🧮 Mext – Custom iOS Math Symbols Keyboard

Mext is an iOS keyboard extension built in Swift that allows users to type math symbols easily.
It supports dynamic key colors, iOS-like key animations, and a mini-game mechanic for playful interaction while typing.

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✨ Features

• 🎨 Dynamic key colors – Customize individual key colors or entire themes
• ✨ iOS-like key animations – Smooth and natural key tap animations
• 🧮 Math symbol support – Quickly type common mathematical symbols
• 🕹️ Mini-game mechanic – Keys can trigger a "clicker"-style system with counters and probabilities
• 🛠️ Helper functions – Utilities for text input, layout adjustments, and internal keyboard logic
• 📦 Swift + UIKit – Fully written in Swift, compatible with modern iOS versions

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🛠 Tech Stack

Component	Technology
Language	Swift
Development	iOS SDK (Xcode)
Architecture	Modular / UIKit-based
Testing	Xcode Unit & UI Tests

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🏗 Project Overview

The keyboard extension separates UI, logic, and helper functions for maintainability:

• 🎛️ KeyboardViewController – Handles layout, taps, animations, and symbol input
• 🛠️ HelperFunctions.swift – Utility functions for text input, counters, and mini-game logic
• 🖋️ Symbols.swift – Defines available math symbols
• 🎨 Assets.xcassets – Key colors, icons, and themes

This modular design ensures easy feature extensions, testing, and maintainability.

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📂 Project Structure

├── 📁 Mext
│   ├── 📁 Assets.xcassets
│   │   ├── 📁 AccentColor.colorset
│   │   │   └── ⚙️ Contents.json
│   │   ├── 📁 AppIcon.appiconset
│   │   │   ├── ⚙️ Contents.json
│   │   │   ├── 🖼️ mext_icon_any.png
│   │   │   └── 🖼️ mext_icon_dark.png
│   │   └── ⚙️ Contents.json
│   ├── 🍎 ContentView.swift
│   ├── 📄 Mext.entitlements
│   └── 🍎 MextApp.swift
├── 📁 Mext.xcodeproj
│   ├── 📁 project.xcworkspace
│   │   ├── 📁 xcshareddata
│   │   │   └── 📁 swiftpm
│   │   │       └── 📁 configuration
│   │   └── 📄 contents.xcworkspacedata
│   ├── 📁 xcshareddata
│   │   └── 📁 xcschemes
│   │       ├── 📄 Mext.xcscheme
│   │       └── 📄 keyboard ext.xcscheme
│   └── 📄 project.pbxproj
├── 📁 MextTests
│   └── 🍎 MextTests.swift
├── 📁 MextUITests
│   ├── 🍎 MextUITests.swift
│   └── 🍎 MextUITestsLaunchTests.swift
├── 📁 keyboard ext
│   ├── 🍎 HelperFunctions.swift
│   ├── 📄 Info.plist
│   ├── 🍎 KeyboardViewController.swift
│   ├── 🍎 Symbols.swift
│   └── 📄 keyboard ext.entitlements
├── ⚙️ .gitignore
└── 📝 README.md

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🚀 Running the Project

Requirements

• macOS & Xcode
• iOS Simulator or physical iPhone

Steps

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone git@github.com:acai10/Mext-Custom-iOS-Math-Symbols-Keyboard.git

2. Open in Xcode: Open Mext.xcodeproj
3. Replace bundle identifiers and App Group IDs (see section below)
4. Build & Run: Select a simulator or device and press Cmd + R
5. Enable the keyboard in iOS settings:
   Settings → General → Keyboard → Add New Keyboard → Mext

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🔧 Configuration – Bundle Identifiers & App Groups

Before building, replace all occurrences of the placeholder identifiers with your own values.

App Group ID

The App Group is used to share data between the main app and the keyboard extension. Replace every occurrence of:

group.com.acai10.mext

with your own App Group ID, e.g.:

group.com.yourname.mext

You'll need to update this in the following places:

• Mext/Mext.entitlements
• keyboard ext/keyboard ext.entitlements
• Any code in HelperFunctions.swift or KeyboardViewController.swift that references the App Group

Bundle Identifier

Replace the bundle identifier com.acai10.mext with your own in:

• Xcode project settings → Select the Mext target → General → Bundle Identifier
• Xcode project settings → Select the keyboard ext target → General → Bundle Identifier (typically com.yourname.mext.keyboard-ext)
• keyboard ext/Info.plist

App Group Registration (Apple Developer Portal)

Make sure your App Group is registered in the Apple Developer Portal:

1. Go to Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles → Identifiers
2. Create a new App Group with your chosen ID (e.g., group.com.yourname.mext)
3. Add the App Group to both your App ID and your Keyboard Extension ID
4. Regenerate and download the corresponding provisioning profiles

⚠️ Without matching App Group IDs across the app and extension, data sharing between them will not work.

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🎯 Purpose

This project explores:

• iOS keyboard extension development with Swift and UIKit
• Custom UI design with dynamic key colors and animations
• Math symbol input for easy typing of common symbols
• Lightweight modular architecture for maintainable and testable code

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🔮 Future Improvements

• Customizable keyboard themes
• Expanded math symbol sets
• Enhanced mini-game counters and probabilities
• Haptic feedback support
• Optional iCloud sync for user settings

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⚠️ Disclaimer

This project is for educational and experimental purposes only.
It is not intended for professional mathematical software, but as a playful and practical keyboard extension.