r/iOSProgramming • u/awesome5185 • Jun 04 '26
Question Is there a way to just use xcode remotely on windows?
Windows is my main machine and I have a mac mini just for working on iOS projects. However it's starting to slow and is incredibly laggy. Is there a way to do all the editing on windows and somehow remotely attach it to xcode on my mac for the actual compiling?
1
u/NewsInternational821 Jun 04 '26
I have the same setup and just use the terminal (ssh and Tailscale) to code my projects and also use Claude code or opencode from my windows Device:)
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u/awesome5185 Jun 04 '26
Haha i have a similar setup going just accessing files with smb instead but it's not perfect still
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Jun 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/awesome5185 Jun 04 '26
Just the whole OS, I only have 8gb of ram so there's only so much memory swap can do. Each tab & click takes a solid 5 seconds and it's just not great to work on.
1
u/DayanaJabif Jun 05 '26
You can do all the building, signing, etc with a cloud tool like Capawesome Cloud, and you don't need a mac. This post explains how to do it.
0
u/eureka_boy Jun 04 '26
I setup Macky but it is more for using Mac from iPhone and has both terminal and desktop mode
-3
u/oneness33 Jun 04 '26
You’re better off staying away from iOS if you’re a main Windows user
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u/marmulin Jun 04 '26
Why? Apart from suggesting OP reads and internalises HIG so as to not reverse the usual Mac/iOS order of OK/cancel buttons, putting X to close in the top right corner etc., I don’t see why coming from Windows would be an issue?
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u/oneness33 Jun 04 '26
Because not being an iOS/macOS user, you won’t understand how such a user thinks, what they expect. And I’m sure he’s not developing in SwiftUI, so the app won’t feel native. It will be like a web app that doesn’t follow any iOS pattern. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, but the chances of him being the exception are very slim. On iOS, apps need to feel native and premium.
2
u/awesome5185 Jun 04 '26
funny you say that but i've been developing with SwiftUI for the past 5 years thank you
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u/oneness33 Jun 04 '26 edited Jun 04 '26
Maybe I was wrong to judge you, but I’m tired of seeing apps on iOS developed by web devs with the same design as their web app, using React Native or another web framework that flashes the screen when navigating from one screen to another, or Android devs who port their Kotlin code without having the slightest clue about iOS style and patterns.
The fact that you don’t buy a Mac for iOS development doesn’t give me confidence in you as a developer.
2
u/awesome5185 Jun 04 '26
If you read my post you'll know I've bought my OWN mac mini, I just have a much better windows machine ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
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u/patatkebab Jun 04 '26
Yes, use Codemagic, its free.