# `apple_executable`

Builds an Apple command-line executable without an application bundle. Use it
for a Swift tool, or for a native Xcode target whose product type is a tool.
The binary is ad-hoc codesigned in place.

Linux builds use Swift, xtool's Darwin SDK, and `rcodesign`. The existing
`xcode_developer_dir` attribute selects the SDK bundle's `Developer` directory
on Linux, defaulting to the registered `darwin` Swift SDK. See
[Build iOS Applications on Linux](/guide/graph/apple/linux) for setup.
The `run` capability requires macOS; Apple binaries do not execute on Linux.

## Sources and dependencies

Set the required `platform` and declare Swift sources with `srcs`. Deployment
version, SDK variant, developer directory, module name, compiler options, and
linker options follow the [Apple target model](/guide/graph/apple).

The `deps` role accepts `apple_linkable`, `apple_framework`,
`apple_swift_plugin`, and `native_linkable` providers. Runtime frameworks and
resource bundles are staged beside the executable. Mixed-language tool
targets lowered from Xcode are not currently supported; put their Objective-C,
C, or C++ code in an `apple_library` dependency.

## Capabilities

The target exposes `build` and `run` with the `default` output group. Running
requires the built executable and its staged runtime dependencies.

```sh
once query schema apple_executable
once query example apple_executable apple-executable-minimal
```

See [Xcode Projects](/guide/graph/apple/xcode) when adopting an existing project.

`apple_executable`

Builds an Apple command-line executable without an application bundle. Use it for a Swift tool, or for a native Xcode target whose product type is a tool. The binary is ad-hoc codesigned in place.

Linux builds use Swift, xtool's Darwin SDK, and rcodesign. The existing xcode_developer_dir attribute selects the SDK bundle's Developer directory on Linux, defaulting to the registered darwin Swift SDK. See Build iOS Applications on Linux for setup. The run capability requires macOS; Apple binaries do not execute on Linux.

Sources and dependencies#

Set the required platform and declare Swift sources with srcs. Deployment version, SDK variant, developer directory, module name, compiler options, and linker options follow the Apple target model.

The deps role accepts apple_linkable, apple_framework, apple_swift_plugin, and native_linkable providers. Runtime frameworks and resource bundles are staged beside the executable. Mixed-language tool targets lowered from Xcode are not currently supported; put their Objective-C, C, or C++ code in an apple_library dependency.

Capabilities#

The target exposes build and run with the default output group. Running requires the built executable and its staged runtime dependencies.

bash

once query schema apple_executable
once query example apple_executable apple-executable-minimal

See Xcode Projects when adopting an existing project.