XcodesApp is a native macOS SwiftUI application for discovering, downloading, installing, selecting, and uninstalling multiple versions of Apple's Xcode, including management of the iOS simulator runtimes that ship with them. The app surfaces a list of available Xcode versions (from the Xcode Releases API or the Apple Developer portal), drives the full install pipeline (download via URLSession or the bundled aria2c, verify code signature, unxip archive, move into /Applications, run elevated post-install steps), switches the active developer directory, and supports Apple ID sign-in with 2FA, SMS, security keys, and federated authentication. This repository is the app shell and privileged-helper layer; core domain logic and authentication live in the separate XcodesKit and XcodesLoginKit packages. The architecture is a clean three-part split. Xcodes/Backend holds a central observable AppState coordinator and small subsystems (downloader, helper client, process runner, dependency-injection environment); Xcodes/Frontend is a SwiftUI view layer organized into list, info pane, sign-in, and preferences modules; com.xcodesorg.xcodesapp.Helper is a separate privileged XPC service installed via SMJobBless, with peer connections verified by code-signing designated requirements and audit-token comparison before any xcode-select, license-accept, or file-operation work is performed. Update delivery uses Sparkle with a Jekyll-generated appcast hosted on GitHub Pages. The codebase is well engineered for a GUI app: the Environment/Current dependency-injection seam makes nearly all side effects mockable, and the test suite is unusually thorough, covering SRP authentication vectors from real Apple ID sessions, stale-async-task race conditions, new-version notifications, and download/install state transitions. The main weaknesses are the reliance on the private NSXPCConnection.auditToken API, several SPM dependencies pinned to main branches, some duplicated view helpers and stale branding text (RobotsAndPencils references, a hardcoded WWDC 2022 status message), and a manual multi-step release process. Maintenance is active: recent commits, CI running on the latest macOS/Xcode runners, Dependabot config, release-drafter workflow, and xcstrings localization validation. Technical drift is low — the code aggressively tracks current Apple platforms (macOS 26 branches, Xcode 26.5 CI), though the private-API usage and main-branch dependency pins remain chronic medium-term risks.
AlDente is a macOS menu bar application designed to extend MacBook battery lifespan by limiting the maximum charging percentage. The application consists of two main components: a user-facing interface that runs with standard user privileges, and a privileged helper tool that communicates with the System Management Controller (SMC) to enforce battery charge limits. When the user sets a charge limit (e.g., 80%), the helper tool writes to the BCLM SMC key to prevent charging beyond that percentage. The app also monitors battery state and can prevent system sleep to maintain the charge limit when AC power is connected. The architecture cleanly separates concerns between the privileged operations (handled by the helper tool) and the user interface. Communication between components occurs via NSXPCConnection with a well-defined protocol (HelperToolProtocol). The application demonstrates solid macOS development practices including proper use of delegates for status updates, efficient polling for battery state, and clean separation of UI logic from business logic. While the repository contains legacy code from an older open-source version (as noted in the README), it includes a particularly valuable reusable component in SMC.swift. This file provides a robust, well-encapsulated interface for accessing the SMC on Intel-based Macs, handling all the low-level IOKit interactions, data type conversions, and error handling. The SMC implementation correctly manages the SMCParamStruct structure, supports various data types (UInt8, UInt32, FPE2, SP78), and includes extensions for reading temperature, fan speeds, and other sensor data.