Your Two Stacks

You don't need one stack. You need two — each optimized for different types of apps.

Stack 1: Native SwiftUI + AuraKit (Primary)

This is your primary stack for 80% of apps. It's optimized for:

• Apps that feel unmistakably iOS-native
• Subscription-based apps using StoreKit 2
• Apps that leverage Apple frameworks (HealthKit, CoreML, ARKit)
• Suite apps sharing a common framework

The Components

SwiftUI           → UI layer
@Observable       → State management (MVVM)
SwiftData         → Local persistence + iCloud sync
StoreKit 2        → In-app purchases & subscriptions
XcodeGen          → Project file generation
AuraKit           → Your shared framework library

When to Use Native

Use native SwiftUI when:

• The app needs to feel premium and iOS-native
• You're using Apple-specific APIs (HealthKit, StoreKit, etc.)
• The app is part of an existing suite
• Performance matters (animations, real-time UI)
• You want maximum control over the user experience

Stack 2: Flutter + Firebase (Secondary)

This is your secondary stack for apps that need:

• Complex real-time state (multiplayer, live data)
• Heavy Firebase integration (Firestore, Auth, Cloud Functions)
• Rapid prototyping with hot reload
• Future cross-platform potential (if an app proves successful on iOS)

The Components

Flutter 3.x       → Cross-platform UI
Riverpod 3.x      → State management
Freezed            → Immutable models + JSON serialization
GoRouter           → Navigation
Firebase           → Backend (Firestore, Auth, Analytics)
RevenueCat         → Subscription management

When to Use Flutter

Use Flutter when:

• The app has complex, real-time state management needs
• You need deep Firebase integration (Firestore listeners, Cloud Functions)
• The app might expand to Android if it proves profitable
• You're building something that doesn't need to feel "Apple-native"

The Decision Tree

When you have a new app idea, run it through this:

Does it need Apple-specific APIs?
  → YES → Native SwiftUI

Is it part of an existing suite?
  → YES → Whatever that suite uses

Does it need real-time Firebase/Firestore?
  → YES → Consider Flutter

Is it a subscription app that needs to feel premium?
  → YES → Native SwiftUI

Is it a utility/tool that might go cross-platform?
  → YES → Consider Flutter

Default → Native SwiftUI

The default is always native. Flutter is for specific use cases where its strengths outweigh the loss of native feel.

What About React Native / Kotlin Multiplatform / etc.?

Short answer: no.

Longer answer: every additional technology in your stack is a tax. You need to maintain knowledge, keep dependencies updated, handle breaking changes, and train your AI tools on the patterns. Two stacks is the sweet spot — enough flexibility to handle any app idea, not so many that you're spread thin.

Setting Up Both Stacks

We'll cover the detailed setup in Module 3 (Toolkit), but here's what you'll need:

For Native SwiftUI:

• Mac with Xcode (latest stable)
• Apple Developer Account ($99/year)
• XcodeGen (brew install xcodegen)
• Claude Code CLI

For Flutter:

• Flutter SDK (brew install flutter)
• Android Studio (for Flutter tooling, even on iOS)
• Firebase CLI
• Claude Code CLI

Both stacks use Claude Code as the primary AI tool. Your CLAUDE.md and PATTERNS.md files work with both — the methodology is stack-agnostic, even if the implementation isn't.