xctools

xctools is an MCP server that provides structured access to Apple's Xcode development toolchain, including xcodebuild, xcrun, and xctrace. Built for iOS and macOS developers using Model Context Protocol clients like Claude Desktop and Visual Studio Code, it bridges local Apple developer utilities with language model workflows. The server enables AI assistants to inspect system SDKs, locate active compiler tools like Clang or Swift, and execute development utilities directly on macOS. Developers can trigger builds for Xcode projects and workspaces, run test suites on target simulators, archive release bundles, and inspect schemes or targets without leaving their chat interface. Additionally, xctools integrates with Instruments via xctrace, allowing assistants to record performance traces, list available profiling templates, symbolicate trace files using local debug symbols, and export trace data to standard formats like XML. By operating over standard input and output streams, xctools provides structured command execution and error reporting for macOS build automation, diagnostic profiling, and project configuration tasks.

Category: Cloud & Infrastructure

Tags: build-automation, ios, macos, xcode, xctrace

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How to install and configure xctools

1. Ensure macOS has Python 3.13+ and Xcode Command Line Tools installed (xcode-select --install). 2. Install uv or clone https://github.com/nzrsky/xctools-mcp-server and run pip install .. 3. For Claude Desktop, edit ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json to include: json { "mcpServers": { "xctools": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["xctools-mcp-server"], "env": {} } } } 4. For VS Code with the MCP Extension, add the same configuration under mcp.servers in settings.json. 5. Restart your client to start the server over stdio.

What you can do with xctools

• Compiling Xcode projects and workspaces for iOS simulator or macOS destinations directly using automated xcodebuild_build commands. - Executing project test suites on specific iOS simulator device targets and reporting structured test results back to the assistant. - Locating active toolchain binaries and displaying installed SDK paths or version details via xcrun_find_tool and xcrun_show_sdk_path. - Recording Instruments performance traces with xctrace_record for specific templates like Time Profiler on connected devices or simulators. - Exporting recorded trace files into XML format or symbolicating trace stacks with local debug symbols for performance diagnosis.

Key facts

• https://github.com/nzrsky/xctools-mcp-server
• Cloud & Infrastructure, Developer Tools & Code Intelligence
• build-automation, ios, macos, xcode, xctrace

Part of MCP Servers

What is xctools?

xctools is a Model Context Protocol server that bridges Apple development command-line tools with AI assistants. It exposes structured tools for running xcodebuild, xcrun, and xctrace, allowing assistants to build applications, execute tests, inspect SDK paths, and profile code on macOS.

What prerequisites are required to run xctools?

xctools requires a macOS environment with Xcode or Xcode Command Line Tools installed and configured via xcode-select. It also requires Python 3.13 or higher and an MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop or Visual Studio Code with an MCP extension.

Which Xcode features can xctools automate?

The server supports building and testing Xcode projects and workspaces, creating distribution archives, listing targets and schemes, discovering available SDKs and destinations, locating toolchain binaries like Swift and Clang, and recording or exporting performance traces using Instruments via xctrace.

Is xctools open source?

Yes, xctools is open source software distributed under the terms of the MIT License. You can inspect the implementation, report issues, and contribute pull requests by visiting the project repository on GitHub at nzrsky/xctools-mcp-server.

How does xctools communicate with MCP clients?

xctools communicates with MCP clients using the standard input and output transport protocol. Clients like Claude Desktop or VS Code launch the server locally using the xctools-mcp-server executable or via uvx, passing commands and returning structured tool execution results.