Issue 492  January 29th 2021

I’ve been accepting suggestions for links to include in iOS Dev Weekly for years using off the shelf web form software. It worked, but every time someone suggested a blog post, I’d reply by email to thank them and ask if they’d consider being a part of the iOS Dev Directory. Or, when someone suggested a Swift library, I’d reply and ask if they would add it to the Swift Package Index. I have snippets for both those emails, but it was still a chore.

So I set myself a fun little project last weekend to save myself some typing. I built a custom site to accept link suggestions. It asks the same questions as the form did, but if you’re submitting a blog post or a Swift package, it automates the work I used to do manually and suggests next steps. I’d love it if you checked it out.

Why am I telling you this? I thought it might be a good reminder of three things:

• You can always suggest links to be considered for inclusion in this newsletter. The form is also linked in the footer of every email and on the web site.

But, even better than that…

• If you have a blog, a Medium, or anything else with an RSS feed where you write about creating apps, I’d love it if you’d add it to the iOS Dev Directory. I subscribe to every (English language, because it’s the only language I speak) feed on that site so I’ll see everything you write. You never know who else might read what you write too! I’m not the only person who subscribes.
• If you work on a package that supports the Swift Package Manager, whether it’s brand new or has been around for years, please consider adding it to the Swift Package Index.

Trying to stay aware of new voices and projects in the community is something I’ve been working hard on for many years, and I started both these projects to help me with that task. Of course, I hope they’re useful sites in their own right too!

I also hope this is a good reminder that you may look at someone else’s project and think it’s growing organically. In fact, it’s probably powered by constant work, like the emails I send every day. It takes effort to keep people aware of what you’re doing, and most of it happens quietly behind the scenes.

Dave Verwer