App Intent Overload
App Intent Overload
If you’ve been following the development of Apple’s operating systems and software features over the past several years, you’re well aware of the foundational role App Intents play in so many parts of the ecosystem. From Shortcuts actions and interactive widgets to system-wide controls and Spotlight’s upcoming quick key feature in macOS Tahoe, App Intents are everywhere. And of course, they’re going to play a key role in the more personalized version of Siri that’s still in the works.
At its most basic level, an App Intent is a way for an app to offer a piece of its functionality to the operating system outside of the app itself. Rather than remaining self-contained, an app can use App Intents to become modular and integrate not only with the operating system, but even with other apps in Shortcuts automations. If you’ve ever added a control from a third-party app to Control Center, you’ve benefited from App Intents. It’s truly incredible what they’re capable of, and their expansion has made Apple’s platforms more customizable and automatable than ever.