I'm preparing my submission for the Swift Student Challenge, and I have a couple of questions regarding the development environment. Is it allowed to use Xcode to program my scene, or do I have to use Swift Playgrounds? Can I use iPadOS 18 for development? I noticed that Swift Playgrounds currently only supports up to iPadOS 17.5, but I would like to use RealityView, which is only available starting from iPadOS 18. I appreciate any clarification on this. Thanks in advance!

I am interested in participating in the Swift Student Challenge. My application contains a significant amount of augmented reality (AR) content, necessitating access to the camera. It is evident that if the reviewer utilizes a simulator or operates on a Mac, they will not be able to experience the AR function. Therefore, the AR function in the camera experience application must be utilized to access a real iPad. However, it is mentioned in https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/773530 that the plan is to evaluate Xcode app playgrounds within the simulator. Additionally, I observed the statement “Note: Xcode app playgrounds are executed in Simulator” on the submission page. Consequently, it is clear that the reviewers are limited to using a simulator or running my application on a Mac. In light of this, I am seeking guidance on how to enable the reviewer to utilize a real iPad to access the AR function in the camera experience application. Alternatively, I may need to reconsider my strategy and discontinue utilizing AR.

I am submitting a challenge to the Swift Student Challenge. I have created a RealityContent folder using Reality Composer Pro. How can I import this folder into the Swift Package Manager (.swiftpm) project hosted on Playground to ensure that it becomes a usable package?

Helle there Currently, I’m attempting to create an interactive learning application with a 3D view. I’ve discovered the framework SceneKit, but I lack the necessary knowledge to animate, load and moving objects. Could someone kindly suggest some good articles or tutorials on this topic?

I was developing my app on Xcode and I saw in requirements it says “your submission must be an app playground (.swiftpm) I reckon I can develop in Xcode and then copy those files in playgrounds app, make some changes, for it to work. also I made my project in landscape mode in Xcode, in playgrounds can I lock display orientation through package.swift file or I should continue making me app in landscape mode and ask players to change their viewing orientation via a popup?

It was mentioned in the Swift Student Challenge that outstanding winners will have the opportunity to visit Apple Park in the United States. However, as a challenger from China who is not currently in the U.S., this means that if I receive the outstanding award, I will need to apply for a visa to travel to Apple Park. Since I am under 18, my guardian would also need to apply for a visa. Therefore, I would like to know if Apple provides visa assistance for outstanding winners and their guardians from China, or if we are responsible for applying for the visas on our own.

In the instructions, it states that you need to submit an essay for the question. Am I to answer all the questions in the form of my essay? I do not see a place to submit an essay.

Hello, I’m developing my project for the Swift Student Challenge and I have some questions about the platform it will be tested on. If I create an iOS app that uses ARKit, for example, will it be evaluated on a real iPhone or only in a simulator on a Mac? I ask this because some functionalities, such as camera-based augmented reality, don’t work properly in the simulator. I’d like to better understand the guidelines to ensure my project functions correctly during the evaluation. Thank you!

Hello everyone! The Swift Student Challenge officially starts tomorrow (February 3rd), and I have a question. Am I allowed to use tools like Photoshop to create artwork for my project? I’d appreciate any clarification. Thanks in advance!

Hello! I have a quick question about locking orientation and disabling Multitasking/Slide Over in a .swiftpm for the Swift Student Challenge. A .swiftpm file contains a Package.swift file. At the top of this file, there is a very scary warning that directs you to not edit it. However, being unable to edit this means that I cannot lock the orientation of an iPad and disable Multitasking/Slide Over. I have read that it does not break your project if you ignore the warning and I tried it out for myself — editing the file does indeed lock orientation and disable Multitasking/Slide Over! Although, as you can imagine, this is quite nerve-wracking. What are the actual technical implications of doing this? Are participants allowed to do this? If this does not seem like a good idea, would judges follow through with a note that tells them to simply not use certain orientations and Multitasking/Slide Over? (Yeah, I know… not an ideal thing but if there’s anyone to understand it would be Apple employees). I am faced with two uncertain options: ignore a warning and get what I need or follow the warning but then have a very poorly designed experience (some apps just aren’t meant for portrait and Multitasking/Slide Over, even if this is not a full app). I definitely don’t want hundreds of hours of work to go down the drain or risk rejection because of some type of problem with this, that’s for sure. Perhaps a “hack” would work if I were creating an actual app, but the stakes become higher when it is for this challenge. Thanks! :)

I am building an app playground for SSC'25 where I want to use Multipeer Connectivity framework that would allow me to send and receive data to and from stranger devices. I also want to use some other open-source packages for some of the features. I just wanted to know if we are allowed to use or not?

I intend to participate in the Swift Student Challenge 25. I see Rules, It is mentioned that Playgrounds works should be a work that can be experienced in three minutes. However, my work does not meet this requirement. Create an interactive scene in an app playground that can be experienced within three minutes. Initially, my work was not intended for the Challenge but for the App Store. However, I decided to submit it to the Challenge, and my work and I met the requirements of the Challenge. Therefore, my work is a complete application, which makes it impossible for the judges to experience it within three minutes. It may take more time. Does this have any impact?

Hi everyone, I'm working on my submission for the Swift Student Challenge and wanted to clarify something—does the application need to be fully functional in every aspect to be eligible for submission? Or is it acceptable if some features aren't fully implemented, as long as the overall experience showcases my coding skills and creativity? Would appreciate any insights from past participants or anyone familiar with the guidelines! Thanks!

Hello! I would like to use Speech Framework on my App Playground for this year challenge. But I still can't understand if I am allowed to use it to respect the rule of "not rely on a network connection". That's why: Speech framework can use on-device Speech recognition – No internet connection needed ✅. But it can ask to download an Apple's native language package to use it for this on-device recognition – To get this, you need to be connected to the Internet ❌. When I try to add a Speech Recognition Capabilities on my App Playground, its' description says: "Required to perform speech recognition using Apple's servers." (screenshot is attached). Does it mean that I won't be able to use on-device recognition on my App Playground? – And therefore, only online-version of this framework is available and I can't use it to participate on the challenge successfully❓. If it's possible, could you please make it clearer? This framework is crucial for my App Playground and I really need this to make it work. Thanks for your help in advance! And a have a good day!

In an App Playground Xcode project there is no Targets menu in the UI, When I try use the model, it says the model is not in scope. When I did it in a regular project it automatically generated a Swift Class and had no erorrs because it had a target but I see no place to add a target on an App playground.

I am currently a student pursuing bachelor in computer engineering and in addition to that, I work as a product designer. I wanted to confirm if this would affect my eligibility for the challenge.

The app I am developing required me to do a bit of research to train my AI if I am explicitly using something from an article, for example lets say I used a quote about climate change from a news website, is that allowed, and would I have to site it either in my documentation or somewhere in the app?

I see the solution is simple "just change the language in the build settings" but the build settings are not a thing in an App Playground project. It also says duplicated tasks.

SwiftData delete isn't working, when I attempt to delete a model, my app crashes and I get the following error: SwiftData/PersistentModel.swift:359: Fatal error: Cannot remove My_App.Model2 from relationship Relationship - name: model2, options: [], valueType: Model2, destination: Model2, inverseName: models3, inverseKeypath: Optional(\Model2.models3) on My_App.Model3 because an appropriate default value is not configured. I get that it's saying I don't have a default value, but why do I need one? Isn't @Relationship .cascade automatically deleting the associated models? And onto of that, why is the error occurring within the do block, shouldn't it be caught by the catch, and printed? I have put together a sample project below. import SwiftUI import SwiftData @main struct MyApp: App { var body: some Scene { WindowGroup { ContentView() .modelContainer(for: Model3.self) } } } @Model class Model1 { var name: String @Relationship(deleteRule: .cascade, inverse: \Model2.model1) var models2: [Model2] = [] init(name: String) { self.name = name } } @Model class Model2 { var name: String var model1: Model1 @Relationship(deleteRule: .cascade, inverse: \Model3.model2) var models3: [Model3] = [] init(name: String, model1: Model1) { self.name = name self.model1 = model1 } } @Model class Model3 { var name: String var model2: Model2 init(name: String, model2: Model2) { self.name = name self.model2 = model2 } } struct ContentView: View { @Query var models1: [Model1] @Environment(\.modelContext) var modelContext var body: some View { NavigationStack { List(models1) { model1 in Text(model1.name) .swipeActions { Button("Delete", systemImage: "trash", role: .destructive) { modelContext.delete(model1) do { try modelContext.save() //SwiftData/PersistentModel.swift:359: Fatal error: Cannot remove My_App.Model2 from relationship Relationship - name: model2, options: [], valueType: Model2, destination: Model2, inverseName: models3, inverseKeypath: Optional(\Model2.models3) on My_App.Model3 because an appropriate default value is not configured. } catch { print(error.localizedDescription) } } } } .toolbar { Button("Insert", systemImage: "plus") { modelContext.insert(Model3(name: "model3", model2: Model2(name: "model2", model1: Model1(name: "model1")))) } } } } }

Last year's submission form says that if you select (Run on Xcode) the app will be in the simulator not on an iPad. Has that changed this year, as I don't see it in the terms? (My app has imported local package dependencies for Reality Composer Pro that I am not certain would work on playgrounds for iOS. And it needs the iPad camera for AR functionality.)