XcodeBuildMCP
XcodeBuildMCP is a Model Context Protocol server (and companion CLI) that exposes Xcode build, simulator, device, and debugging operations as tools AI coding agents can call when working on iOS and macOS projects. It lets agents like Cursor, Claude Code, and Codex build, run, and inspect Apple platform apps without manual shell juggling.
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[](https://opensources.dev/resource/xcodebuildmcp)MITPermissive — free to use in commercial and proprietary software, with attribution.View license →
Production readiness
5/5- Actively maintainedCommits in the last 6 months
- No known vulnerabilitiesNo OSV advisories
- Clear, usable licenseMIT (permissive)
- Proven adoptionWidely used
- Has documentationDocumentation indexed
npm install xcodebuildmcpOur analysis
An MCP server plus unified CLI from Sentry that wraps xcodebuild, the iOS simulator, physical devices, and log/debug capture as discrete tools an AI agent can invoke. It bridges LLM coding agents to the Apple toolchain.
When to use XcodeBuildMCP
Use it when an AI coding agent needs to build, run, test, or debug iOS/macOS apps autonomously — e.g. driving Claude Code or Cursor through a Swift project's build-test-fix loop, or scripting Xcode tasks from the terminal with a daemon for stateful log capture.
When not to
Skip it if you aren't using an AI agent and just want a build automation tool — fastlane, Tuist, or raw xcodebuild scripts are more direct. It's also moot off macOS, since the Apple toolchain it wraps is macOS-only.
Strengths
- Backed by Sentry with strong adoption (~6k stars) and active maintenance
- Single package gives both an MCP server and a standalone CLI
- Broad coverage: build, simulator, device, code signing, log capture, debugging
- Drop-in config snippets for major MCP clients (Cursor, Claude Code, Codex); runnable via npx with no global install
- Optional agent 'skills' prime the model on correct tool usage
Trade-offs
- Hard-locked to macOS 14.5+, Xcode 16.x, and Node 18+ — narrow environment matrix
- Bundles Sentry telemetry by default (opt-out available)
- Device tools require manual Xcode code-signing setup
- Value is contingent on using an MCP-capable agent; little benefit standalone over existing build tooling
- Skips Swift Macro validation by default, which may mask certain build issues
Maturity
Mature and actively maintained under Sentry's umbrella, published to npm and Homebrew with versioned releases, in-place upgrade tooling, and thorough hosted documentation. Tied to a fast-moving Xcode/MCP ecosystem, so version compatibility needs attention.
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server and CLI that provides tools for agent use when working on iOS and macOS projects.
Installation
XcodeBuildMCP ships as a single package with two modes: a CLI for direct terminal use and an MCP server for AI coding agents. Either install method gives you both.
Option A — Homebrew
brew tap getsentry/xcodebuildmcp
brew install xcodebuildmcp
Option B — npm (Node.js 18+)
npm install -g xcodebuildmcp@latest
Verify either install:
xcodebuildmcp --help
Connect your MCP client
Drop-in config snippets for Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, can be found in the official docs page MCP Clients. Most clients can also run the MCP server on demand via npx -y xcodebuildmcp@latest mcp without a global install.
Requirements
macOS 14.5 or later
Xcode 16.x or later
Node.js 18.x or later (not required for Homebrew installation)
Skills
XcodeBuildMCP now includes two optional agent skills:
MCP Skill: Primes the agent with instructions on how to use the MCP server's tools (optional when using the MCP server).
CLI Skill: Primes the agent with instructions on how to navigate the CLI (recommended when using the CLI).
To install with a global binary:
xcodebuildmcp init
Or install directly via npx without a global install:
npx -y xcodebuildmcp@latest init
For further information on installing skills, see Agent Skills.
Notes
XcodeBuildMCP requests xcodebuild to skip macro validation to avoid errors when building projects that use Swift Macros.
Device tools require code signing to be configured in Xcode. See Device Code Signing.
Privacy
XcodeBuildMCP uses Sentry for internal runtime error telemetry only. For details and opt-out instructions, see Privacy & Telemetry.
CLI
XcodeBuildMCP provides a unified command-line interface. The mcp subcommand starts the MCP server, while all other commands provide direct terminal access to tools:
# Install globally
npm install -g xcodebuildmcp@latest
# Start the MCP server (for MCP clients)
xcodebuildmcp mcp
# List available tools
xcodebuildmcp tools
# Build for simulator
xcodebuildmcp simulator build --scheme MyApp --project-path ./MyApp.xcodeproj
Check for updates and upgrade in place:
xcodebuildmcp upgrade --check
xcodebuildmcp upgrade --yes
The CLI uses a per-workspace daemon for stateful operations (log capture, debugging, etc.) that auto-starts when needed. See the CLI guide for full documentation.
Documentation
Installation: https://xcodebuildmcp.com/docs/installation
MCP clients: https://xcodebuildmcp.com/docs/clients
CLI usage: https://xcodebuildmcp.com/docs/cli
Configuration and options: https://xcodebuildmcp.com/docs/configuration
Tools reference: https://xcodebuildmcp.com/docs/tools
Troubleshooting: https://xcodebuildmcp.com/docs/troubleshooting
Contributing: https://xcodebuildmcp.com/docs/contributing
Licence
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details. For third-party licensing notices see the THIRD_PARTY_LICENSES file for details. For npm package attributions see the THIRD_PARTY_PACKAGE_LICENSES file for details.