SPM autolinking hardcodes iOS 15, so libraries whose Package.swift requires iOS 16+ can't be autolinked
Nobody has claimed this yet.
Assessment
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Newbie friendliness
- 68/100
- Issue type
- Bug
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Activity status
- Active
- Tech stack
- javascript, react-native, swift
- Domain
- build-system, mobile, tooling
Research direction
Start with scripts/spm/generate-spm-autolinking.js at the platform declarations around lines 1072 and 1220, then inspect scripts/spm/scaffold-package-swift.js around line 769 and the injector's .xcodeproj edits. Run npx react-native spm update against the mandatory reproducer; done means generated manifests select an iOS minimum compatible with autolinked packages and the app target, including scaffolded manifests, and the iOS build resolves.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Description
Description
scripts/spm/generate-spm-autolinking.js writes the top-level Autolinked package with a literal minimum platform (line 1072 in 0.87.1):
let package = Package(
name: "Autolinked",
platforms: [.iOS(.v15)],
Its AutolinkedAggregate target depends on the product of every autolinked library. SwiftPM doesn't let a target depend on a product whose package declares a higher minimum platform, so a self-managed library whose Package.swift declares .iOS(.v16) or later fails package resolution. That happens even when the app's own deployment target is 16.0 or higher. The library can't declare iOS 15 instead when its own dependencies need iOS 16, because SwiftPM applies the same check on that edge.
The same literal appears in two more places, which a fix should cover too:
- the per-dependency packages synthesized for podspec-based libraries (
generate-spm-autolinking.js, line 1220) - the manifests
npx react-native spm scaffoldwrites (scaffold-package-swift.js, line 769)
Suggested fix, in order of preference, instead of the literal:
- The highest
.iOS(...)declared by an autolinked self-managed package. The aggregate has to be at least that, and the app target must already be at least that to link the library. - The app target's
IPHONEOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET, read from the.xcodeprojthe injector already edits. - An explicit
spm.minimumIosVersionin the app'sreact-native.config.js.
Workaround, applied with patch-package:
--- a/node_modules/react-native/scripts/spm/generate-spm-autolinking.js
+++ b/node_modules/react-native/scripts/spm/generate-spm-autolinking.js
@@ -1069,7 +1069,7 @@
${guardBlock}let package = Package(
name: "${AUTOLINKED_PACKAGE_NAME}",
- platforms: [.iOS(.v15)],
+ platforms: [.iOS(.v16)],
products: [
.library(name: "${AUTOLINKED_PACKAGE_NAME}", targets: ["AutolinkedAggregate"]),
],
Steps to reproduce
- Create a React Native 0.87.1 app and migrate it to SPM with
npx react-native spm. - Add a native module that ships its own
Package.swiftdeclaringplatforms: [.iOS(.v16)]. - Raise the app target's
IPHONEOS_DEPLOYMENT_TARGETto 16.0. - Run
npx react-native spm updateand build.
Expected: the packages resolve, since the app and the library both target iOS 16.
Actual: resolution fails with the error below.
React Native Version
0.87.1
Affected Platforms
Build - MacOS, Runtime - iOS
Output of npx @react-native-community/cli info
System:
OS: macOS 26.7
CPU: (16) arm64 Apple M4 Max
Memory: 17.97 GB / 128.00 GB
Shell:
version: "5.9"
path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
Node:
version: 22.19.0
path: /usr/local/bin/node
Yarn:
version: 4.11.0
path: /opt/homebrew/bin/yarn
npm:
version: 10.9.3
path: /usr/local/bin/npm
Watchman:
version: 2025.11.10.00
path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
CocoaPods:
version: 1.16.2
path: ~/.gem/ruby/3.4.0/bin/pod
SDKs:
iOS SDK:
Platforms:
- DriverKit 25.2
- iOS 26.2
- macOS 26.2
- tvOS 26.2
- visionOS 26.2
- watchOS 26.2
Android SDK:
API Levels:
- "36"
- "37"
Build Tools:
- 35.0.0
- 36.0.0
System Images:
- android-35 | Pre-Release 16 KB Page Size Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
- android-36 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
Android NDK: Not Found
IDEs:
Android Studio: Not Found
Xcode:
version: 26.2/17C52
path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
Java:
version: 17.0.18
path: /usr/bin/javac
Ruby:
version: 3.4.7
path: ~/.rbenv/shims/ruby
npmPackages:
"@react-native-community/cli":
installed: 20.2.0
wanted: 20.2.0
react:
installed: 19.2.3
wanted: 19.2.3
react-native:
installed: 0.87.1
wanted: 0.87.1
react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
"*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
hermesEnabled: true
newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
hermesEnabled: Not found
newArchEnabled: Not found
Stacktrace or Logs
error: The package product 'Heracross' requires minimum platform version 16.0 for the iOS platform,
but this target supports 15.0 (in target 'AutolinkedAggregate' from project 'Autolinked')
MANDATORY Reproducer
https://github.com/bstillitano/rn-spm-ios16-repro
Built from the reproducer template (0.87.1): migrated to SPM, deployment target 16.0, and one stub library whose ios/Package.swift declares .iOS(.v16). Its iOS CI job fails with the error above; applying the one-line workaround makes the same build succeed.
Screenshots and Videos
None.
- Dominant language
- C++
- Stars
- 127k
- Forks
- 25.3k
- PR merge metrics
- No merged PRs in 30d
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
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