongside source target
• Product registered in Package.swift products array
• Imports and declared dependencies point only to lower layers (no higher-layer dependencies)

Before Adding to Existing Target

• New code shares responsibility with the existing target
• No better-suited target exists
• Not creating a "god target" with mixed concerns
• Won't introduce unwanted dependencies to target consumers

Before Modifying Package.swift

• Used closure-with-local-variables pattern for deps
• Used closure-with-local-variables pattern for allProducts
• Used closure-with-local-variables pattern for targets
• NEVER used inline array definitions
• Grouped dependencies by purpose (OpenAPI, Vapor, Apple-only, etc.)
• Grouped products by platform (base vs. appleOnly)
• Grouped targets by layer (Foundation, Infrastructure, Features)
• Used comment headers (e.g., // ---------- Shared Models ----------)
• In Package.swift: separated platform-specific code with #if os(iOS) || os(macOS)
• In Package.swift only: did NOT use #if canImport(UIKit) (manifest evaluates it lazily and breaks Linux CI; #if os() is manifest-parse-time and safe). In regular Swift source files, #if canImport(UIKit) / #if canImport(AppKit) is the correct idiom for platform-conditional code.
• Each target/product/dependency has descriptive variable name
• Used trailing commas in all arrays
• Applied .when(platforms:) for platform-specific dependencies within targets

Before Adding Font/Resource Target

• Used .process() for resources, NEVER .copy()
• Created FontRegistration.swift with CoreText registration
• Used Bundle.module for resource access, NEVER Bundle.main
• Used #if canImport(UIKit) / #if canImport(AppKit) for platform imports
• Filtered font files by extension (.otf, .ttf)
• Used CTFontManagerRegisterFontsForURL with error handling
• Added console logging for registration success/failure
• Called FontRegistration.registerFonts() in app init BEFORE UI renders
• NEVER used Info.plist font registration (UIAppFonts, ATSApplicationFontsPath)
• Target has zero dependencies (fonts are Foundation layer)
• Resources organized in dedicated subdirectory (e.g., Fonts/)