Flutter is flipping the switch. Starting with the upcoming stable release 3.44, Swift Package Manager (SwiftPM) will become the default dependency manager for iOS and macOS apps, effectively retiring CocoaPods from the Flutter ecosystem.
The Big Change
For developers, this means no more manual Ruby or CocoaPods installations. The Flutter CLI now handles the migration automatically when you run or build your iOS or macOS app, updating Xcode project settings behind the scenes.
If your app depends on plugins that haven't adopted SwiftPM yet, Flutter will print a warning listing exactly which dependencies are unsupported. Temporary fallback to CocoaPods will be provided for those plugins, but that safety net will eventually vanish.
“This transition marks a critical step forward for the Flutter ecosystem,” said Maria Chen, Flutter product lead. “Swift Package Manager offers a faster, more secure, and officially supported dependency management solution. We urge all plugin developers to migrate as soon as possible.”
Plugins without SwiftPM support will now receive lower pub.dev scores, adding pressure for adoption. Currently, 61% of the top 100 iOS plugins have already migrated, according to Flutter's tracking.
Background
CocoaPods has been in maintenance mode for some time. Its registry will become permanently read-only on December 2, 2026, and no new versions or pods will be added after that date. Existing builds will continue to work, but the tool is effectively sunset.
Flutter's shift to SwiftPM aligns with Apple’s strategic direction for dependency management in Xcode. The move eliminates the need for Ruby runtime and complex CocoaPods setup, simplifying the developer experience.
What This Means
For app developers, the transition should be mostly seamless thanks to automatic migration. However, if SwiftPM causes a breaking issue, you can temporarily disable it by setting enable-swift-package-manager: false under the flutter section in pubspec.yaml.
If you opt out, file a bug report using the Flutter GitHub template, including error details, plugin list, and Xcode project files. This will help the team fix issues before CocoaPods support is fully removed.
Plugin developers face a harder deadline: they must add SwiftPM support by adding a Package.swift file and restructuring source files to match the Swift package layout. Those who already migrated during the 2025 pilot need one additional step – adding FlutterFramework as a dependency.
“We understand migration can be disruptive,” added Chen. “But staying on CocoaPods will leave your app without updates and ultimately break your build. The time to act is now.”
Next steps: Read the official Flutter migration docs for app developers and plugin developer migration guide for detailed instructions.