iOS App — App Store

WebView-OK

A backend engineer turned engineering manager
built his first vibe app — a real-device verification tool
designed for WebView developers.

Swift Xcode Vibe Coding 2025.7

Problem

Apps generally fall into two categories: fully native, or hybrid apps that embed web content via WebView. WebView is essentially a webpage running inside a native app shell. As a system integrator (SI), we frequently need to embed WebViews in client apps — but none of the existing tools provided a convenient way to verify WebView behavior on real devices.

As a backend engineer turned engineering manager, I had never touched Swift or Xcode. But I knew exactly what tool the team needed — something universal and easy to use that lets WebView developers verify their work on actual hardware. So I decided to vibe code it from scratch with AI.

Process

1

Requirements & AI Collaboration

Catalogued the team's everyday WebView pain points: incorrect Safe Area padding, no quick way to switch User-Agent headers, no console for debugging. Broke down the requirements, then handed the entire Swift implementation to AI — a full vibe coding exercise.

2

Gesture System Design

Designed three two-finger gestures to keep the interface clean while packing in functionality: single tap hides the URL bar to simulate a no-UI state, double tap opens the web console, and long press opens the settings page. All features accessible without a single extra button.

3

Real-Device Testing & Iteration

Tested repeatedly on simulators and iPhones — fine-tuning padding values, gesture sensitivity, and UI transition animations. Whenever issues came up, I'd screenshot them for AI, fix, rebuild. Iteration was incredibly fast.

4

App Store Launch

Prepared screenshots, wrote the description, and passed App Review. Officially published on July 9, 2025 — free for any developer who needs to verify WebView behavior on real devices.

Features

Three two-finger gestures + a full settings page

👆

Hide URL Bar

Two-finger single tap to simulate a no-UI WebView state

🔍

Web Console

Two-finger double tap to open and debug JavaScript in real time

⚙️

Settings Page

Two-finger long press to access all preferences

📐

Safe Area Padding

Adjust top/bottom padding to test WebView embedding values

🌐

User-Agent Simulation

Custom device HTTP headers to simulate different environments

🌏

Bilingual UI

Switch freely between Traditional Chinese and English

Insight

This is a textbook vibe coding story: turning an idea directly into a shipped product with AI.

As a backend engineer turned manager, I can't write Swift — but I know exactly what tools my team needs. AI let me leap over the technical barrier, handling everything from requirements to App Store launch on my own.

This isn't about replacing engineers — it's about empowering people with domain knowledge to build their own tools.