Using CocoaPods

Overview

This guide covers 1) setting-up CocoaPods, and 2) adding and installing Pods into your XCode project. By the end of it you'll be ready for guides on actually using the Pods you need.

Necessary knowledge

• Basic level in XCode
• Novice level in Terminal

One-time Setup

Install CocoaPods

• Install CocoaPods by typing the following commands into Terminal

gem update --system
sudo gem install cocoapods
pod setup

• Just close your Terminal window and re-open it to complete setup!

Note: If your Terminal gets stuck on pod setup, see FAQ

Adding Cocoapods to your project

Step 1 - Set your Terminal's directory

First you need set your Terminal's Present Working Directory to the folder containing your XCode Project.

• Type the characters "cd" + space
• Drag the folder containing your .xcodeproject file to your terminal, then hit your return key

Step 2 - Add your Podfile

CocoaPods uses a text file named Podfile to define your project's Pods. To add your Podfile:

• Type pod init into your terminal
• Type open -a XCode Podfile and edit your Podfile in XCode

Step 3 - Add your Pods and install

• First, you can delete everything in this file
• Add a row for each Pod you're installing, then save

pod 'MBProgressHUD'
pod 'AFNetworking', '~> 2.0'

Note: Your Pods will be different. These are two examples.

• Next have CocoaPods install typing the folowing into terminal

pod install

Note: If pod install is taking more than 60 seconds, see FAQ

Step 4 - Open your new Workspace file

After your first pod install, CocoaPods will create a new .xcworkspace file for you, which includes has your CocoaPods as well. Only use your .xcworkspace from now on.

• Close your .xcproject file
• Open your new .xcworkspace file, which you can find in your project's folder

If you later need to change your Podfile to bring-in new Pods, simply run pod install again.

Step 5 - Bridging from Objective-C

As of 2015 most popular CocoaPods are still written in Objective-C. To use these Pods in your Swift project, your project will need a Bridging-Header.

Create one automatically by adding any Objective-C file to your project.

• Go to File -> New -> File ... -> iOS -> Source -> Objective-C File and add a file with any name and any settings.
• When asked Would you like to configure an Objective-C bridging header?, answer Yes.
• Edit the new file called MySpecialProject-Bridging-Header.h:

//
//  Use this file to import your target's public headers that you would like to expose to Swift.
//

#import <AFNetworking/AFNetworking.h>
#import <MBProgressHUD/MBProgressHUD.h>

Note: Your Pods will be different. These are two examples.

You can trash the other file created in this step, but keep MySpecialProject-Bridging-Header.h

Step 6 - Done! Use your CocoaPods!

We're done! Now you can use your Pods– just follow the Pod maker's tutorials.

For example, now you can use your Pod in a ViewController.

import UIKit

class ViewController: UIViewController {
    var progressHUD : MBProgressHUD!
    ...
}

Note: Your Pods will be different. This is one example.

FAQ

My terminal froze during pod setup or pod install! What do I do?

If you experience absurdly long/ several minute waiting on pod setup, or pod install, you may try the following:

• Close your Terminal window, and open a new one
• Type the following commands

pod repo remove master
pod setup

• Now you can go back to step one and try again!

How do I know what to type in the Bridging Header or in the Podfile?

Answer: The Pod's developers will usually tell you what to write on their website.

Further Reading

• See Codepath's in-depth on CocoaPods, which includes links to major CocoaPods directories.