Swift Diagnostics

Systematic debugging workflows for iOS/macOS development. These patterns help identify root causes in minutes rather than hours by following structured diagnostic approaches.

Quick Reference

Core Workflow

1. Identify symptom category - Navigation, build, memory, or performance
2. Load the relevant reference - Each has diagnostic decision trees
3. Run mandatory first checks - Before changing any code
4. Follow the decision tree - Reach diagnosis in 2-5 minutes
5. Apply fix and verify - One fix at a time, test each

Key Principle

80% of "mysterious" issues stem from predictable patterns:

• Navigation: Path state management or destination placement
• Build: Stale caches or dependency resolution
• Memory: Timer/observer leaks or closure captures
• Performance: Environment problems, not code bugs

Diagnose systematically. Never guess.

Common Mistakes

1. Skipping mandatory first checks — Jumping straight to code changes before running diagnostics (clean build, restart simulator, restart Xcode) means you'll chase ghosts. Always start with the mandatory checks.

2. Changing multiple things at once — "Let me delete DerivedData AND restart simulator AND kill Xcode" means you can't isolate which fix actually worked. Change one variable at a time.

3. Assuming you know the cause — "NavigationStack stopped working, must be my reducer" — actually it was stale DerivedData. Diagnostic trees prevent assumptions. Follow the tree, don't guess.

4. Missing memory basics — Calling deinit not being called is a retain cycle, but beginners often blame architecture. Use Instruments to verify leaks before refactoring. Data, not intuition.

5. Not isolating the problem — Testing with your whole app complicates diagnosis. Create a minimal reproducible example with just the problematic feature. Isolation reveals root causes.