# firebase-ios-sdk: The Open-Source Firebase SDK for Apple Platforms > firebase-ios-sdk is the open-source repository for all Firebase Apple platform libraries except FirebaseAnalytics. It covers Authentication, Cloud Firestore, Cloud Messaging, Crashlytics, Realtime Database, Remote Config, Storage, and ten other products. Swift Package Manager is now the recommended installation method, and CocoaPods support ends for new versions in October 2026. **firebase/firebase-ios-sdk** — Firebase SDK for Apple App Development - Repository: https://github.com/firebase/firebase-ios-sdk - Website: https://firebase.google.com - Stars: 6,734 · Forks: 1,798 - Language: C++ - License: Apache-2.0 - Published: 2026-09-16 · Updated: 2026-09-16 · Language: en - Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/firebase-firebase-ios-sdk ## What firebase-ios-sdk Provides and What It Leaves Out firebase-ios-sdk contains the source code for all Firebase Apple platform libraries except FirebaseAnalytics. The thirteen open-source products in this repository are Firebase AI Logic (FirebaseAI), App Check, App Distribution, Authentication, Cloud Firestore, Cloud Functions, Cloud Messaging, Crashlytics, In-App Messaging, Performance Monitoring, Realtime Database, Remote Config, and Storage. FirebaseAnalytics is explicitly excluded: its pre-compiled binaries are included when installing Firebase via Swift Package Manager or CocoaPods, but the source code is not open-source and is not in this repository. The repository targets iOS, macOS, Catalyst, and tvOS as the platforms with official beta support. visionOS and watchOS are community-supported, meaning contributions from outside the Firebase team keep those platforms working, but Firebase does not guarantee continued support. The full support matrix across products and platforms is documented at firebase.google.com/docs/ios/learn-more. The most recent releases at the time of this article are 12.19.2 (released 2026-09-15), 12.19.1 (released 2026-09-09), and 12.19.0 (also released 2026-09-09). The release cadence is active. ## The CocoaPods Deprecation and What It Means for Existing Projects The README includes a prominent warning: new versions of the Firebase Apple SDK will no longer be published to CocoaPods after October 2026. Existing CocoaPods versions will remain available and functional after that date, but projects that stay on CocoaPods will not receive any updates beyond what was published before the cutoff. For a project currently using CocoaPods to install Firebase, this creates a concrete decision deadline. The Firebase team has published a migration guide at firebase.google.com/docs/ios/cocoapods-deprecation. Swift Package Manager is the recommended alternative going forward. The practical effect of staying on CocoaPods after October 2026 is falling behind on Firebase product updates, security patches, and compatibility fixes for new Apple platform releases. For projects with long release cycles or large CocoaPods dependency trees, planning the migration before the cutoff avoids a forced, urgent change later. For new projects starting today, Swift Package Manager is the clear choice. The repository's README points to the Firebase get-started documentation at firebase.google.com/docs/ios/setup for Swift Package Manager installation instructions. ## Installation Options: Swift Package Manager, CocoaPods, and GitHub Sources The README describes five installation methods: Swift Package Manager, CocoaPods, install from GitHub, experimental Carthage (iOS only), and use from a framework or library. For Swift Package Manager, the README refers to the Firebase get-started documentation for the full setup steps. This is the recommended path for all new projects. For CocoaPods, the standard `pod install` approach is documented at firebase.google.com/docs/ios/installation-methods. For development or testing against an unreleased branch or a local checkout, the Podfile can reference the repository directly: ```ruby pod 'FirebaseCore', :git => 'https://github.com/firebase/firebase-ios-sdk.git', :branch => 'main' pod 'FirebaseFirestore', :git => 'https://github.com/firebase/firebase-ios-sdk.git', :branch => 'main' ``` Or against a local checkout: ```ruby pod 'FirebaseCore', :path => '/path/to/firebase-ios-sdk' pod 'FirebaseFirestore', :path => '/path/to/firebase-ios-sdk' ``` The Carthage distribution is described as experimental and iOS-only, with instructions in Carthage.md within the repository. Framework and library embedding instructions are in `docs/firebase_in_libraries.md`. ## Platform-Specific Notes: visionOS, watchOS, and the Firestore Source Distribution visionOS works as expected for supported Firebase products, with one exception: Firestore via Swift Package Manager requires the source distribution rather than the binary distribution. The README gives the command to enable it: ```bash open --env FIREBASE_SOURCE_FIRESTORE /path/to/project.xcodeproj ``` Quitting Xcode and reopening without the environment variable returns to the binary distribution. This is a specific step that visionOS developers integrating Firestore will need to follow. For watchOS, the README notes that many Firebase SDKs now compile and run unit tests on watchOS thanks to community contributions, and a watchOS sample application is available at `Example/watchOSSample`. However, watchOS is not officially supported. Changes to the SDK can break watchOS functionality without the Firebase team necessarily catching it through CI. The README asks developers who encounter watchOS-specific issues to file them in the issue tracker. For macOS and Catalyst, Firebase provides official beta support. The support matrix at firebase.google.com/docs/ios/learn-more is the definitive reference for which products work on which platforms, since coverage varies across the thirteen products. ## The Firebase AI Logic Preview and What Is New The README includes a tip notice about a preview release: Firebase AI Logic's Gemini Foundation Models framework adapter is now available in preview for Apple platforms. The documentation is at firebase.google.com/docs/ai-logic/apple-foundation-models-framework/get-started. Firebase AI Logic appears in the product list as `FirebaseAI` and is one of the thirteen open-source libraries in this repository. Its inclusion as the first item in the product list and its separate preview notice in the README suggest it is a recently added capability. The repository includes a `FirebaseAI/` directory at the top level alongside directories for the other products. This is consistent with how each Firebase product is structured: each has its own directory and its own `.podspec` file in the repository root. Developers evaluating the Firebase Apple SDK for AI integration features should check the Firebase AI Logic documentation for the specific capabilities and platform requirements of the preview, since the README does not detail them beyond pointing to the external documentation. ## Building from Source, Testing, and License The repository is structured so that each Firebase product lives in its own top-level directory with a corresponding `.podspec` file at the repository root. For example, `FirebaseAuth/`, `FirebaseFirestore/`, and `FirebaseCrashlytics/` each contain their respective source code. Example applications are in the `Example/` directory, covering Combine integration, Firestore, tvOS, and watchOS samples. The repository uses a mix of C++ and Swift. C++ appears in low-level components such as Firestore's internal implementation, while the higher-level SDK surfaces are written in Swift. The `.swiftformat` configuration at the root enforces a consistent Swift code style across the project. A `.clang-format` file handles C++ formatting. Developers contributing to a specific product can use the corresponding `.podspec` to build only that product rather than the entire SDK, which reduces compile time. The `CoreOnly/` directory and `FirebaseCoreInternal` pod handle the foundational layer that all other products depend on. The Apache-2.0 license covers the open-source code in this repository. Firebase Analytics, which is distributed as a pre-compiled binary alongside the SDK, is not covered by Apache-2.0 and its source is not in this repository. The last push to the repository was on 2026-09-27, confirming active development. The release 12.19.2 was published on 2026-09-15. The repository maintains a `.github/` directory with CI workflows and an `.allstar/` configuration for repository security policy enforcement. ## Conclusion firebase-ios-sdk is the correct starting point for any Apple platform developer integrating Firebase services into an iOS, macOS, tvOS, or visionOS app. Teams still using CocoaPods must plan a migration to Swift Package Manager before October 2026, when the repository will stop publishing new CocoaPods versions. For watchOS, community support exists but Firebase does not officially support that platform, which means watchOS-specific breakage may appear without notice. Before integrating, consult the Firebase library support matrix at firebase.google.com/docs/ios/learn-more to confirm that the specific products your app needs are available on your target platform. ## FAQ ### What is firebase-ios-sdk and what does it do? firebase-ios-sdk is the open-source repository for all Firebase Apple platform libraries except FirebaseAnalytics. It provides SDKs for Authentication, Cloud Firestore, Cloud Messaging, Crashlytics, Realtime Database, Remote Config, Storage, and ten other Firebase products for iOS, macOS, tvOS, and other Apple platforms. ### What is firebase-ios-sdk? firebase-ios-sdk is Firebase's open-source SDK repository for Apple platforms. It contains the source code for thirteen Firebase products and is separate from FirebaseAnalytics, which is closed-source. The README describes it as covering all Apple platform Firebase libraries except Analytics. ### How do I add firebase-ios-sdk in Xcode? The recommended method is Swift Package Manager. The README points to the Firebase iOS setup documentation at firebase.google.com/docs/ios/setup for the step-by-step instructions. CocoaPods is also supported but will stop receiving new versions after October 2026. ### How do I install firebase-ios-sdk? Swift Package Manager is the recommended installation method; find instructions at firebase.google.com/docs/ios/setup. For CocoaPods, use pod install as documented at firebase.google.com/docs/ios/installation-methods. CocoaPods will stop publishing new Firebase SDK versions after October 2026. ### What exactly is Firebase used for? The README describes Firebase as an app development platform with libraries, services, and tools to help build, grow, and monetize apps. The SDK in this repository covers specific capabilities including user authentication, real-time and document databases, push messaging, crash reporting, remote configuration, and file storage. ## Sources - [firebase/firebase-ios-sdk on GitHub](https://github.com/firebase/firebase-ios-sdk) - [License: Apache-2.0](https://github.com/firebase/firebase-ios-sdk/blob/main/LICENSE) - [Project website](https://firebase.google.com) - [README](https://github.com/firebase/firebase-ios-sdk/blob/main/README.md) - [Releases](https://github.com/firebase/firebase-ios-sdk/releases) --- Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/firebase-firebase-ios-sdk