XcodeBuildMCP

XcodeBuildMCP is a local stdio MCP server and CLI for Apple platform development with Xcode. It exposes tools for Xcode project discovery, simulator and device workflows, builds, tests, debugging, UI automation, project scaffolding, code coverage, and optional Xcode IDE bridge access.

Installation

Install with Homebrew or npm. Homebrew is recommended when users do not want a Node runtime dependency:

brew tap getsentry/xcodebuildmcp
brew install xcodebuildmcp

For npm-based installs, Node.js 18 or later is required:

npm install -g xcodebuildmcp@latest

MCP clients usually launch the server with stdio using:

{"command":"npx","args":["-y","xcodebuildmcp@latest","mcp"],"env":{}}

If the package is installed through Homebrew or globally, use command: "xcodebuildmcp" and args: ["mcp"].

Configuration

XcodeBuildMCP reads configuration at startup from environment variables and from <workspace-root>/.xcodebuildmcp/config.yaml. Session defaults can also be set through MCP tools, and the documented precedence is session defaults over the config file over environment variables.

Important runtime environment variables include XCODEBUILDMCP_ENABLED_WORKFLOWS, XCODEBUILDMCP_CWD, XCODEBUILDMCP_SENTRY_DISABLED, XCODEBUILDMCP_DEBUG, INCREMENTAL_BUILDS_ENABLED, debugger settings such as XCODEBUILDMCP_DEBUGGER_BACKEND and XCODEBUILDMCP_DAP_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS, AXe helper paths, template override paths, daemon/socket settings, and session defaults such as XCODEBUILDMCP_PROJECT_PATH, XCODEBUILDMCP_WORKSPACE_PATH, XCODEBUILDMCP_SCHEME, simulator/device identifiers, platform, configuration, derived data path, and bundle ID.

Run xcodebuildmcp setup to interactively write project defaults. Use xcodebuildmcp setup --format mcp-json to print an env-based MCP bootstrap config block.

Capabilities

The MCP server advertises tools and resources over stdio. Tool exposure is controlled by enabledWorkflows or XCODEBUILDMCP_ENABLED_WORKFLOWS, with docs stating the default MCP surface is simulator-focused to keep agent context small.

Reviewed capabilities include project and scheme discovery; simulator boot/reset/install/launch/screenshot/video/status-bar/location/permission workflows; simulator, device, macOS, and Swift package build/test/run operations; app lifecycle management; UI automation through AXe; LLDB/DAP debugging; code coverage report generation; project scaffolding; session defaults; doctor diagnostics; workflow discovery; and optional Xcode 26.3+ IDE bridge proxying through xcrun mcpbridge for IDE-only tools such as previews, Issue Navigator queries, documentation search, and Project Navigator operations.

Limitations

XcodeBuildMCP is a local stdio server; no hosted remote endpoint is documented. It requires macOS 14.5 or later and Xcode 16.x or later for Xcode operations, with Xcode 26+ needed for the Xcode IDE Bridge. npm/npx installs require Node.js 18 or later. Physical device workflows require code signing and provisioning already configured in Xcode. UI automation and video workflows depend on the bundled AXe helper or an explicit AXe path override. Xcode-launched agents may need the documented /bin/zsh -lc PATH/NVM workaround so npx, Homebrew, and Xcode tools are discoverable. Sentry runtime error telemetry is enabled by default and can be disabled with XCODEBUILDMCP_SENTRY_DISABLED=true, SENTRY_DISABLED=true, or sentryDisabled: true in config.