iOS Icon Generator
Generate PNG icon imagesets for Xcode asset catalogs from two sources.
When to Activate
- Generating icon assets for an iOS/macOS Xcode project
- Searching for icons across open source collections
- Creating PNG imagesets (1x, 2x, 3x) for asset catalogs
- Replacing placeholder icons with production-quality assets
- Matching existing icon styles in an Xcode project
Core Principles
1. Two Sources, One Output Format
Both sources produce identical Xcode-compatible imagesets. Choose based on need:
| Source | Icons | Requires | Best for |
|---|
| Iconify API | 275,000+ from 200+ collections | Internet | Wide selection, specific styles, open source icons |
| SF Symbols | 5,000+ Apple symbols | macOS only | Apple-native style, offline use |
2. Always Match Existing Style
Before generating, check the project's existing icons for size, color, and weight consistency.
3. Output Structure
Both methods produce a complete Xcode imageset:
<output-dir>/<asset-name>.imageset/
Contents.json
<asset-name>.png # 1x (68px default)
<asset-name>@2x.png # 2x (136px default)
<asset-name>@3x.png # 3x (204px default)
Examples
Step 1: Assess Requirements
Determine icon needs: what the icon represents, preferred style, target color, and size.
If the project already has icons, check existing style:
bash
# Check dimensions of existing icon
sips -g pixelWidth -g pixelHeight path/to/existing@2x.png
Step 2: Search for Icons
Iconify API (recommended for wide selection):
bash
# Search all collections
$SKILL_DIR/scripts/iconify_gen.sh search "receipt"
# Search within a specific collection
$SKILL_DIR/scripts/iconify_gen.sh search "business card" --prefix mdi
# List available collections
$SKILL_DIR/scripts/iconify_gen.sh collections
SF Symbols (for Apple-native style):
Browse the SF Symbols app or reference common names:
| Use Case | Symbol Name |
|---|
| Document | , |
| Receipt | , |
| Person | , |
| Camera | , |
| Scan | , |
| Settings | , |
Step 3: Preview (Optional)
bash
# Iconify preview
$SKILL_DIR/scripts/iconify_gen.sh preview mdi:receipt-text-outline
Step 4: Generate
Iconify API:
bash
# Basic generation
$SKILL_DIR/scripts/iconify_gen.sh mdi:receipt-text-outline editTool_expenseReport
# Custom color and output location
$SKILL_DIR/scripts/iconify_gen.sh mdi:receipt-text-outline myIcon --color 007AFF --output ./Assets.xcassets/icons
Options:
(default: 68),
(default: 8E8E93),
(default: /tmp/icons)
SF Symbols:
bash
# Basic generation
swift $SKILL_DIR/scripts/generate_icons.swift doc.text.below.ecg editTool_expenseReport
# Custom color, weight, and output
swift $SKILL_DIR/scripts/generate_icons.swift person.crop.rectangle myIcon --color 007AFF --weight regular --output ./Assets.xcassets/icons
Options:
(default: 68),
(default: 8E8E93),
(default: thin),
(default: /tmp/icons)
Step 5: Verify and Integrate
- Read the generated @2x PNG to verify visually
- Copy to asset catalog if not output there directly:
bash
cp -r /tmp/icons/<name>.imageset path/to/Assets.xcassets/<group>/
- Build the project to verify Xcode picks up the new assets
Popular Iconify Collections
| Prefix | Name | Count | Style |
|---|
| Material Design Icons | 7400+ | Filled + outline variants |
| Phosphor | 9000+ | 6 weights per icon |
| Solar | 7400+ | Bold, linear, outline |
| Tabler Icons | 6000+ | Consistent stroke width |
| Lucide | 1700+ | Clean, minimal |
| Remix Icon | 3100+ | Filled + line variants |
| Carbon | 2400+ | IBM design language |
| HeroIcons | 1200+ | Tailwind CSS companion |
Scripts Reference
| Script | Source | Path |
|---|
| Iconify API (275k+ icons) | $SKILL_DIR/scripts/iconify_gen.sh
|
| SF Symbols (5k+ icons) | $SKILL_DIR/scripts/generate_icons.swift
|
Best Practices
- Search before generating -- browse available icons to find the best match
- Match existing project style -- check dimensions, color, and weight of existing icons before generating new ones
- Use Iconify for variety -- 200+ collections means you can find the exact style you need
- Use SF Symbols for Apple consistency -- they match system UI perfectly
- Generate directly to asset catalog -- use
--output ./Assets.xcassets/icons
- Verify visually -- always preview the @2x PNG before committing
Anti-Patterns
- Generating icons without checking existing project icon style
- Using default colors when the project has a defined color palette
- Generating at wrong sizes (check existing icons first)
- Committing generated icons without visual verification