Flutter 3.44 to Default to Swift Package Manager, Phasing Out CocoaPods

Breaking: Flutter 3.44 Makes Swift Package Manager the Default

The next stable Flutter release, version 3.44, will replace CocoaPods with Swift Package Manager (SwiftPM) as the default dependency manager for iOS and macOS apps. This shift eliminates the need for Ruby or CocoaPods installations to run Flutter projects on Apple platforms.

“We are moving to Apple’s supported dependency management solution to ensure your apps continue receiving updates and have access to the Swift package ecosystem,” a Flutter team spokesperson said.

Background: CocoaPods Enters Maintenance Mode

CocoaPods is now in maintenance mode. Its registry will become permanently read-only on December 2, 2026. After that date, no new versions or pods can be added.

Existing builds will still work, but without fresh dependency updates or new packages. Flutter’s transition to SwiftPM ensures long-term compatibility and aligns with Apple’s direction.

What This Means: Impact on App Developers and Plugin Authors

For App Developers

The Flutter CLI handles the migration automatically. When you build or run your iOS or macOS app, the tool updates your Xcode project to use SwiftPM. Full documentation is available in the Flutter migration docs for app developers.

If your project depends on plugins that haven’t adopted SwiftPM, Flutter will print a warning listing each unsupported dependency. It will temporarily fall back to CocoaPods for those plugins only.

Because CocoaPods support will eventually be removed entirely, you should contact plugin maintainers to request Swift package support or switch to a compatible alternative if a build breaks.

Opt-Out Procedure

1. Open your pubspec.yaml file.
2. Under the flutter section, locate the config block.
3. Set enable-swift-package-manager to false.

flutter:
  config:
    enable-swift-package-manager: false

If you disable SwiftPM, please file a bug report on the Flutter GitHub issue template. Include error details, your plugin list with versions, and copies of Xcode project files to help the team resolve issues before CocoaPods is fully removed.

For Plugin Developers

Plugin authors who maintain iOS or macOS plugins must add SwiftPM support if they haven’t already. Currently, 61% of the top 100 iOS plugins have migrated.

“We need the remaining plugins on board so app developers aren’t stuck relying on a deprecated tool,” the Flutter team warned. To encourage adoption, packages without SwiftPM support now receive lower pub.dev scores until they migrate.

Steps to add support:

• Add a Package.swift file to your plugin.
• Move source files to match the standard Swift package structure.
• If you migrated during the 2025 pilot, you must add FlutterFramework as a dependency in your Package.swift file.

Refer to the full Flutter migration docs for plugin developers for details.

Summary of Key Dates and Actions

• Flutter 3.44 – SwiftPM becomes default.
• December 2, 2026 – CocoaPods registry read-only.
• App developers – CLI handles migration; temporarily opt-out available.
• Plugin developers – Must migrate or face lower pub.dev scores.