MCP Server

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MIT

io.github.cameroncooke/XcodeBuildMCP MCP Server

io.github.cameroncooke/XcodeBuildMCP

Give AI coding agents direct control over Xcode builds, simulators, and app management.

What is the io.github.cameroncooke/XcodeBuildMCP MCP server?

XcodeBuildMCP is a Model Context Protocol server and CLI that gives AI coding agents (like Claude Code and Cursor) tools to build, manage, and test iOS and macOS Xcode projects. It exposes capabilities for Xcode project management, simulator management, and app utilities, and can run either as an MCP server for AI clients or as a standalone command-line tool.

XcodeBuildMCP is a single package that ships both an MCP server and a CLI for working with Xcode projects. It lets AI agents (or a developer via terminal) build projects, manage iOS/macOS simulators, and run app utilities without manually driving Xcode. It requires macOS 14.5+, Xcode 16+, and can be installed via Homebrew or npm; device tools additionally require code signing to be configured in Xcode.

How to install io.github.cameroncooke/XcodeBuildMCP

Copy-paste configuration for popular MCP clients.

transport: stdio

Config generated by PluginBench — verify against the source before use.

Claude Desktop

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "XcodeBuildMCP": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "xcodebuildmcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Cursor

~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "XcodeBuildMCP": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "xcodebuildmcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Windsurf

~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "XcodeBuildMCP": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "xcodebuildmcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

VS Code

.vscode/mcp.json

{
  "servers": {
    "XcodeBuildMCP": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "xcodebuildmcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

claude mcp add XcodeBuildMCP -- npx -y xcodebuildmcp

Tools & capabilities

Tools this server exposes to the agent.

simulator build — Build a project for the iOS Simulator, e.g. via `xcodebuildmcp simulator build --scheme MyApp --project-path ./MyApp.xcodeproj`.
tools — List available tools exposed by the CLI/MCP server.
mcp — Start the MCP server for use by MCP clients such as Cursor or Claude Code.
upgrade — Check for and apply updates to the XcodeBuildMCP installation.
init — Install optional agent skills (MCP Skill or CLI Skill) to prime an agent with usage instructions.

Use cases

Build an iOS/macOS app for the simulator directly from an AI coding assistant
Manage and control iOS simulators (e.g. launching, installing apps) via agent or CLI commands
Let an AI agent inspect and drive Xcode project builds without manual Xcode interaction
Use the CLI to script Xcode builds and simulator operations in automation/CI
Capture logs and debug apps using the CLI's per-workspace daemon

io.github.cameroncooke/XcodeBuildMCP MCP server FAQ

What does XcodeBuildMCP do?

It provides tools for Xcode project management, iOS/macOS simulator management, and app utilities, accessible either through an MCP server for AI agents or through a unified CLI for direct terminal use.

Is XcodeBuildMCP free?

Yes, it's open source under the MIT License and free to install via Homebrew or npm.

How do I install XcodeBuildMCP for use with Cursor or Claude Code?

Install it via Homebrew (`brew tap getsentry/xcodebuildmcp && brew install xcodebuildmcp`) or npm (`npm install -g xcodebuildmcp@latest`), then add the client config snippet from the official docs, or run it on demand with `npx -y xcodebuildmcp@latest mcp` without a global install.

Is authentication required to use XcodeBuildMCP?

No account or API key is required, but device (physical hardware) tools require code signing to be set up in Xcode.

What are the system requirements?

macOS 14.5 or later, Xcode 16.x or later, and Node.js 18.x or later (Node.js is not required if installing via Homebrew).

Does XcodeBuildMCP collect any data?

It uses Sentry for internal runtime error telemetry only; details and opt-out instructions are documented on the project's Privacy & Telemetry page.

README (reference)

Source of truth, from the repository.

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
Setup: https://xcodebuildmcp.com/docs/setup
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
Privacy: https://xcodebuildmcp.com/docs/privacy
Skills: https://xcodebuildmcp.com/docs/skills
Contributing: https://xcodebuildmcp.com/docs/contributing

Licence

Apache-2.0

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