app-clips

Build iOS App Clips with invocation URLs, App Clip Codes, NFC, QR codes, Safari banners, Maps, Messages, target setup, App Store Connect experiences, size/capability constraints, NSUserActivity routing, SKOverlay promotion, App Group/keychain handoff, ephemeral notifications, location confirmation, and full-app migration. Use when creating App Clips or wiring App Clip invocation, experience configuration, or full-app handoff.

769stars41forksUpdated 6/19/2026

Developer Tools #ios #invocation-routing #mobile-development #swift #xcode #app-clips

Security Assessment

Safe(100/100)

Security Score100/100

About app-clips

The app-clips skill provides comprehensive guidance for building iOS App Clips, which are lightweight, instantly available versions of your iOS app designed for in-the-moment experiences. App Clips allow users to access specific app functionality without downloading the full application, triggered through invocation methods like QR codes, NFC tags, App Clip Codes, Safari banners, Maps, and Messages. This skill addresses the technical complexity of setting up App Clip targets, configuring invocation routing, managing size constraints, and handling the transition between App Clip and full app experiences.

The skill covers essential implementation details including App Clip target setup in Xcode with proper bundle ID prefixing and entitlement configuration, invocation URL routing through NSUserActivity with support for both SwiftUI and UIKit patterns, and App Store Connect experience configuration. It provides guidance on size budget management using App Thinning Size Reports, capability constraints and restrictions specific to App Clips, data sharing through App Groups and keychain handoff, ephemeral notifications, location confirmation flows, and promoting full app installation through SKOverlay. The skill emphasizes maintaining shared routing logic between App Clip and full app targets to ensure seamless user experience continuity.

This skill is designed for iOS developers building App Clips for retail, restaurant, service, or demo scenarios where instant app access without installation provides significant user value. It's particularly valuable for teams implementing location-based experiences, physical product interactions through NFC or QR codes, marketing campaigns requiring frictionless app engagement, or any use case where reducing friction to app access is critical. The skill targets iOS 26+ and Swift 6.3, providing architecture patterns, configuration checklists, and common pitfall avoidance for production App Clip deployments.

FAQ

What is the relationship between an App Clip and the full app?

An App Clip is a separate target within the same Xcode project as your full app. The App Clip's bundle ID must be prefixed by the full app's bundle ID (e.g., com.example.MyApp.Clip). After the full app is installed, it replaces the App Clip and receives future invocations, which is why invocation routing logic should be shared between both targets.

How do I handle invocation URLs in my App Clip?

App Clips receive NSUserActivityTypeBrowsingWeb activities containing invocation URLs. In SwiftUI, use .onContinueUserActivity(NSUserActivityTypeBrowsingWeb). In UIKit, inspect connectionOptions.userActivities in scene(_:willConnectTo:options:) for cold launch, or handle the NSUserActivity in scene(_:continue:) for continuation. Configure Associated Domains with appclips:example.com and host an AASA file with the App Clip app identifier.

What are the size constraints for App Clips?

App Clips have strict size limits that depend on deployment target, invocation support, and connectivity requirements. Always measure App Clip size using the App Thinning Size Report rather than relying on Xcode's build output. The skill provides detailed guidance on size budgets, measurement techniques, and using Background Assets for content that doesn't fit within the initial download limit.

What iOS capabilities are not supported in App Clips?

App Clips have capability restrictions compared to full apps. The skill references detailed documentation on unsupported capabilities, CloudKit limits, and Live Activities App Clip extension constraints. Before starting development, review the capability audit section to ensure your use case is feasible within App Clip limitations.

How do I configure App Clip experiences in App Store Connect?

You must configure at least one default App Clip experience in App Store Connect. Advanced experiences enable Maps integration, location association, production App Clip Codes with per-location cards, and precise physical-place routing. Demo App Clip Codes can use the short demo App Clip link for testing without full App Store Connect configuration.