pod lib lint complaints about header files outside of header_mappings_dir

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07-10-2024

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Fixing "Header Files Outside of header_mappings_dir" in CocoaPods

Problem: You're trying to build a CocoaPod and you're encountering the dreaded "header files outside of header_mappings_dir" error from pod lib lint. This error usually happens when you have header files in your pod that are not listed in the header_mappings_dir section of your Podspec file.

Scenario: Let's say you have a pod named "MyAwesomeLibrary" with the following structure:

MyAwesomeLibrary/
├── MyAwesomeLibrary.h
├── Source/
│   ├── MyAwesomeClass.h
│   └── MyAwesomeClass.m
└── Example/
    └── Example/
        └── ViewController.m

Your MyAwesomeLibrary.podspec looks like this:

Pod::Spec.new do |s|
  s.name             = 'MyAwesomeLibrary'
  s.version          = '1.0.0'
  s.summary          = 'An amazing library!'
  s.homepage         = 'https://github.com/YourUsername/MyAwesomeLibrary'
  s.license          = { :type => 'MIT' }
  s.author           = { 'Your Name' => '[email protected]' }
  s.source           = { :git => 'https://github.com/YourUsername/MyAwesomeLibrary.git', :tag => s.version }

  s.source_files = 'Source/**/*.{h,m}'
  s.public_header_files = 'MyAwesomeLibrary.h'
  s.frameworks = 'UIKit'

  s.dependency 'AFNetworking', '~> 3.0'
end

When you run pod lib lint, you might see an error similar to:

[!] The following header files are not listed in the `header_mappings_dir` section of your Podspec:
    MyAwesomeLibrary/MyAwesomeLibrary.h

Why the error?

The header_mappings_dir setting in your Podspec is crucial for CocoaPods to correctly identify and include your headers when integrating your library into a project. Essentially, it maps your pod's internal directory structure to how it will be presented to the consuming project.

The error occurs because you're trying to include a header file (MyAwesomeLibrary.h) that isn't directly under the directory specified by header_mappings_dir. By default, CocoaPods assumes your header_mappings_dir is the root of your pod, so any files not within Source, Classes, or other explicitly defined directories will throw this error.

Fixing the Problem:

1. Update your Podspec:

   There are a few ways to address this error. The easiest is to move the MyAwesomeLibrary.h file into the Source directory along with the other source files.

   Pod::Spec.new do |s|
     # ... existing code ...
   
     s.source_files = 'Source/**/*.{h,m}'
     s.public_header_files = 'Source/MyAwesomeLibrary.h' # Moved to the Source directory
     s.frameworks = 'UIKit'
   
     # ... existing code ...
   end
   

2. Explicitly set header_mappings_dir:

   If you want to keep MyAwesomeLibrary.h at the root of your pod, you can explicitly set the header_mappings_dir to an empty string:

   Pod::Spec.new do |s|
     # ... existing code ...
   
     s.source_files = 'Source/**/*.{h,m}', 'MyAwesomeLibrary.h'
     s.public_header_files = 'MyAwesomeLibrary.h'
     s.header_mappings_dir = '.' # This tells CocoaPods to include files from the pod's root directory
     s.frameworks = 'UIKit'
   
     # ... existing code ...
   end
   

3. Use subspecs:

   For more complex libraries, you can leverage subspecs to organize your code. Subspecs can have their own header_mappings_dir settings, allowing you to define different header structures within your pod.

Additional Notes:

• Make sure your source_files setting in your Podspec accurately reflects the location of all your source files.
• If you're still encountering issues, double-check your Podspec for any typos or inconsistencies in the file paths.
• You can always consult the CocoaPods documentation for more detailed information on Podspec settings and best practices: https://guides.cocoapods.org/syntax/podspec.html

By carefully configuring your Podspec, you can ensure that your library integrates seamlessly into other projects and avoids potential headaches with header file management.