SPM plugin cannot depend on executable target that's already used by a product

[zienag]

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

When an executable target is referenced by both a product and a plugin dependency, SPM fails with "no product named 'TargetName'" error, even though the plugin should be able to depend on the target directly.

Expected behavior

The plugin should be able to depend on the executable target directly, regardless of whether it's used by a product.

Actual behavior

Build fails with: error: no product named 'MyExecutableTarget'

Steps to reproduce

Create a package with this structure:

  products: [
    .executable(name: "my-tool", targets: ["MyExecutableTarget"]),
    .plugin(name: "my-plugin", targets: ["MyPlugin"]),
  ],
  targets: [
    .executableTarget(name: "MyExecutableTarget", dependencies: [...]),
    .plugin(
      name: "MyPlugin",
      capability: .buildTool(),
      dependencies: ["MyExecutableTarget"]
    ),
  ]

Workaround

Create a duplicate product with the target's name:

  products: [
    .executable(name: "my-tool", targets: ["MyExecutableTarget"]),
    .executable(name: "MyExecutableTarget", targets: ["MyExecutableTarget"]), // Workaround
    .plugin(name: "my-plugin", targets: ["MyPlugin"]),
  ]

Swift Package Manager version/commit hash

Swift Package Manager - Swift 6.1.0

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

swift-driver version: 1.120.5 Apple Swift version 6.1.2 (swiftlang-6.1.2.1.2 clang-1700.0.13.5)
Target: arm64-apple-macosx15.0
Darwin Mac 24.5.0 Darwin Kernel Version 24.5.0: Tue Apr 22 19:54:43 PDT 2025; root:xnu-11417.121.6~2/RELEASE_ARM64_T8132 arm64