What's New in Xcode 12!

Universal apps

A single macOS Universal app includes native binaries for Intel-based Macs and Apple Silicon Macs
“Any Mac” destination in the toolbar builds a Universal app, even on Intel-based Macs
Standard Architectures build setting defaults to Universal, and Xcode offers to upgrade your project if needed
Run and debug the Intel binary within a Universal app by selecting “My Mac (Rosetta)” on a -Developer Transition Kit (DTK) from the Universal App Quick Start Program

NOTE: Xcode 12.2 adds support for macOS Big Sur and Universal apps.

Document tabs open any type of document, including logs, asset catalogs, and UI files, in a lightweight editor tab
Toolbar, icons, and sidebar designs match the beautiful new aesthetic of macOS Big Sur
Navigator fonts track the size of the system setting or can be manually set to a custom size
Organizer is completely redesigned and reports new app metrics, such as hitches in animation and scrolling

Read Also: What’s New in Swift? New Features in Swift 5.0

App lifecycle in SwiftUI enables entire apps to be written completely in SwiftUI for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS
WidgetKit built on SwiftUI makes it easy to share code for widgets that run on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS
SwiftUI performance is improved throughout, and new Lazy views efficiently handle enormous data sets
Multiplatform templates make it easy to share SwiftUI code across all Apple platforms, customized for each
SwiftUI Views can be turned into reusable components that appear in the Xcode library and in code completions
Swift Package Manager supports resources and localizations, making it great for sharing SwiftUI components
Improved Swift language diagnostics make it much easier to understand coding mistakes, especially in SwiftUI code

Mac idiom displays your app’s user interface in 100% native Mac size and scale for total customization
Additional frameworks and controls are available, including HomeKit and AVCapture
Keyboard APIs and OS integration make it easier to completely control your app with the keyboard
Apps built with Mac Catalyst automatically inherit the new look and feel of macOS Big Sur

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