How do I choose between SPM, Cocoapods, and Carthage?

When choosing a dependency manager for your Swift projects, you may find yourself deciding between Swift Package Manager (SPM), CocoaPods, and Carthage. Each tool has its own strengths and weaknesses, making them suitable for different scenarios.

Swift Package Manager (SPM)

SPM is the official package manager for Swift, integrated directly into the Swift build system. It's easy to use and works seamlessly with Xcode. If you're working on Swift-only projects or apps that need to rely on libraries written in Swift, SPM is a solid choice. Moreover, it simplifies dependency resolution and package versioning.

CocoaPods

CocoaPods has been around longer than SPM and has a large repository of libraries to choose from. It is suitable if you're working with Objective-C projects or need libraries that are exclusively available as CocoaPods. Due to its extensive documentation and community support, it's a reliable option for many developers.

Carthage

Carthage is more decentralized than SPM and CocoaPods and offers a simpler approach to dependency management. It builds frameworks for the specified dependencies and allows you to integrate them manually. This is beneficial when you want more control over how dependencies are integrated into your project.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the decision comes down to your project requirements. If you're looking for simplicity and native support, SPM is the way to go. For a larger range of existing libraries and community support, CocoaPods may be your best bet. If you prefer a more hands-on approach, go with Carthage.