clerk-swift Skill: What It Does and How to Install It

Makes your coding agent add Clerk sign-in to a native Swift app with prebuilt ClerkKitUI views or custom ClerkKit flows.

Installs: 14.8K; on skills.sh
Stars: 89; on GitHub
Files: 3; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Oct 2026; last repo commit

The SKILL.md has the agent set up Clerk first if the project has no clerk-ios package or Clerk.configure call. It follows Clerk's iOS setup prompt, which uses the Clerk CLI to choose a Clerk application, install the SDK, configure capabilities and register the native app. After that it asks for prebuilt or custom, loads one reference file and implements the flow.

It loads for Swift, SwiftUI, UIKit or native iOS and macOS Clerk work. It tells the agent not to use it for Expo or React Native. It needs Xcode and the ClerkKit Swift package.

Good for

Swift and SwiftUI developers adding Clerk to iOS or macOS apps
Teams that want prebuilt AuthView and UserButton screens
Teams that build custom sign-in screens close to AuthView

Install clerk-swift

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the clerk-swift skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

/plugin marketplace add clerk/skills
/plugin install clerk@clerk-skills

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Pick one route. The plugin installs all 20 skills in the Clerk repo (counted from the repo tree) and adds the Clerk MCP server from the repo's .mcp.json, which points at https://mcp.clerk.com/mcp. The skills-only routes install just this skill and no MCP server config. The README says to open /plugin, go to Marketplaces, select clerk-skills and enable auto-update if you want updates.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Implement Clerk authentication UI in native Swift apps on iOS and macOS with ClerkKitUI prebuilt views or custom ClerkKit flows. Set up Clerk first with the iOS setup prompt, which uses the Clerk CLI. Do not use for Expo or React Native projects.

Sections in SKILL.md

Activation Rules
Set up Clerk first
What Do You Need?
Quick Start
Decision Tree
Flow References
Interaction Contract
Preserve Completed Setup
Source-Driven Implementation
Workflow
Common Pitfalls
See Also

Key facts

Author: Clerk (the skill is in Clerk's own clerk/skills repo)
License: MIT (README, plugin.json and SKILL.md frontmatter; the repo has no LICENSE file)
Installs on skills.sh: 14,768 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars: 89 for the whole clerk/skills repo (Nov 2, 2026)
Last repo commit: Oct 30, 2026
What it includes: 4 files including SKILL.md: 2 reference files and an evals/evals.json file
Needs: Xcode and the ClerkKit Swift package (SKILL.md compatibility line); the Clerk CLI through npx for setup
Works in: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and GitHub Copilot CLI through the plugin; any agent through npx skills

What it includes

Confirm the project is native Swift and not Expo or React Native.
Looks for .xcodeproj, .xcworkspace or Package.swift. If Expo or React Native signals appear, the SKILL.md routes to the general setup skill.
Read · Activation check
Follow the iOS setup prompt, which uses the Clerk CLI.
Chooses a Clerk application, installs the SDK, sets capabilities and registers the native app. The manual quickstart is the fallback when the CLI cannot set up the project.
Try: “Add Clerk to my SwiftUI app”
Runs code · Set up Clerk first
Present AuthView and UserButton from ClerkKitUI.
Follows references/prebuilt.md. The target needs the ClerkKitUI product as well as ClerkKit.
Write · Prebuilt flow
Build custom screens on ClerkKit that follow AuthView steps.
Follows references/custom.md. It keeps screens close to AuthView structure and gates steps at runtime from the Clerk environment.
Write · Custom flow
Run npx -y clerk@latest doctor to report Clerk and project setup.
The SKILL.md says it reports SDK linkage, capabilities, native registration and the Apple connection.
Runs code · Doctor check
Keep the existing Clerk.configure call and key loading.
The agent adds only what the selected flow needs and does not replace custom key loading with a hardcoded key.
Read · Preserve setup

From the official docs

Permissions

Medium risk

The skill runs Clerk's CLI to set up your iOS or macOS project, which installs the SDK and changes capabilities and app registration. Review the changes to your Xcode project before you commit them.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It runs the Clerk CLI and its doctor check through npx
The SKILL.md says the iOS setup prompt uses the Clerk CLI to choose a Clerk application, install the SDK, configure capabilities and register the native app, and that npx -y clerk@latest doctor checks the setup. Review the changes to your Xcode project before you commit them. github.com
It edits your Swift project
The SKILL.md has the agent add a package product or capability when the chosen flow needs it and keep your existing Clerk.configure and key loading. Review the diff before you commit it. github.com
The plugin route also adds the Clerk MCP server
The plugin's .mcp.json registers https://mcp.clerk.com/mcp. Use the skills CLI route if you only want this skill. github.com

Security advisories

No published security advisories as of Nov 2, 2026.

Technical details

Turning on read-only	No read-only mode.
Talks to	WebFetch tool (the frontmatter allows it; the setup prompt is a clerk.com docs page). Clerk CLI (setup prompt; npx -y clerk@latest doctor)
Sign-in and keys	The SKILL.md says the Clerk CLI supplies the publishable key and to keep an existing app's own key loading.
Scopes	Your Swift project files The Clerk CLI setup for your Clerk application

Questions

What does clerk-swift do?

It makes your coding agent write Clerk sign-in screens for a native iOS or macOS Swift app, using ClerkKitUI prebuilt views or custom flows on ClerkKit. It sets up Clerk first with the Clerk CLI when the project has none.

How do I install clerk-swift?

Use the install box above. The Claude Code plugin route installs every Clerk skill and the Clerk MCP server, and the skills CLI route installs only this skill. Pick one route, not both, or you get the skills twice.

Is clerk-swift official?

Yes. It is published in Clerk's own clerk/skills repository, and the plugin.json in that repo lists Clerk as the author.

Does clerk-swift work in the Claude app or Codex?

Codex, Cursor and GitHub Copilot CLI each have a plugin install in the README. The README does not document uploading Clerk skills to the Claude app, and this skill's job is to change code in a local project, so the install box has no Claude app tab.

Does it need a Clerk account or API key?

The SKILL.md says the Clerk CLI supplies the publishable key during setup, so you do not paste one. It does not say how the CLI signs you in, so follow its prompts.

Is clerk-swift safe to install?

Its SKILL.md makes the agent change files in your project and use Clerk keys from your env file, and its frontmatter allows the WebFetch tool. Our advice: read each change before you commit it, and keep the secret key out of git.

Can I use it for an Expo or React Native app?

No. The SKILL.md says not to activate it for Expo or React Native projects and to route to the general setup skill. Clerk has a separate clerk-expo skill for Expo.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: clerk/skills
Folder: skills/clerk-swift

clerk/skills skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 4

clerk-swift SKILL.md · github.com
clerk/skills README · github.com
clerk plugin.json · github.com
clerk .mcp.json · github.com