2 min read
Step 1: Starting
Create the Xcode project for a macOS menu bar app.
Create the Project
Open Xcode and create a new project:
- Open Xcode
- Click “Create New Project”
- Select macOS at the top
- Choose App
- Click Next
Fill in the details:
- Product Name: QuickNotes
- Organization Identifier: com.yourname
- Interface: SwiftUI
- Language: Swift
Click Next, save to your Desktop, and Create.
Run It
Press Cmd + R. A window should appear with “Hello, world!” — the default template.
We’ll replace this with a menu bar app, but first let’s confirm everything compiles.
Start Claude Code
Open Terminal:
cd ~/Desktop/QuickNotes
claudeTell Claude about the project:
I'm building a macOS menu bar app called QuickNotes.
It should live in the menu bar — no dock icon, no main window.
When you click the menu bar icon, a popover appears with a text editor.
Let's start by converting this default app to a menu bar app:
- Remove the main window
- Add a menu bar icon (use a note/pencil SF Symbol)
- Show a simple popover when clicked that says "QuickNotes"
- Hide the dock iconCreate CLAUDE.md
Create a CLAUDE.md file for this macOS menu bar app project.Optional: Want Claude to follow Apple’s design conventions automatically? Add the Apple HIG skill file to your project root and reference it from your CLAUDE.md. It teaches Claude about SF Symbols, system fonts, and native macOS patterns.
Checkpoint
By now you should have:
- Xcode project created
- App compiles and runs
- Claude Code connected
- CLAUDE.md created
What You Learned
- Creating a macOS Xcode project
- Running a Mac app from Xcode
- Menu bar apps have no main window