Claude Code iOS Safety Guide

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

claude --version

open ~/.zshrc

touch ~/.zshrc
open ~/.zshrc

# Safe Claude Code launcher — auto-commits before every session
alias clauded='git add -A && git commit -m "pre-claude checkpoint $(date +%H:%M)" --allow-empty && claude --dangerously-skip-permissions'

source ~/.zshrc

which clauded

cd ~/path/to/your/ios-project
clauded

# Undo everything
git reset --hard HEAD

# Or review changes first
git diff HEAD

# Check if directory exists
ls ~/.claude/

# If "No such file or directory", create it:
mkdir -p ~/.claude

cat ~/.claude/settings.json

touch ~/.claude/settings.json
open ~/.claude/settings.json

{
  "permissions": {
    "allow": [
      // File tools
      "Read(*)", "Write(*)", "Edit(*)",
      // Shell basics
      "Bash(ls:*)", "Bash(mkdir:*)", "Bash(mv:*)",
      "Bash(cp:*)", "Bash(cat:*)", "Bash(head:*)",
      "Bash(tail:*)", "Bash(grep:*)", "Bash(rg:*)",
      "Bash(find:*)", "Bash(touch:*)", "Bash(echo:*)",
      "Bash(which:*)", "Bash(open:*)",
      "Bash(wc:*)", "Bash(sort:*)", "Bash(uniq:*)",
      "Bash(diff:*)", "Bash(tr:*)", "Bash(cut:*)",
      "Bash(tee:*)", "Bash(env:*)",
      "Bash(basename:*)", "Bash(dirname:*)",
      // Text processing
      "Bash(sed:*)", "Bash(awk:*)",
      // Git
      "Bash(git:*)",
      // Swift / Xcode toolchain
      "Bash(swift:*)", "Bash(swiftc:*)",
      "Bash(xcodebuild:*)", "Bash(xcrun:*)",
      "Bash(xcode-select:*)", "Bash(plutil:*)",
      "Bash(swiftlint:*)", "Bash(swiftformat:*)",
      // Package managers
      "Bash(pod:*)", "Bash(mint:*)",
      "Bash(brew install:*)", "Bash(brew info:*)",
      "Bash(npm:*)", "Bash(npx:*)",
      // System
      "Bash(chmod:*)", "Bash(make:*)",
      "Bash(python3:*)", "Bash(curl:*)",
      "Bash(pkill:*)"
    ],
    "deny": [
      "Bash(rm:*)",
      "Bash(rmdir:*)",
      "Bash(sudo:*)",
      "Bash(bash -c:*)",
      "Bash(sh -c:*)",
      "Bash(chmod 777:*)",
      "Edit(**/*.pbxproj)"
    ]
  }
}

python3 -c "import json; json.load(open('$HOME/.claude/settings.json')); print('Valid JSON')"

{
  "permissions": { ... },
  "hooks": {
    "PreToolUse": [
      {
        // Block destructive commands (rm, rmdir, etc.)
        "matcher": "Bash",
        "hooks": [{
          "type": "command",
          "command": "echo \"$CLAUDE_TOOL_INPUT\" | grep -qiE '\\brm\\b|\\brmdir\\b|> /dev/null' && echo 'BLOCKED: destructive command detected' >&2 && exit 2 || exit 0"
        }]
      },
      {
        // Block .pbxproj modifications
        "matcher": "Edit",
        "hooks": [{
          "type": "command",
          "command": "echo \"$CLAUDE_TOOL_INPUT\" | grep -q '.pbxproj' && echo 'BLOCKED: .pbxproj edit' >&2 && exit 2 || exit 0"
        }]
      }
    ],
    "PostToolUse": [
      {
        // Auto-format Swift files after edits
        "matcher": "Write|Edit",
        "hooks": [{
          "type": "command",
          "command": "echo \"$CLAUDE_TOOL_INPUT\" | grep -q '.swift' && which swiftformat > /dev/null && swiftformat \"$(echo $CLAUDE_TOOL_INPUT | grep -oE '/[^ ]*\\.swift')\" --quiet || exit 0"
        }]
      }
    ]
  }
}

# Replace with your actual project path
cd ~/Developer/MyApp

touch CLAUDE.md
open CLAUDE.md

# Project Rules for Claude Code

## Critical — Never Do These
- NEVER modify any .pbxproj file directly. Create new files
  and tell me to add them in Xcode manually.
- NEVER modify .xcscheme or build configuration files.
- NEVER use rm, rm -rf, rmdir, or any file deletion command.
- NEVER create files outside the project directory.
- NEVER modify .gitignore without asking first.
- NEVER touch Podfile.lock, Package.resolved, or any lockfiles.
- NEVER modify Info.plist signing or provisioning settings.
- NEVER add third-party dependencies without asking first.
- NEVER run `pod install` or `swift package resolve` without asking.
- NEVER use `open -a` to launch applications.

## Required Practices
- Commit checkpoints after completing a feature or significant change.
- Place new Swift files in the correct group folder.
- Use SwiftUI for new views unless told otherwise.
- Prefer @Observable over ObservableObject for iOS 17+ targets.
- Use structured concurrency (async/await) over completion handlers.
- Use #Preview macro syntax for iOS 17+ projects.
- Add MARK: comments to organize code sections.
- Follow existing code patterns and naming conventions.
- Add Logger/os_log statements for complex async flows.
- Write XCTest unit tests for new business logic.
- When fixing a build error, fix only that error — do not refactor
  surrounding code.
- Maximum file length: 300 lines. Suggest splitting if exceeded.

## Build Instructions
- Always use XcodeBuildMCP tools instead of raw xcodebuild.
- Build: simulator/build
- Test:  simulator/test
- Run:   simulator/build-and-run

## Project Architecture
- Architecture: [MVVM / MVC / TCA — replace with yours]
- Min target:   iOS [17 / 18 — replace with yours]
- Packages:     [SPM / CocoaPods — replace with yours]
- Main scheme:  [YourAppScheme — replace with yours]

## Key Directories
- Sources/Features/ — feature modules
- Sources/Services/ — networking, persistence
- Tests/ — unit and UI tests

git add CLAUDE.md
git commit -m "add Claude Code project guardrails"

node --version

# Install Homebrew first if you don't have it:
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Then install Node:
brew install node

claude mcp add --transport stdio XcodeBuildMCP -- npx -y xcodebuildmcp@latest

claude mcp add --transport stdio XcodeBuildMCP \
  --env INCREMENTAL_BUILDS_ENABLED=true \
  --env XCODEBUILDMCP_DYNAMIC_TOOLS=true \
  -- npx -y xcodebuildmcp@latest

# Start a Claude session in your project
cd ~/path/to/your/ios-project
claude

# Inside the session, type:
mcp__xcodebuildmcp__list_simulators

# You should see iPhone 15, iPhone 16, etc.
# Type /exit to leave

xcode-select -p          # Should print a path
xcode-select --install   # Install if missing

claude mcp add --transport stdio XcodeBuildMCP \
  --env XCODEBUILDMCP_ENABLED_WORKFLOWS=simulator,debugging \
  -- npx -y xcodebuildmcp@latest

cd ~/path/to/your/ios-project
mkdir -p .claude/commands

cat > .claude/commands/build.md << 'EOF'
---
description: Build the iOS project on simulator
allowed-tools: mcp__xcodebuildmcp__*
---
Build the project using `mcp__xcodebuildmcp__build_sim_name_proj`.
Report any build errors clearly with file, line number, and suggested fix.
EOF

cat > .claude/commands/test.md << 'EOF'
---
description: Run all unit tests
allowed-tools: mcp__xcodebuildmcp__*
---
Run all tests using `mcp__xcodebuildmcp__test_sim_name_proj`.
Summarize results: total, passed, failed.
For failures show test name, expected vs actual, and a fix.
EOF

cat > .claude/commands/checkpoint.md << 'EOF'
---
description: Save current progress with a git commit
---
Run: git add -A && git commit -m "checkpoint: [brief description]"
Summarize what was committed.
EOF

ls -la .claude/commands/
# Should show: build.md  test.md  checkpoint.md

git add .claude/
git commit -m "add Claude Code slash commands"

# Create skills directory
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills

# Clone the skill
git clone https://github.com/conorluddy/ios-simulator-skill.git \
  ~/.claude/skills/ios-simulator-skill

# Verify
ls ~/.claude/skills/ios-simulator-skill/SKILL.md

Run a health check on my iOS simulator setup

# 1. Navigate to your project
cd ~/path/to/your/ios-project

# 2. Create a feature branch (isolate Claude's work)
git checkout -b claude/profile-view

# 3. Start a safe Claude session
clauded

Add a ProfileView with name, email, and avatar using SwiftUI.
Follow the existing MVVM pattern in the project.
Create a ProfileViewModel with @Published properties.
Write unit tests for the ViewModel.

# See what files changed
git status

# See actual changes line by line
git diff HEAD

# If everything looks good — commit and merge
git add -A && git commit -m "feat: add ProfileView"
git checkout main && git merge claude/profile-view

# If something went wrong — undo EVERYTHING
git checkout main && git branch -D claude/profile-view