2 min read
Step 1: Starting
Create your first iOS app project.
Where We Are
You have Xcode installed. Let’s create an iOS app.
Create the Project
Open Xcode and create a new project:
- Open Xcode
- Click “Create New Project” (or File → New → Project)
- Select iOS at the top
- Choose App
- Click Next
Fill in the details:
- Product Name: FocusTimer
- Organization Identifier: com.yourname (use your name, no spaces)
- Interface: SwiftUI
- Language: Swift
Click Next, choose where to save it (Desktop is fine), and Create.
The Project Structure
Xcode shows you a lot. Here’s what matters:
FocusTimer/
├── FocusTimerApp.swift ← App entry point
├── ContentView.swift ← Main screen (we'll edit this)
├── Assets.xcassets ← Images and colors
└── Preview Content/ ← Preview assetsEverything else is configuration. Ignore it for now.
Run in Simulator
Click the Play button (▶) at the top left, or press Cmd + R.
Xcode will build your app and launch a simulated iPhone.
You should see “Hello, world!” — the default SwiftUI template.
Start Claude Code
Open Terminal, navigate to your project folder:
cd ~/Desktop/FocusTimer # or wherever you saved it
claudeTell Claude about the project:
I'm building an iOS app called FocusTimer.
It's a Pomodoro-style timer with a circular countdown display.
Here's the project structure: [Xcode created a basic SwiftUI project]
Let's start by replacing the default ContentView with a simple screen that has:
- A large "25:00" text in the center
- A "Start" button below it
- A title "Focus" at the topCreate CLAUDE.md
Create a CLAUDE.md file for this iOS project with our goals and current state.This helps Claude remember context between sessions.
Checkpoint
By now you should have:
- Xcode project created
- App runs in simulator
- Basic UI structure (title, timer text, button)
- Claude Code connected to the project
- CLAUDE.md created
What You Learned
- Creating an Xcode project
- Running in the simulator
- SwiftUI projects have a simple structure
- Claude can modify Xcode projects just like any other