`swift package describe` fails when package contains a product backed by a binary target

[FranzBusch]

Is it reproducible with SwiftPM command-line tools: swift build, swift test, swift package etc?

• Confirmed reproduction steps with SwiftPM CLI. The description text must include reproduction steps with either of command-line SwiftPM commands, swift build, swift test, swift package etc.

Description

Raised here apple/swift-protobuf#1854 (comment)

Summary

Running xcrun swift package describe --type json on the latest swift-protobuf main branch fails because the executable product protoc is authored as an executable target without a main.swift entry point.

Steps to Reproduce

1. git clone https://github.com/apple/swift-protobuf.git
2. cd swift-protobuf
3. Ensure you are on the current main branch
4. Run xcrun swift package describe --type json

Expected Result

The command succeeds and emits the package description.

Actual Result

error: 'swift-protobuf': executable product 'protoc' expects target 'protoc' to be executable; an executable target requires a 'main.swift' file

Expected behavior

No response

Actual behavior

No response

Steps to reproduce

No response

Swift Package Manager version/commit hash

No response

Swift & OS version (output of swift --version ; uname -a)

No response

[treitter]

Hi, I believe this issue is the reason I can no longer build my iOS app and I don't think I can work around it at all so this is pretty urgent for me.

I'd really appreciate any help here. Thanks in advance!

(This only started when I upgraded to Xcode 26 and I don't believe I can install an older version on macOS 26).

[FranzBusch]

@treitter can you expand how this is impacting building your iOS app. You should always be able to pin down dependencies so you can pin protobuf to before it added the binary target.

[treitter]

@FranzBusch ah, this release has taken me so long I forgot I upgraded my packages. I can confirm pinning swift-protobuf to an older version (1.28.2) solves my build issue.

So, this issue isn't urgent for me after all.

Thanks for the suggestion!