Kotlin Tooling Native Build Performance
Diagnoses and fixes slow Kotlin/Native compilation and linking in Kotlin Multiplatform...
Install
npx skills add Kotlin/kotlin-agent-skills --skill kotlin-tooling-native-build-performance -g -a claude-code -y- Repository
- Kotlin/kotlin-agent-skills1.1k
- Category
- Mobile
- Updated
- 5d ago
- License
- Apache-2.0
- Context cost
- Mediumabout 1,820 tokens
- Runs scripts
- Yes, review before use
What it does
Diagnoses and fixes slow Kotlin/Native compilation and linking in Kotlin Multiplatform projects that target iOS. Use when the user reports slow iOS or shared-framework builds, long linkDebug*/linkRelease* or XCFramework tasks, cold CI builds that re-download the Kotlin/Native toolchain, KSP or other generated code on the native path, transitiveExport usage, or asks for a local-development versus CI build performance plan.
Kotlin/Native Build Performance
Turn "the iOS build is slow" into a measured diagnosis and a small set of safe fixes. Two rules apply throughout:
- Never trade away required release behavior. A faster local loop must not change what CI publishes.
- Measure before and after with the same command and the same build state. An unmeasured fix is a guess.
Step 0: Classify the Slow Scenario
Establish four facts before editing anything: where (local or CI), what (debug feedback loop or release/distribution artifact), state (first build, clean, warm, or no-op), and phase (which tasks dominate the log). Then match the dominant symptom:
| Symptom in the build log | Likely cause | Read |
|---|---|---|
linkRelease* or *ReleaseXCFramework tasks in a local development loop | Building distribution artifacts for development | artifacts-and-targets |
| Kotlin/Native compiler distribution downloaded on every CI run | ~/.konan not preserved between runs | caching-and-gradle |
| Long pause before the first task starts | Configuration phase, no configuration cache | caching-and-gradle |
| All iOS targets build when only one simulator is needed | Broad task (build, assemble, assemble*XCFramework) or unused targets | artifacts-and-targets |
ksp* tasks ahead of compileKotlinIos* | Generated-code work on the native path | exports-and-generated-code |
| Small source edit recompiles and relinks everything | Compiler caches disabled, or missing incrementality | caching-and-gradle, experimental |
Machine overloaded while several link* tasks run at once | Parallel native linking | caching-and-gradle, worker-limit caveat |
