Stream for Mac is a very minimal Mac application, just as the iOS app is for mobile devices. It syncs locally based on feeds you add yourself or import using OPML. It includes keyboard shortcuts that should feel familiar and uses the same core set of code used in Stream for iOS. If you run across a blog in your browser and youād like to subscribe to it just tap the share icon and select Subscribe In Stream to add your feed. Easy peasy.
Stream for Mac finally made itās way to the store, along with a slightly updated Stream for iOS.
I wanted to learn how to build a mac application from scratch so I got started on it about five years ago, maybe six. š³ In that time I scrapped what I had and restarted it too many times to count. The UI went from AppKit to SwiftUI and eventually back to AppKit where it stayed.
Those types of details do not matter for announcements, but this is my personal blog so I can mention them here. š
Itās been a lot of fun and frustration along the way. I shared a lot of what was happening in the Work Notes series of blog posts. Creating a truly great Mac App is extremely difficult (Iām not saying Stream is great, but Iād like it to be.) One day I want a true Mac Head to say āStream is a Mac-assed-Mac-app.ā That will bring a tremendous amount of joy to my heart and make the effort of building Stream all the more worth it.
Iām glad I decided to do this version of Stream in AppKit even though it wouldāve probably been better to do the entire application in SwiftUI. As it stands there is one bit of SwiftUI in the Mac app and Iāll be removing that in favor of a newly developed AppKit version. I did the table view cell in SwiftUI because I was struggling with getting the exact layout I was after using AppKit. After many hours, days, months of frustration I finall have something in AppKit that does exactly what Iām after. I hope to get this release out the door soon (who knows how soon, soon is, but there you go.)
All supporting UI features around the application will be written in SwiftUI moving forward so I can share more UI code between the two apps. I say that but Iām not sure if itāll be shared straight across? Iām thinking about the Settings dialog. On iOS itāll be one way, on the Mac itāll be like a Mac Settings dialog. So, mostly shared? š
Stream is, just like its iOS sibling, FREE. This release does not include a Tip Jar like the iOS version does but thatās coming when I have some time to make it. I need to add a Settings menu to the app and itāll go there.
Thanks
Iād also like to give a big thank you to everyone who supported me in one way or another along the way.
I have to start with my family of course! Kim, Haileigh, and Taylor for putting up with me all these long years. I love you all dearly and couldnāt live without you.
Iām going to try to get everyone listed, if I forget you, Iām very sorry. Let me know and Iāll do an update! You know who you are!
- Ashur Cabera - Ashur has been such a huge help to me over the years with HTML help and reporting bugs. Heās the reason we have support for Custom URL Schemes. It was his idea! Thank you, Ashur! ā¤ļø
- John Brayton - Yep, that John Brayton, developer of the incredible feed reader, Unread. John is extremely kind and supportive and has not only inspired me with Unread, heās also given me tips along the way to make me a better developer. John is a fantastic developer and incredible human being! Thank you, John! ā¤ļø
- Iryna Rivera - I work at WillowTree Apps with Ms. Iryna Rivera. She is a kind, thoughtful, compassionate person who just so happens to be an incredible software engineer! I call her The Queen of UI because sheās so good at it. Great eye for details and SwiftUI expert! Thank you, Iryna. ā¤ļø
- Marc Palmer - Marc has been a friend for at least 10-years now. Heās given me some excellent development advice and feedback along the way. Thank you, Marc! ā¤ļø
- Steven Vore - Steven is an OLD friend and early blogger. Heās selfless, super smart, and all around amazing human. Thanks, Steven. ā¤ļø
- Bill Lazar - Another longtime friend and early blogger. I also consider Bill a philosopher whoās extremely compassionate for others, smart, and loves soccer to an extreme. Thanks, Bill! ā¤ļø
- Lucien Dupont - Lucien has been a big supporter of my efforts to deliver Stream for Mac and he helped me to fix a long standing bug in Stream for iOS I had no idea I had. Thank you, Lucien! ā¤ļø
- Joshua Nozzi - Joshua became a friend a few years back via Mastodon. He is one of the smartest folks Iāve ever had the pleasure to know. Thank you for all of your Stream feedback and support, Josh! ā¤ļø
- Thomas Brand - What can I say about Thomas. He is a real joker who adds a lot of levity to Mastodon. I appreciate that. Maybe someday weāll meet in person, Thomas. Iād like that. Please, do yourself a favor and check out Thomasā website. Itās what the web is all about! Thank you! ā¤ļø
- Mark Wyner - Mark and I are mutual follows on Mastodon and heās very quietly supported Stream for Mac all along the way. Thank you, Mark! ā¤ļø
- Scott Wright - Scott describes himself as āHusband, father, retired, software hack, and Apple nerd.ā No wonder I like him so much! Thanks you, Scott! ā¤ļø
- Ged Maheux - Iāve never had the pleasure of meeting Ged in person but Iād love to. He is a kind soul, friend, and amazing designer at the shop he co-founded: The Iconfactory. Thank you, Ged! ā¤ļø
- Sean Heber - Sean another kind, compassionate, human who makes incredible software at The Iconfactory. Youāll know him from his work on Twitterrific and Tapestry. Thank you for your encouragement, Sean! Youāre a great software engineer! ā¤ļø
The Iconfactory
I cannot say enough good things about The Iconfactory. Theyāre the folks behind Twitterrific which was my Twitter client of choice for years and years. I loved me some Ollie! LONG LIVE OLLIE!
A very special thanks to Ged, Cheryl, and Anthony. They did the incredible marketing illustration for Streamās feature in the App Store a few years back ā has it been that long? ā and most recently they reimagined Streamās icon for Appleās Liquid Glass.
Iāve always loved Streamās icon. The original was done by master designer Tim Van Damme and I absolutely adored it. I think itās the best thing about Stream. You should get it just for the icon!
But I digress. This is about The Iconfactory.
What I love about the work they did on the Stream icon is how lovingly they treated it. It is the face of Stream afterall and they treated that face is a very kind way by taking what I see as great and elevating it to feel at home in our new Liquid Glass world, whithout taking away its identity. Compare the original to the updated version and youāll see how nuanced the work really is!
Itās just gorgeous and I couldnāt be happier.
Theyāre a tiny company of extremely talented folks. They do everything from award winning Mac and iOS Applications to Award Winning Design. Marketing, Branding, Illustration, App Design, you name it, they have the talent to do it!
Hire them. You will not regret it.