> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/mrkai77/loop/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Development Setup

> Set up your development environment to contribute to Loop

This guide will walk you through setting up Loop for local development on macOS.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

* A Mac running macOS
* Xcode installed
* An Apple Developer account (free account works fine)
* Git installed

## Setup Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Fork the repository">
    Forking creates a personal copy of the Loop repository under your GitHub account. This allows you to make changes without affecting the original project.

    1. Go to the [Loop repository](https://github.com/MrKai77/Loop) on GitHub
    2. Click the "Fork" button at the top right of the screen
    3. You should see `Loop forked from MrKai77/Loop` on your forked repository page
  </Step>

  <Step title="Clone your fork">
    Clone your forked repository to your local machine:

    ```bash theme={null}
    cd ~/Downloads  # Or your preferred directory
    git clone https://github.com/{your-username}/Loop.git
    cd Loop
    open Loop.xcodeproj
    ```

    Replace `{your-username}` with your actual GitHub username. The project will automatically open in Xcode.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set up your Apple Developer account">
    If you already have an Apple Developer account configured in Xcode, skip this step.

    1. Enroll your account in the Developer Program at [developer.apple.com](https://developer.apple.com/) (free account works)
    2. Open Xcode and navigate to `Xcode → Preferences` in the menu bar
    3. Click the `Accounts` tab
    4. Add your Apple ID to Xcode
    5. Select your account from the list on the left
    6. Click `Manage Certificates...` at the bottom
    7. Click the **+** icon and select `Apple Development`
    8. When `Apple Development Certificates` appears in the list, press `Done`
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sign Loop with your developer account">
    Configure Xcode to sign the Loop app with your developer certificate:

    1. Wait for all dependencies to resolve (this may take a few minutes)
    2. In the file browser on the left, click `Loop` at the very top (icon with App Store logo)
    3. In the pane on the right, click `Signing & Capabilities` at the top
    4. Under `Signing`, change the `Team` dropdown to your Apple ID
    5. Under `Signing → macOS`, change the `Signing Certificate` to `Development`
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build and run Loop">
    Test that everything is set up correctly:

    1. Press <kbd>⌘</kbd> + <kbd>R</kbd> to build and run Loop
    2. If successful, you'll see an alert that Loop requires Accessibility permissions
    3. For simple code changes, you don't need to enable these permissions
    4. For changes to Loop's movement or core functionality, you'll need to grant Accessibility access
  </Step>

  <Step title="Install SwiftFormat">
    SwiftFormat is **required** for all contributions to ensure consistent code formatting.

    Install SwiftFormat using Homebrew:

    ```bash theme={null}
    brew install swiftformat
    ```

    Before submitting any PR, format your code:

    ```bash theme={null}
    swiftformat .
    ```

    <Warning>
      PRs with incorrect formatting will be automatically rejected by our CI checks.
    </Warning>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next Steps

Now that your environment is set up, learn about:

* [Code Guidelines](/contributing/code-guidelines) - Our coding standards and contribution process
* [Opening Issues](https://github.com/MrKai77/Loop/issues) - Propose your changes before starting work