JetbrainsAnton MakeevAnnouncement
JetBrains is discontinuing Swift language IDE features in the Kotlin Multiplatform plugin starting with IntelliJ IDEA 2026.3 and Android Studio Rabbit 2 | 2026.2.2, including editing, syntax highlighting, and navigation within Swift files and between Swift and Kotlin. Running iOS applications and debugging Kotlin code on iOS will remain fully supported, and Kotlin/Native functionality such as Swift Export is unaffected. The existing Swift functionality will remain available in earlier versions of IntelliJ IDEA, Android Studio, and the KMP plugin, though these older versions will not receive further updates. The decision follows analysis showing limited and declining usage, with most iOS developers on KMP projects preferring Xcode for Swift development. The Swift support, originally developed for AppCode, required substantial effort to stay compatible with changes in Swift, Xcode, and the IntelliJ Platform.
The Swift IDE features were originally developed for AppCode and later adapted for Fleet and the Kotlin Multiplatform plugin. Usage analysis showed limited and declining adoption, with most iOS developers on KMP projects preferring Xcode for Swift development and teams increasingly using Kotlin and Compose Multiplatform. Maintaining compatibility with Swift, Xcode, and the IntelliJ Platform required substantial ongoing effort.
Starting with IntelliJ IDEA 2026.3 and Android Studio Rabbit 2 | 2026.2.2, JetBrains will remove Swift language IDE features including editing, syntax highlighting, and navigation within Swift files and between Swift and Kotlin from the Kotlin Multiplatform plugin. Running iOS applications and debugging Kotlin on iOS, as well as Kotlin/Native functionality like Swift Export, remain supported.
Swift IDE features in the KMP plugin will be removed starting with IntelliJ IDEA 2026.3 and Android Studio Rabbit 2 | 2026.2.2, but running iOS apps and debugging Kotlin on iOS will remain supported.
The decision was based on limited and declining usage; most iOS developers on KMP projects prefer Xcode for Swift, and teams using the KMP plugin increasingly rely on Kotlin and Compose Multiplatform.
Maintaining the Swift tooling, which inherited its architecture from AppCode, required substantial effort to stay compatible with Swift, Xcode, and the IntelliJ Platform, and JetBrains has no plans to replace the removed features.
Yes, running iOS applications and debugging Kotlin code on iOS will remain fully supported after the removal of Swift IDE features.
Editing, syntax highlighting, and navigation within Swift files and between Swift and Kotlin are being removed. Kotlin/Native functionality like Swift Export and importing Swift packages is unaffected.
Usage was limited and declining; most iOS developers on KMP projects prefer Xcode for Swift, and maintaining the tooling required substantial effort to stay compatible with Swift, Xcode, and the IntelliJ Platform.
Summaries are generated from the original by a language model. Check the original before relying on it.
See the idea
Android Studio keeps cross-platform Kotlin run and debug in one workspace but hands Swift editing to Xcode. This explainer maps the benefit, cost, and condition behind that boundary.
Keep reading
The Good Stuff
Paid picks we use ourselves. Links carry a referral code — a subscription through one earns us a commission at no extra cost to you.
One useful email. Unsubscribe anytime.
