Embedding a framework within a framework (iOS 8+)

Question

iOS applications built with Xcode 6 or higher allow embedding dynamic iOS frameworks within them. I am building a shared framework and would like to embed a sub-framework. How can I accomplish this?

Note: This is possible and is being used in production (for e.g., with Swift frameworks in CocoaPods).

Vatsal · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-27 04:11:47Z

13

Found the answer. Here's how it's done:

Navigate to Target > Build Phases
Click the small "+" icon and select "New Run Script Build Phase"

Paste the following:

cd $BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR

mkdir $PROJECT_NAME.framework/Frameworks &>/dev/null

for framework in *.framework; do
    if [ $framework != $PROJECT_NAME.framework ]; then
        cp -r $framework $PROJECT_NAME.framework/Frameworks/ &>/dev/null
    fi
done

edited Jul 27, 2016 at 4:11

answered Jan 9, 2015 at 21:33

Vatsal

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3 Comments

Jonathan Ellis Over a year ago

This does work, but just to add that a framework which embeds sub-frameworks is known as an "umbrella framework" and is discouraged by Apple. See this question for an excellent answer of why this is the case: stackoverflow.com/questions/7365578/… What you should be doing: instead of embedding sub-frameworks, you should preferably just distribute your framework along with its dependencies separately.

jjxtra Over a year ago

@JonathanEllis This is not always ideal. For example I've added WebP support using WebP.framework. I don't want my main app, photo editing extension and iMessage extension to all have to include a separate copy of WebP.framework. Wastes space...

James H Over a year ago

@jjxtra If you're building WebP as a static framework, then yes you're wasting space by linking it 3 times. But you should not be building it as a static framework for you use-case. Dynamic frameworks need only be included once and all the other consumers link and resolve the library at run-time. You don't need an umbrella framework to get this behavior - indeed Apple discourages it.

Justin Domnitz · Accepted Answer · 2016-01-05 16:59:39Z

7

@Vatsal Manot's answer was very helpful for me. I modified it a bit and also had a need to sign the copied embedded framework. My script is below.

cd $BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR/$PRODUCT_NAME.app/Frameworks/Custom.framework/Frameworks
for framework in *.framework; do
    mv $framework $BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR/$PRODUCT_NAME.app/Frameworks/
    /usr/bin/codesign --force --sign "iPhone Developer" --preserve-metadata=identifier,entitlements --timestamp=none $BUILT_PRODUCTS_DIR/$PRODUCT_NAME.app/Frameworks/$framework
done

answered Jan 5, 2016 at 16:59

Justin Domnitz

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Comments

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 10:29:50Z

3

To create a Umbrella Framework that contains a Sub-Framework you can follow the step-by-step guide written down here: Umbrella framework

edited May 23, 2017 at 10:29

CommunityBot

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answered Jan 23, 2017 at 20:53

ehrpaulhardt

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