How to vibe codeUlysses

Prerequisites

• Mac

  Required to run Xcode and build native macOS/iOS applications.

• Xcodefree

  The official IDE for compiling Swift, SwiftUI, and TextKit applications.

• Apple Developer Account$99/yr

  Required if you want to test iCloud/CloudKit document synchronization on physical iOS devices.

• CursorFree tier / $20/mo

  AI-native code editor to accelerate Swift boilerplate generation and algorithm design.

AI coding tools

• Cursor

  Best for iterating on SwiftUI view layouts and Swift data models with AI assistance.

• Claude Code

  Excellent for reasoning through complex text parsing and export logic scripts.

Build guide

1. 01Project Scaffolding & Split-View Navigation

   Initialize a multiplatform SwiftUI document-based app supporting macOS and iOS, establishing the classic three-column layout (library sidebar, sheet list, and editor).

   Create a new multiplatform SwiftUI document-based application structure targeting macOS and iOS. Implement a three-column navigation view: sidebar for hierarchical folders/groups, middle column for sheet lists (with sorting by date/title and word count badges), and a main pane for the editor. Configure SwiftData or CoreData models to represent Groups, Sheets, and Tags recursively. Ensure the sidebar supports nested folders and drag-and-drop reordering of sheets between groups. Write clean Swift code adhering to modern SwiftUI paradigms, separating views into modular components, and including unit tests for the hierarchical data model operations.

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2. 02Markdown Editor & Custom Syntax Styling

   Implement a high-performance text editing surface using TextKit 2 or NSTextView wrapped in SwiftUI, featuring custom Markdown inline syntax highlighting.

   Build a custom Markdown text editor wrapper for SwiftUI using TextKit 2 (`NSTextView` for macOS, `UITextView` for iOS). Implement real-time syntax highlighting for Markdown elements (headers, bold, italic, blockquotes, lists, and links) by applying custom attributed string styles dynamically as the user types, without introducing input lag. Add keyboard shortcuts for common formatting actions (e.g., Cmd+B for bold, Cmd+I for italic). Ensure the editor tracks cursor position, word count, character count, and reading time in real-time, displaying them in a sleek footer toolbar.

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3. 03CloudKit Synchronization Engine

   Integrate Apple CloudKit to handle background synchronization of sheets and folders across the user's personal devices without third-party server overhead.

   Integrate CloudKit synchronization into the SwiftData/CoreData document store. Configure private database container records for Groups and Sheets. Implement robust conflict resolution handling (e.g., last-write-wins or merge prompts for simultaneous edits on different devices). Add background notification observers for push-based sync updates when documents change on remote devices. Write comprehensive error handling for network drops, local storage limits, and account status changes (e.g., user signed out of iCloud).

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4. 04Writing Goals and Statistics Dashboard

   Add goal-tracking features allowing users to set daily writing targets or strict character/word limits on individual sheets.

   Implement a writing goals and statistics system. Create a model and UI for setting daily word/character targets and document-specific deadlines. Build a progress ring view in SwiftUI that visualizes daily completion status. Track historical writing velocity by logging daily word count deltas into a local store and render a clean weekly/monthly progress chart using Swift Charts. Include notification scheduling to remind users when they are falling behind their daily writing goals.

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5. 05Multi-Format Export Engine (PDF & Word)

   Build an export pipeline that compiles Markdown documents into styled PDF documents, Word `.docx` files, and ePubs.

   Build a document export engine that converts Markdown abstract syntax trees (AST) into styled PDF, Microsoft Word (.docx), and HTML outputs. Implement a preview modal that renders live HTML representations using WebKit with selectable themes (e.g., Solarized, GitHub, Manuscript). For PDF and Word exports, write layout generation code supporting custom typography, page numbers, margins, and title pages. Provide a share sheet interface allowing users to export, print, or share files directly to system apps.

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6. 06Direct Publishing Integrations

   Add publishing connectors to sync drafts directly to external blogging platforms like WordPress and Medium.

   Implement a publishing module that connects directly to WordPress (via REST API) and Medium API. Create settings screens for saving API credentials and authentication tokens securely in the macOS/iOS Keychain. Build a publication preparation sheet where users can select tags, set categories, configure excerpts, and attach featured images before pushing drafts directly to remote platforms as published posts or drafts. Handle API error responses gracefully with clear user alerts.

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Cost vs paying for Ulysses