Getting Started with Alex Sidebar
Alex Sidebar is an AI assistant that integrates into your Xcode workflow. Whether you are a seasoned iOS developer or just getting started, it provides you with inline code suggestions, chat assistance, and fixing errors and warnings as a sidebar in Xcode. In this post, we will walk you through the essentials:
- Installing Alex Sidebar
- Configuring permissions and accessibility
- Starting your first chat and code improvements
- Best practices for writing effective prompts
- Using advanced features like Voice Mode and Image-to-Code
By the end, you will be set to let Alex Sidebar handle the repetitive tasks so you can stay focused on building amazing apps.
Installation
The process of downloading and installing Alex Sidebar is straightforward and only takes a few minutes.
First, download Alex Sidebar directly or head over to our official releases page. Once it is downloaded, double-click to open the installer package.
Installing is as simple as dragging Alex Sidebar into your Applications folder.
You might see a security message since you downloaded the app from the internet - this is normal! Just click "Open" to continue.
The final step is setting up permissions. After launching Alex Sidebar from your Applications folder, you will be prompted for Accessibility permissions. Open System Settings and navigate to Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
From there, locate Alex Sidebar in the list and enable the permissions to allow the app to assist you with your Xcode workflow.
That's it! You are now ready to start using Alex Sidebar with Xcode.
1.4 Folder Access Permissions
When you open a project, Alex Sidebar may request permission to read the folder where your .xcodeproj or .xcworkspace resides.
To be continued...