Stewart Lynch News
​2025-20

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​https://stewartlynch.kit.com​

Hiding in plain sight

In last Sunday’s video, I walked through a real-world example of just how easy it is to extract an API key from a compiled iOS app—even if it was never committed to source control. Using a simple thesaurus app that fetches synonyms from the Merriam-Webster API, I demonstrated the dangers of hardcoding your API keys and then introduced a secure solution using Swift ConfidentialKit. If you missed it, this step-by-step tutorial shows how to install and configure the necessary packages, set up obfuscation with a YAML config, and safely access your encrypted keys—all while keeping them out of your Git repo.

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Feedback accepted

That video on API key obfuscation struck a chord. It has been the most-watched video on my channel in a long time, with over 1,200 views in the first 24 hours. That’s a number I normally reach after a week, so it’s clear this topic matters to a lot of developers.

The obfuscation technique I covered works well for protecting keys from being extracted directly from a compiled app, and that’s a big step forward. But several viewers rightly pointed out a critical issue: the API key is still transmitted over the network. That means tools like Charles Proxy can easily sniff it out, which defeats the purpose of hiding the key in the first place.

So where does that leave us? Ideally, we need a solution that does not require setting up a custom server to act as a middleman. A lot of you reached out with helpful suggestions, and I plan to dig deeper into the alternatives. This definitely feels like a topic worth revisiting in a follow-up video.

Give Your SwiftUI App a Visual Upgrade — New Video Coming Sunday!

Coming next Sunday: I’ll show you how to supercharge your SwiftUI apps by integrating two powerful tools — the SF Symbols Picker and the Emoji Picker — both packaged and ready to drop into your project. You’ll see real-world examples like emoji-based mood tracking and dynamic folder icons with custom colors and symbols. Whether you’re building a productivity app, a journaling tool, or just want better UI customization, this walkthrough will get you there fast.

Stay tuned — starter project and full demo included!

Digging Into WWDC 25: New Videos Coming Soon

My WWDC 25 content is well underway. I’ve finished recording and editing the first two videos in my What’s New in Xcode 26 series. I love this time of year because it pushes me to really dig deep so that every video delivers real value for the time you spend watching.

Both of these videos are already available to my monthly Ko‑Fi supporters. The first one will go public on the first Sunday in August.
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As I write this, I’m deep into researching and scripting a video on Icon Composer. I’m aiming to make it the most comprehensive resource available on the topic. I’m excited to share it with you soon. After that, I’ll be covering the new features introduced this year for SF Symbols.
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I need to create a number of videos ahead of time so that I don't miss a Sunday release while I am away in France for 3 weeks in September.

There’s always something new to learn and pass along. Stay tuned.

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My Other Stuff

Channel Listing App

A Searchable Mac app containing a list of all of my YouTube videos including the ability to watch them in the app and download starter and completed source code

Free on Gumroad

CustomGPT

A custom ChatGPT that has indexed the transcripts of my videos.
Add to your ChatGPT Sidebar​

Smile4Me Course

Learn how to build a multi-targeted app using a Jokes API.
Don't let the low cost of the course fool you into believing that low cost means low content. 6.5 hours of content and 56 videos.

​Enrol in the course

Affiliate Links

Below are a number of affiliate links for products that I not only endorse but use all the time. I will never endorse something that I do not believe in.

AppScreens

Simply the best way to create your Screenshots for your AppStore connect submissions
​https://appscreens.com/?via=92e164​

RocketSim - Build Apps Faster 

This is an invaluable tool when working with the simulator in Xcode.

   https://gumroad.com/a/122988499/ftvbh 

BigMountain Studio Books 

Mark Moeykens is a master at creating SwiftUI reference books. I have purchased every one of these books and refer to them all the time.

Use this link and we both will benefit

​https://www.bigmountainstudio.com/a/77jt8​