When most developers think of building browser extensions, they picture Chrome and desktop workflows. But Safari Extensions on iOS are quietly becoming one of the most powerful and underused tools in mobile app development. In this post, I’ll share how and why I started exploring iOS Safari Extensions and why I think they’ll play a key role in the next generation of mobile-first, content-aware apps. Why Safari Extensions on iOS Matter Let’s start with the basics: Safari iOS Extensions allow developers to inject scripts into websites on a mobile device , detect patterns, and pass data back to a native iOS app, all while respecting privacy and Apple’s permissions system. That unlocks a lot of creative possibilities: Scanning a page for structured or semi-structured content Detecting when a user is shopping or watching a video Triggering reminders or in-app actions based on Browse behavior Offering content-aware UI overlays inside Safari The key difference is ...
If you’ve ever worked on a mobile development team, you know the pain points of continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD): slow builds, conflicts between feature branches, flaky test runs, and the occasional “Why is the deployment broken this time?” moment. In my journey optimizing CI/CD pipelines for iOS and Android teams, I’ve tested everything from fully-managed services like Bitrise and Codemagic to fully customized environments. We ultimately chose to build our own setup using GitLab CI , Fastlane , and MacStadium - powered by Tart for macOS virtualization. Here’s what worked, what didn’t, and how you can apply these lessons to build faster, more reliable pipelines. Why We Went Custom Instead of Fully Managed Managed CI/CD platforms like Bitrise and Codemagic are fantastic for small teams or early-stage projects. They offer: Preconfigured build environments Easy integration with GitHub/GitLab Minimal setup overhead But as our...
Introduction As a senior iOS software engineer, my journey with mobile development has been a rich and evolving experience. Starting my career in 2012 with Android development on Eclipse IDE, I've seen the landscape of mobile development shift dramatically. My transition from Swift native development to learning Flutter has not only broadened my technical expertise but also expanded my vision of mobile development. This article delves into my experiences, the similarities and challenges I encountered, and the overarching principle that regardless of technology, our primary goal is to meet software and business needs. Early Beginnings with Android Back in 2012, Android development was a different beast. Working with Eclipse IDE required patience and perseverance, but it laid a solid foundation for my understanding of mobile development. This period taught me the fundamentals of Java, the intricacies of Android's architecture, and the importance of meticulous debugging. These ski...
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