Xcode 26.3 includes an MCP server

This is a significant improvement in the ability to use agentic coding tools like Claude Code to build software for Apple’s platforms using native technologies.

Here’s Claude Code summarizing what it sees:

Xcode MCP Tools

Project Navigation & File Operations

1. XcodeListWindows - Lists current Xcode windows and workspace information
2. XcodeLS - Lists files and directories in the Xcode project structure (works on project organization, not filesystem)
3. XcodeGlob - Finds files matching wildcard patterns (e.g., .swift, **/.json)
4. XcodeRead - Reads file contents with line numbers (supports offset/limit for large files)
5. XcodeGrep - Searches for text patterns using regex in project files

File Modification

6. XcodeUpdate - Edits files by replacing text content (requires exact old_string match)
7. XcodeWrite - Creates or overwrites files (automatically adds new files to project structure)
8. XcodeMakeDir - Creates directories and groups in the project structure
9. XcodeRM - Removes files/directories from project (optionally deletes underlying files)
10. XcodeMV - Moves or renames files and directories (supports move/copy operations)

Build & Diagnostics

11. BuildProject - Builds the Xcode project and waits for completion
12. GetBuildLog - Retrieves current or most recent build log (filter by severity: error/warning/remark)
13. XcodeListNavigatorIssues - Lists issues from Xcode’s Issue Navigator (build errors, warnings, package resolution problems)
14. XcodeRefreshCodeIssuesInFile - Gets current compiler diagnostics for a specific file

Testing

15. GetTestList - Gets all available tests from the active scheme’s test plan
16. RunAllTests - Runs all tests from the active scheme’s test plan
17. RunSomeTests - Runs specific tests by target name and test identifier

Code Execution & Previews

18. ExecuteSnippet - Builds and runs a code snippet in the context of a specific file (includes console output)
19. RenderPreview - Builds and renders a SwiftUI Preview, returns UI snapshot

Key Features

• All file operations work on Xcode project structure, not filesystem paths
• Requires tabIdentifier (workspace tab) for most operations
• Supports filtering by severity, glob patterns, and regex
• Can handle large files with offset/limit parameters
• Automatically manages project file references when creating/moving files