How to open a .swift file
Quick, free ways to open Swift on any system.
A .swift file is a Swift Source File. If double-clicking does nothing, your computer simply does not have an app that reads Swift yet. Here is how to fix that on each operating system, using free software wherever possible.
Open a .swift file step by step
- Confirm the file really is a .swift. Drop it into the WhatFileType file identifier, which reads its signature without uploading anything.
- On Windows, open it with VS Code (with Swift toolchain) or any text editor.
- On Mac, use Xcode or VS Code.
- On Linux, try VS Code or vim.
- Still stuck? Convert the .swift to app (via Xcode), which opens more widely.
Best apps to open .swift files
Windows
- VS Code (with Swift toolchain)
- any text editor
macOS
- Xcode
- VS Code
- any text editor
Linux
- VS Code
- vim
- Swift toolchain
!
Before you open it: Caution. A .swift file is program source. Building and running it executes its code; review unfamiliar files first.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I open my .swift file?
Almost always because no installed app understands Swift. Install one of the apps above, or convert the file to a format your existing software already reads.
How do I run a .swift file?
On a Mac with Xcode, swift file.swift runs it as a script, or build an app in Xcode. The Swift toolchain also runs on Linux.
Do I need a Mac to write Swift?
For iPhone and Mac apps, effectively yes, because Xcode is Mac-only. Swift itself, for server or command-line code, also runs on Linux and Windows.