App intents pro

App Intents Pro

Expose app actions to the system: Siri, Shortcuts, Spotlight, widgets, and controls.

When to use

• Adding AppIntents for app actions.
• Modeling AppEntity types for parameters/results.
• Registering AppShortcuts for zero-setup Siri phrases.

Trigger: /app-intents-pro.

Core principles

• An intent is a small, single-purpose action with typed parameters.
• Keep business logic in your model layer; the intent is a thin adapter.
• Provide AppShortcuts so users get Siri phrases without manual setup.
• Return useful results/snippets, not just success.

A basic intent

import AppIntents

struct AddTaskIntent: AppIntent {
    static let title: LocalizedStringResource = "Add Task"
    static let description = IntentDescription("Creates a new task.")

    @Parameter(title: "Title") var taskTitle: String

    func perform() async throws -> some IntentResult & ProvidesDialog {
        try await TaskStore.shared.add(title: taskTitle)
        return .result(dialog: "Added “\(taskTitle)”.")
    }
}

• title/description are required and user-visible.
• perform() is async throws — call your real model, don't duplicate logic.

Parameters

❌ Untyped, no prompt

@Parameter var value: String   // Siri can't elicit it well

✅

@Parameter(title: "Due date") var dueDate: Date
@Parameter(title: "Priority") var priority: Priority   // an AppEnum

AppEnum for fixed choices:

enum Priority: String, AppEnum {
    case low, normal, high
    static let typeDisplayRepresentation: TypeDisplayRepresentation = "Priority"
    static let caseDisplayRepresentations: [Priority: DisplayRepresentation] =
        [.low: "Low", .normal: "Normal", .high: "High"]
}

AppEntity (model objects as parameters/results)

struct TaskEntity: AppEntity, Identifiable {
    let id: UUID
    let title: String
    static let typeDisplayRepresentation: TypeDisplayRepresentation = "Task"
    var displayRepresentation: DisplayRepresentation { .init(title: "\(title)") }
    static var defaultQuery = TaskQuery()
}

struct TaskQuery: EntityQuery {
    func entities(for ids: [UUID]) async throws -> [TaskEntity] { /* fetch */ }
    func suggestedEntities() async throws -> [TaskEntity] { /* recents */ }
}

App Shortcuts (zero-config Siri)

struct TasksShortcuts: AppShortcutsProvider {
    static var appShortcuts: [AppShortcut] {
        AppShortcut(intent: AddTaskIntent(),
                    phrases: ["Add a task in \(.applicationName)"],
                    shortTitle: "Add Task",
                    systemImageName: "plus.circle")
    }
}

Always include \(.applicationName) in at least one phrase.

Common mistakes checklist

• Business logic copied into perform() instead of calling the model.
• Untyped String parameters where Date/AppEnum/AppEntity fit.
• No AppShortcutsProvider, so users get no Siri phrases.
• Phrases missing \(.applicationName).
• Returning bare success with no dialog/snippet.
• EntityQuery without suggestedEntities().

Output format (when reviewing)

Per issue: file:line, rule, before/after. Flag intents that bypass the model layer first.