CI: align the SwiftPM iOS workflows with the repo's CI conventions

Addresses review feedback that the original approach did not follow the
patterns already used in CI:

- The three workflows no longer trigger prebuild-ios-dependencies /
  prebuild-ios-core themselves. They are workflow_call-only and consume
  the ReactCore / ReactNativeDependencies artifacts produced elsewhere in
  the run, the way e2e-ios-templateapp does. The `slices` input added to
  the two prebuild workflows is reverted.
- They are invoked from test-all.yml instead of carrying their own cron.
  Note this means they run per-PR (gated on should_test_ios) and on
  pushes to main, not nightly -- test-all.yml has no schedule trigger.
  They start as continue-on-error so a brand-new lane cannot hard-block
  unrelated iOS PRs; remove that once it has proven green on main.
- The new-app workflow reuses the react-native-package artifact instead
  of rebuilding the npm package.
- Both helper scripts are deleted. Priming the artifact slots needs no
  new code: download-spm-artifacts.js already accepts tarball overrides
  via RN_CORE_TARBALL_PATH / RN_DEPS_TARBALL_PATH, so the workflows call
  `npx react-native spm download` directly, and the new-app case reuses
  scripts/e2e/init-project-e2e.js --useHelloWorld.

Debug and Release run as parallel matrix cells. Each cell stages both
flavor slots because `spm add` validates both (it stages both framework
trees and selects one via a per-configuration build setting).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

Author: chrfalch

.github/workflows/prebuild-ios-core.yml

@@ -13,11 +13,6 @@ on:
         type: boolean
         required: false
         default: false
-      slices:
-        description: 'JSON array of Apple platform slices to build. Defaults to the full set; callers that only consume a subset (e.g. a simulator-only e2e build) can pass fewer to save time.'
-        type: string
-        required: false
-        default: '["ios", "ios-simulator", "mac-catalyst"]'
 
 jobs:
   build-rn-slice:
@@ -26,7 +21,7 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         flavor: ['Debug', 'Release']
-        slice: ${{ fromJSON(inputs.slices) }}
+        slice: ['ios', 'ios-simulator', 'mac-catalyst']
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v6

.github/workflows/prebuild-ios-dependencies.yml

@@ -2,12 +2,6 @@ name: Prebuild iOS Dependencies
 
 on:
   workflow_call: # this directive allow us to call this workflow from other workflows
-    inputs:
-      slices:
-        description: 'JSON array of Apple platform slices to build. Defaults to the full set; callers that only consume a subset (e.g. a simulator-only e2e build) can pass fewer to save time.'
-        type: string
-        required: false
-        default: '["ios", "ios-simulator", "macos", "mac-catalyst", "tvos", "tvos-simulator", "xros", "xros-simulator"]'
 
 jobs:
   prepare_workspace:
@@ -57,7 +51,17 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         flavor: ['Debug', 'Release']
-        slice: ${{ fromJSON(inputs.slices) }}
+        slice:
+          [
+            'ios',
+            'ios-simulator',
+            'macos',
+            'mac-catalyst',
+            'tvos',
+            'tvos-simulator',
+            'xros',
+            'xros-simulator',
+          ]
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v6

.github/workflows/test-all.yml

@@ -203,6 +203,40 @@ jobs:
       fail-on-error: true
     secrets: inherit
 
+  test_ios_spm_rntester:
+    needs:
+      [
+        prebuild_apple_dependencies,
+        prebuild_react_native_core,
+        check_code_changes,
+      ]
+    if: ${{ needs.prebuild_react_native_core.result == 'success' && needs.check_code_changes.outputs.should_test_ios == 'true' }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/test-ios-spm-rntester.yml
+    secrets: inherit
+
+  test_ios_spm_helloworld:
+    needs:
+      [
+        prebuild_apple_dependencies,
+        prebuild_react_native_core,
+        check_code_changes,
+      ]
+    if: ${{ needs.prebuild_react_native_core.result == 'success' && needs.check_code_changes.outputs.should_test_ios == 'true' }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/test-ios-spm-helloworld.yml
+    secrets: inherit
+
+  test_ios_spm_newapp:
+    needs:
+      [
+        build_npm_package,
+        prebuild_apple_dependencies,
+        prebuild_react_native_core,
+        check_code_changes,
+      ]
+    if: ${{ needs.prebuild_react_native_core.result == 'success' && needs.build_npm_package.result == 'success' && needs.check_code_changes.outputs.should_test_ios == 'true' }}
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/test-ios-spm-newapp.yml
+    secrets: inherit
+
   test_e2e_android_templateapp:
     needs: [build_npm_package, build_android]
     if: ${{ always() && needs.build_android.result == 'success' && needs.build_npm_package.result == 'success' }}

.github/workflows/test-ios-spm-helloworld.yml

@@ -4,60 +4,22 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
 
 on:
-  workflow_dispatch:
-    inputs:
-      flavor:
-        description: 'Which build configuration(s) to test'
-        type: choice
-        options:
-          - both
-          - Debug
-          - Release
-        default: both
-  schedule:
-    # Nightly at 07:00 UTC (low-traffic hour).
-    - cron: '0 7 * * *'
+  workflow_call:
 
 jobs:
-  prebuild_apple_dependencies:
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/prebuild-ios-dependencies.yml
-    with:
-      # e2e only compiles for the iOS simulator — no need for device/catalyst/tv/xr slices.
-      slices: '["ios-simulator"]'
-    secrets: inherit
-
-  prebuild_react_native_core:
-    needs: [prebuild_apple_dependencies]
-    if: ${{ needs.prebuild_apple_dependencies.result == 'success' }}
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/prebuild-ios-core.yml
-    with:
-      use-hermes-prebuilt: ${{ !endsWith(github.ref_name, '-stable') }}
-      slices: '["ios-simulator"]'
-    secrets: inherit
-
-  set_flavors:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    outputs:
-      flavors: ${{ steps.compute.outputs.flavors }}
-    steps:
-      - id: compute
-        env:
-          FLAVOR: ${{ github.event.inputs.flavor }}
-        run: |
-          case "$FLAVOR" in
-            Debug) echo 'flavors=["Debug"]' >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT" ;;
-            Release) echo 'flavors=["Release"]' >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT" ;;
-            *) echo 'flavors=["Debug","Release"]' >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT" ;;
-          esac
-
   test:
-    needs: [prebuild_react_native_core, set_flavors]
-    if: ${{ needs.prebuild_react_native_core.result == 'success' }}
     runs-on: macos-15-large
+    # TODO: remove once this new lane has proven green on main. Keeps a
+    # brand-new SwiftPM build from hard-blocking unrelated iOS PRs.
+    continue-on-error: true
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        flavor: ${{ fromJSON(needs.set_flavors.outputs.flavors) }}
+        flavor: [Debug, Release]
+    env:
+      APP_IOS_DIR: private/helloworld/ios
+      XCODE_PROJECT: HelloWorld.xcodeproj
+      XCODE_SCHEME: HelloWorld
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
@@ -72,11 +34,14 @@ jobs:
         run: node ./scripts/releases/use-hermes-prebuilt.js
       - name: Run yarn install again, with the correct hermes version
         uses: ./.github/actions/yarn-install
-      - name: Ensure CocoaPods (needed by `spm add --deintegrate`)
+      - name: Ensure CocoaPods (`spm add --deintegrate` shells out to `pod`)
         shell: bash
         run: pod --version || sudo gem install cocoapods --no-document
-      # `spm add --artifacts` validates BOTH the debug/ and release/ slots, so
-      # download both flavors regardless of which one this cell builds.
+      # Both flavors are needed by every matrix cell, not just the one it builds:
+      # `spm add` stages both flavor framework trees and lets a per-configuration
+      # build setting pick one at build time, so it validates the debug/ and
+      # release/ artifact slots together (and `--download skip` refuses an
+      # incomplete slot). Please don't "optimise" this down to one flavor.
       - name: Download ReactCore (Debug)
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v7
         with:
@@ -97,19 +62,90 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: ReactNativeDependenciesRelease.xcframework.tar.gz
           path: /tmp/deps-release
-      - name: Prime SPM artifacts (Debug + Release)
+      # `spm download` primes both flavor slots per call and skips any slot that
+      # already validates, so prime in two passes: the first fills both slots
+      # with the Release bits, then debug/ is dropped and re-primed from the
+      # Debug tarballs while release/ validates and is left alone. hermes-engine
+      # is fetched from Maven by the command itself.
+      - name: Prime SwiftPM artifacts (Debug + Release)
+        shell: bash
+        working-directory: ${{ env.APP_IOS_DIR }}
+        run: |
+          RN_CORE_TARBALL_PATH=/tmp/rc-release/ReactCoreRelease.xcframework.tar.gz \
+          RN_DEPS_TARBALL_PATH=/tmp/deps-release/ReactNativeDependenciesRelease.xcframework.tar.gz \
+            npx react-native spm download --artifacts /tmp/spm-artifacts
+          rm -rf /tmp/spm-artifacts/debug
+          RN_CORE_TARBALL_PATH=/tmp/rc-debug/ReactCoreDebug.xcframework.tar.gz \
+          RN_DEPS_TARBALL_PATH=/tmp/deps-debug/ReactNativeDependenciesDebug.xcframework.tar.gz \
+            npx react-native spm download --artifacts /tmp/spm-artifacts
+      - name: Scaffold Package.swift manifests for community dependencies
+        shell: bash
+        working-directory: ${{ env.APP_IOS_DIR }}
+        run: npx react-native spm scaffold || true
+      - name: Convert the app to SwiftPM
+        shell: bash
+        working-directory: ${{ env.APP_IOS_DIR }}
+        run: npx react-native spm add --deintegrate --artifacts /tmp/spm-artifacts --download skip
+      - name: Assert the app is on SwiftPM
+        shell: bash
+        working-directory: ${{ env.APP_IOS_DIR }}
+        run: |
+          if [[ ! -f "$XCODE_PROJECT/.spm-injected.json" ]]; then
+            echo "::error::spm add did not inject SwiftPM: $XCODE_PROJECT/.spm-injected.json is missing"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [[ -f Podfile ]] && grep -q 'use_react_native!' Podfile; then
+            echo "::error::spm add --deintegrate left use_react_native! in the Podfile"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "SwiftPM injected in place; Podfile de-integrated."
+      # Under SwiftPM there is no hermes-engine pod to set HERMES_CLI_PATH, so
+      # resolve hermesc from the app's node_modules for react-native-xcode.sh.
+      - name: Resolve HERMES_CLI_PATH
+        if: ${{ matrix.flavor == 'Release' }}
+        shell: bash
+        working-directory: ${{ env.APP_IOS_DIR }}
+        run: |
+          HERMESC=$(node -e "const p=require('path');console.log(p.join(p.dirname(require.resolve('hermes-compiler/package.json')),'hermesc/osx-bin/hermesc'))" 2>/dev/null || true)
+          if [[ -z "$HERMESC" || ! -x "$HERMESC" ]]; then
+            echo "::error::Could not resolve hermes-compiler's hermesc from $PWD. Release builds need it to compile JS to Hermes bytecode; failing here so it is not mistaken for an xcodebuild bundling error."
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "HERMES_CLI_PATH=$HERMESC" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+          echo "Using hermesc at $HERMESC"
+      - name: Build ${{ env.XCODE_SCHEME }} (${{ matrix.flavor }})
         shell: bash
+        working-directory: ${{ env.APP_IOS_DIR }}
         run: |
-          node scripts/e2e/spm-prime-artifacts.js --artifacts /tmp/spm-artifacts --flavor Debug \
-            --core-tarball /tmp/rc-debug/ReactCoreDebug.xcframework.tar.gz \
-            --deps-tarball /tmp/deps-debug/ReactNativeDependenciesDebug.xcframework.tar.gz
-          node scripts/e2e/spm-prime-artifacts.js --artifacts /tmp/spm-artifacts --flavor Release \
-            --core-tarball /tmp/rc-release/ReactCoreRelease.xcframework.tar.gz \
-            --deps-tarball /tmp/deps-release/ReactNativeDependenciesRelease.xcframework.tar.gz
-      - name: Convert to SwiftPM + build
+          xcodebuild \
+            -project "$XCODE_PROJECT" \
+            -scheme "$XCODE_SCHEME" \
+            -configuration "${{ matrix.flavor }}" \
+            -sdk iphonesimulator \
+            -destination 'generic/platform=iOS Simulator' \
+            -derivedDataPath build/spm-e2e-dd \
+            build
+      - name: Check the embedded React.framework flavor
         shell: bash
+        working-directory: ${{ env.APP_IOS_DIR }}
         run: |
-          node scripts/e2e/spm-ios-e2e.js \
-            --app helloworld \
-            --flavor "${{ matrix.flavor }}" \
-            --artifacts /tmp/spm-artifacts
+          PRODUCTS="build/spm-e2e-dd/Build/Products/${{ matrix.flavor }}-iphonesimulator"
+          if [[ ! -d "$PRODUCTS" ]]; then
+            echo "Skipping flavor check: no build products directory."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          BINARY=$(find "$PRODUCTS" -maxdepth 4 -path '*.app/Frameworks/React.framework/React' -type f 2>/dev/null | head -1 || true)
+          if [[ -z "$BINARY" ]] || ! command -v nm >/dev/null; then
+            echo "Skipping flavor check: no embedded React.framework binary or no nm."
+            exit 0
+          fi
+          COUNT=$(nm "$BINARY" | grep -c getDebugProps || true)
+          echo "getDebugProps symbols in $BINARY: $COUNT"
+          if [[ "${{ matrix.flavor }}" == 'Debug' && "$COUNT" -eq 0 ]]; then
+            echo "::error::Debug build embeds a Release React.framework (expected getDebugProps symbols, found none)"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          if [[ "${{ matrix.flavor }}" == 'Release' && "$COUNT" -ne 0 ]]; then
+            echo "::error::Release build embeds a Debug React.framework ($COUNT getDebugProps symbols, expected none)"
+            exit 1
+          fi