So, I'm new to Swift, but I'm trying to get my app idea off the ground and am trying to find a way to create the main module of the app - two users see in real time, where the other one touches their screen. So, each of them see a red dot light up on their screen wherever the other one touched it. Ideally dot should change in diameter based on the pressure of the touch.

What OS will a Swift Student Challenge submission run on? I want to use iOS 26 features but the version history for Swift Playground doesn’t show it being updated past the iOS 17.5 SDK. So, can I still use features from the iOS 26 SDK?

My app uses Foundation Models and Apple Pencil. The app runs great through Xcode; however, due to Apple Pencil support, it has to be run on a physical device. However, Swift Playgrounds on iPad doesn't support iOS 26. I was just wondering if this is something that can be mentioned in submission notes. eg. The app needs to be compiled in Xcode but run on a physical device.” Or should we expect iPadOS 26 support for Swift Playgrounds by the time of submission? Thank you!

👋Hi, I want to ask what equipment the auditors in SSC will use to evaluate students' playground, whether it is iPad pro and mac with camera, or something else. And what system will they use, iPadOS/macOS 26 or something else? Looking forward to your reply. Thank you

To whoever is bothered enough to help (trust me, I get the feeling if you're not), I want to enter the swift student challenge either this year or next year, depending on how things play out. Anyway, I just wanted to know two things: 1) how long on average it takes to build a project which won distinguished winner and 2) whether any distinguished winners could send me the playgrounds they built. To be clear, I do not want the code, I just want to know what you did, what you called the playground, a list of some features it had, how long it took, just to help me prepare, because YouTube doesn't have much of that. Thanks :)

I hope you’re having a fantastic New Year and that your apps are doing great! This is my first time entering SSC , and I’m excited to share that I’m developing a screen timer app. The idea is to encourage you to take breaks by suggesting a run or workout instead of spending too much time on your screens. I was wondering, have anyone else included short videos or animations in their entries before? Also, could my screen time timer be running in the background? I know there are some limitations with integrations like HealthKit and Screen Time, which is why I’m using a regular countdown timer on the App Store as a prototype. I’m just trying to clarify the rules below to make sure that it’s all good to go : “If your submission includes any open source software, music, photos, artwork, or any other content that you do not have ownership rights in, you agree to (a) comply with all applicable licensing terms and copyright obligations and (b) provide an explanation of why it was used.” And regarding any tracking stuff in the disqualification section, whereas nothing in the app should include: “You track and/or insert analytics code in your App Store meant to identify or track judges’ activity while they review your App Store.” But my app will only have a simple timer in it.

Hi everyone, I'm currently working on a Swift Playgrounds project where I need to incorporate a Metal shader file. However, when I tried to include my shader file (PincushionShader.metal), I encountered the following error: Is it possible to use Metal shader files within Swift Playgrounds, it is really important for my swift student challenge scene? If not, are there any workarounds or recommended approaches for testing Metal shaders in a similar environment? Any guidance or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Hello! i developed an app for the Swift Student Challenge and submitted it, can I publish it to the app store before it is judged.

Announcing the Swift Student Challenge 2026 Every year, Apple’s Swift Student Challenge celebrates the creativity and ingenuity of student developers from around the world, inviting them to use Swift and Xcode to solve real-world problems in their own communities and beyond. Learn more → https://developer.apple.com/swift-student-challenge/ Submissions for the 2026 challenge will open February 6 for three weeks, and students can prepare with new Develop in Swift tutorials and Meet with Apple code-along sessions. The Apple Developer team is here is to help you along the way - from idea to app, post your questions at any stage of your development here in this forum board or be sure to add the Swift Student Challenge tag to your technology-specific forum question. Your designs. Your apps. Your moment.