Xcode Tools Documentation

A reference for the Xcode MCP Server aka Xcode Tools — the tools that let an AI assistant drive Xcode: browse and edit the project, build, run, test, render previews, and more.

Reflects Xcode 27 beta 6 (27A5252f). 🆕 marks anything that doesn't exist in the current release, Xcode 26.5 — see What's new in Xcode 27.

Start here: Quick start → Tools at a glance → Recipes. Then use the tool reference as a lookup, and the deep dives when you need internals.

Quick start

1. Have Xcode 27 running with an open workspace — or turn on headless mode, which needs no window.

2. Register the server with your coding tool. xcrun mcpbridge is the bridge into Xcode:

# Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport stdio xcode -- xcrun mcpbridge

# Codex
codex mcp add xcode -- xcrun mcpbridge

3. Verify with claude mcp list / codex mcp list, then ask the assistant to call XcodeListWindows — it returns the open windows and the tabIdentifier of each.

The one parameter to know: most tools take an optional tabIdentifier — which Xcode workspace tab to act on. Omit it when only one tab is open. In headless mode it is named workspaceIdentifier and takes a workspace identifier or an absolute path instead.

How the pieces fit

Piece	What it is
xcrun mcpbridge	The stdio MCP server your agent talks to. Connects to the Xcode selected by xcode-select; MCP_XCODE_PID targets a specific instance, MCP_XCODE_SESSION_ID passes a session UUID. Its run-agent subcommand launches a coding agent pre-configured with these tools (xcrun mcpbridge run-agent claude, --dry-run, --no-xcode-tools), and run-agent skills inspects and exports Xcode's own skills.
Windowed mode	The default: tools act on a workspace open in an Xcode window. This is what the tool reference below documents.
Headless mode 🆕	xcrun mcp-server — the same engine with no window and longer-lived permissions. The same xcrun mcpbridge command reaches it. See Headless mode.
Schema files	tools.json, tools-headless.json, tools-26.5.json — the raw tools/list output. See Schema.

Tools at a glance

53 tools in the windowed server, 54 in headless mode, 57 in total — each links to its full entry in the tool reference. Tools that exist in only one of the two modes are marked (windowed only) / (headless only).

Workspace — find your way around and pick what to act on

Tool	What it does
XcodeListWindows	List open Xcode windows and their tabIdentifiers
XcodeListWorkspaces 🆕	List workspaces open in the headless server (headless only)
XcodeOpenWorkspace 🆕	Open a workspace and get its identifier (headless only)
XcodeCloseWorkspace 🆕	Close a workspace (headless only)
XcodeGetCurrentFile	Get the file the user is looking at, with the selection (windowed only)
XcodeListSchemes 🆕	List schemes and identify the active one
XcodeSwitchScheme 🆕	Change the active scheme
XcodeListRunDestinations 🆕	List run destinations for the active scheme
XcodeSwitchRunDestination 🆕	Change the active run destination

File Operations — the familiar file tools, but through the project navigator

Tool	What it does
XcodeLS	List files and groups at a project path
XcodeGlob	Find files by wildcard pattern
XcodeGrep	Search file contents by regex
XcodeRead	Read a file with line numbers
XcodeWrite	Create or overwrite a file — new files are added to the project
XcodeUpdate	Edit a file by find-and-replace
XcodeMakeDir	Create a directory/group
XcodeMV	Move, copy, or rename
XcodeRM	Remove from the project, optionally from disk

Project Configuration 🆕 — change project settings without touching project.pbxproj

Tool	What it does
XcodeListTargets 🆕	List targets with product type and role flags
XcodeListTemplates 🆕	List project/target templates and their options
XcodeNewProject 🆕	Create a project from a template (headless only)
XcodeNewTarget 🆕	Add a target from a template
AddEntitlement 🆕	Add an entitlement for a restricted capability
AddInfoPlist 🆕	Add or update an Info.plist key
GetTargetBuildSettings 🆕	Read all build settings of a target
UpdateTargetBuildSetting 🆕	Set, append to, or delete a build setting
GetFileCompilerFlags 🆕	Read per-file compiler flags
UpdateFileCompilerFlags 🆕	Set, append to, or delete per-file compiler flags

Build & Run — compile, launch, inspect

Tool	What it does
BuildProject	Build the active scheme and wait for the result
GetBuildLog	Read errors and warnings from the last build
RunCodeSnippet	Build and run a snippet in the context of a source file
RunProject 🆕	Run the active scheme (Cmd+R)
StopProject 🆕	Stop the running app (Cmd+.)
GetConsoleOutput 🆕	Read stdout, stderr, and OSLog from a launch session
InvokeDebuggerCommand 🆕	Send an lldb command to the active debug session

Testing — everything runs against the active scheme's active test plan

Tool	What it does
XcodeListTestPlans 🆕	List test plans and identify the active one
XcodeSwitchTestPlan 🆕	Change the active test plan
GetTestList	Discover test identifiers
RunAllTests	Run the whole test plan
RunSomeTests	Run specific tests by identifier

Diagnostics — compiler and workspace issues

Tool	What it does
XcodeRefreshCodeIssuesInFile	Get current diagnostics for one file
XcodeListNavigatorIssues	Read the Issue Navigator (windowed only)

Device Interaction 🆕 — drive a simulator or device and see what happened

Tool	What it does
DeviceInteractionStartSession 🆕	Start a session without a workspace
DeviceInteractionStartWorkspaceSession 🆕	Start a session bound to a workspace
DeviceInteractionInstallAndRun 🆕	Build, install, and launch the app on the device
DeviceInteractionSynthesize 🆕	Tap, swipe, type, press buttons — and capture the result
DeviceInteractionEndSession 🆕	End the session

Crash & Performance Reports 🆕 — field data from real users

Tool	What it does
GetTopCrashIssues 🆕	Top crash signatures of the last 14 days
GetCrashIssueLogs 🆕	Logs and triage guidance for one crash
GetTopFieldPerformanceIssues 🆕	Launch, hang, disk, and memory regressions
GetFieldPerformanceIssueLogs 🆕	Logs and traces for one performance issue

Localization 🆕 — String Catalogs

Tool	What it does
StringCatalogRead 🆕	List keys by translation state for a locale
StringCatalogContext 🆕	Get the source text and context for a key
StringCatalogEdit 🆕	Write a translation
LocalizationPlanner 🆕	Prepare the project for a locale — call first

Preview and Documentation

Tool	What it does
RenderPreview	Build and snapshot a SwiftUI preview
DocumentationSearch ⚠️	Semantic search over Apple Developer Documentation

Recipes

Common chains, to get a feel for how the tools compose:

Goal	Chain
Get oriented	XcodeListWindows → XcodeListSchemes → XcodeListTargets → XcodeGlob
Find and read code	XcodeGrep → XcodeRead
Edit and verify	XcodeUpdate → BuildProject → GetBuildLog
Run and watch	XcodeSwitchRunDestination → RunProject → GetConsoleOutput → StopProject
Test a change	XcodeListTestPlans → GetTestList → RunSomeTests
Exercise the UI	DeviceInteractionStartWorkspaceSession → DeviceInteractionInstallAndRun → DeviceInteractionSynthesize → DeviceInteractionEndSession
Triage a shipped crash	GetTopCrashIssues → GetCrashIssueLogs
Translate the app	LocalizationPlanner → StringCatalogRead → StringCatalogContext → StringCatalogEdit

---

Tool reference

Every entry below documents the windowed server; in headless mode read tabIdentifier as workspaceIdentifier.

Workspace

XcodeListWindows

Lists current Xcode windows and their workspace information. Use this to obtain tabIdentifier values needed by all other tools. Not available in headless mode — use XcodeListWorkspaces there.

Parameters: None

Example:

XcodeListWindows()

XcodeListWorkspaces 🆕

Headless mode only.

Lists the workspaces currently open in the headless server, with the identifier and path of each. Use a returned workspaceIdentifier (or an absolute path) to target other tools at a specific workspace.

Parameters: None

Example:

XcodeListWorkspaces()

XcodeOpenWorkspace 🆕

Headless mode only.

Opens a workspace or project at the given path and returns its workspaceIdentifier, along with workspacePath, activeScheme, and activeRunDestination. Opening a project also grants its enclosing folder a permission entry — see Permissions.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
path	string	Yes	Absolute path to the .xcworkspace or .xcodeproj to open

Example:

XcodeOpenWorkspace(path: "/Users/username/Developer/MyApp/MyApp.xcodeproj")

XcodeCloseWorkspace 🆕

Headless mode only.

Closes a workspace previously opened with XcodeOpenWorkspace.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
workspaceIdentifier	string	Yes	Identifier returned by XcodeOpenWorkspace or XcodeListWorkspaces

Example:

XcodeCloseWorkspace(workspaceIdentifier: "workspace-LKfjPJCMBL")

XcodeGetCurrentFile

Gets information about the currently active file in the Xcode editor, including file path, content, and selection. Returns content in cat -n format. Not available in headless mode, which has no editor.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
includeContent	boolean	No	Include file content in the response
includeSelection	boolean	No	Include current selection information
offset	integer	No	Line number to start reading from
limit	integer	No	Number of lines to read (default: up to 600)

Example:

XcodeGetCurrentFile(tabIdentifier: "...", includeSelection: true)

XcodeListSchemes 🆕

Lists all schemes in the workspace and identifies the active one, including sharing status and container project. Inline results are capped at 100 (active scheme first); the full list is written to fullSchemeListPath.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier

Example:

XcodeListSchemes(tabIdentifier: "...")

XcodeSwitchScheme 🆕

Changes the active scheme. Use XcodeListSchemes to discover scheme names — pass the disambiguated name when multiple schemes share a name. May also adjust the active run destination automatically.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
schemeName	string	Yes	Name (or disambiguated name) of the scheme to activate

Example:

XcodeSwitchScheme(tabIdentifier: "...", schemeName: "MyApp")

XcodeListRunDestinations 🆕

Lists run destinations for the active scheme, grouped like the Xcode picker (Devices, Simulators, Build, Incompatible, etc.) and identifies the active one. Inline results are capped at 40 (active destination first, "Incompatible" omitted by default); the full list is written to fullRunDestinationListPath.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
includeIncompatible	boolean	No	Include "Incompatible" destinations inline. Default: false

Example:

XcodeListRunDestinations(tabIdentifier: "...")

XcodeSwitchRunDestination 🆕

Changes the active run destination for the active scheme (the scheme itself is left unchanged). Pass the destination's displayTitle, sourced from XcodeListRunDestinations, XcodeSwitchScheme, or this tool's own output.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
displayTitle	string	Yes	Destination's disambiguated display title, as shown in the Xcode picker

Example:

XcodeSwitchRunDestination(tabIdentifier: "...", displayTitle: "iPhone 17 Pro")

---

File Operations

XcodeLS

Lists files and directories in the Xcode project structure at a given path. Operates on the project navigator hierarchy, not the filesystem.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
path	string	Yes	Project path to browse (e.g., ProjectName/Sources/)
recursive	boolean	No	List all files recursively (truncated at 100 lines). Default: true
ignore	string[]	No	Patterns to skip

Example:

XcodeLS(tabIdentifier: "...", path: "MyApp/Sources/")

XcodeGlob

Finds files in the Xcode project matching wildcard patterns. Supports *, **, ?, [abc], and {swift,m} syntax.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
pattern	string	No	Glob pattern (e.g., **/*.swift). Defaults to **/*
path	string	No	Directory to search in (defaults to project root)

Example:

XcodeGlob(tabIdentifier: "...", pattern: "**/*.swift")

XcodeGrep

Searches file contents using regex patterns within the Xcode project structure.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
pattern	string	Yes	Regex pattern to search for
path	string	No	File or directory to search in (defaults to root)
glob	string	No	Only search files matching this glob
type	string	No	File type shortcut (swift, js, py, etc.)
outputMode	string	No	content, filesWithMatches (default), or count
ignoreCase	boolean	No	Case-insensitive matching
multiline	boolean	No	Allow patterns to span multiple lines
showLineNumbers	boolean	No	Show line numbers (content mode only)
linesBefore	integer	No	Context lines before each match
linesAfter	integer	No	Context lines after each match
linesContext	integer	No	Context lines before and after each match
headLimit	integer	No	Stop after N results

Example:

XcodeGrep(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  pattern: "func viewDidLoad",
  type: "swift",
  outputMode: "content",
  linesAfter: 5
)

XcodeRead

Reads file contents with line numbers (cat -n format). Supports offset/limit for large files.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
filePath	string	Yes	Project-relative file path (e.g., ProjectName/Sources/MyFile.swift)
offset	integer	No	Line number to start reading from
limit	integer	No	Number of lines to read (default: up to 600)

Example:

XcodeRead(tabIdentifier: "...", filePath: "MyApp/Sources/ContentView.swift")

XcodeWrite

Creates or overwrites files in the Xcode project. Automatically adds new files to the project structure.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
filePath	string	Yes	Project-relative file path
content	string	Yes	File content to write

Example:

XcodeWrite(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  filePath: "MyApp/Sources/NewFeature.swift",
  content: "import Foundation\n\nstruct NewFeature {\n}\n"
)

XcodeUpdate

Edits files by finding and replacing text. Operates on project structure paths.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
filePath	string	Yes	Project-relative file path
oldString	string	Yes	Text to find
newString	string	Yes	Replacement text (must differ from oldString)
replaceAll	boolean	No	Replace all occurrences. Default: false

Example:

XcodeUpdate(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  filePath: "MyApp/Sources/ContentView.swift",
  oldString: "Hello, World!",
  newString: "Hello, SwiftUI!"
)

XcodeMakeDir

Creates directories and groups in the Xcode project navigator.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
directoryPath	string	Yes	Project-relative path for the new directory

Example:

XcodeMakeDir(tabIdentifier: "...", directoryPath: "MyApp/Sources/ViewModels")

XcodeMV

Moves, copies, or renames files and directories in the project navigator.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
sourcePath	string	Yes	Source path in project navigator
destinationPath	string	Yes	Destination path or new name
operation	string	No	move or copy
overwriteExisting	boolean	No	Overwrite files at destination

Example:

XcodeMV(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  sourcePath: "MyApp/Sources/OldName.swift",
  destinationPath: "MyApp/Sources/NewName.swift"
)

XcodeRM

Removes files and directories from the Xcode project. Optionally deletes underlying filesystem files.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
path	string	Yes	Project path to remove
recursive	boolean	No	Remove directories and contents recursively
deleteFiles	boolean	No	Also move files to Trash. Default: true

Example:

XcodeRM(tabIdentifier: "...", path: "MyApp/Sources/Deprecated.swift")

---

Project Configuration 🆕

XcodeListTargets 🆕

Lists targets in the workspace, optionally scoped to one project. Each entry carries the target name, containing project, product type, and role flags (isTestTarget, supportsHostingTests, isAppExtension, isAggregate). Hidden synthetic blueprints and Swift package products are excluded. Inline results are capped at 100; the full list is written to fullTargetListPath in grep-friendly format (TARGET_NAME, CONTAINING_PROJECT, PRODUCT_TYPE_IDENTIFIER, ...). Pass the returned containingProjectPath back as projectPath to other target-aware tools.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
projectPath	string	No	Restrict the listing to one .xcodeproj (with or without the suffix)
productTypeFilter	string[]	No	Product-type identifiers, full or suffixed (e.g. application, bundle.unit-test). Any non-empty filter excludes aggregate targets

Example:

XcodeListTargets(tabIdentifier: "...", productTypeFilter: ["application"])

XcodeListTemplates 🆕

Lists the target templates available in this Xcode install, with the option schema for each — the source of templateIdentifier and option keys for XcodeNewTarget. The unfiltered listing is large (~200 templates) and returns empty options for each entry; always pass at least one filter to get full options. Inline results are capped at 100; the complete list is written to fullTemplateListPath.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
kind	string	No	Template kind: target (default), or project in headless mode to feed XcodeNewProject
platformFilter	string[]	No	Platform identifiers or names (e.g. ios, macos). Multi-platform and platform-generic templates are always included
categoryFilter	string[]	No	Substrings matched against the category (e.g. Application, Framework & Library)
nameFilter	string	No	Substring matched against the template name (e.g. Widget)
templateIdentifier	string	No	Exact identifier — returns just that template with its options

Example:

XcodeListTemplates(platformFilter: ["ios"], categoryFilter: ["Framework & Library"])

XcodeNewProject 🆕

Headless mode only.

Creates a new Xcode project from a template and writes it to disk in a subdirectory of destinationPath named after productName. Discover templateIdentifier values and their options with XcodeListTemplates(kind: "project"). Open the result with XcodeOpenWorkspace.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
templateIdentifier	string	Yes	Template to instantiate (e.g. com.apple.dt.unit.storyboardApplication)
productName	string	Yes	Product name — becomes the project filename and default target name
destinationPath	string	Yes	Directory the project is created in
options	object	No	Template-specific options from XcodeListTemplates. All values are strings; checkboxes take true/false, YES/NO, or 1/0; popups must use a value from possibleValues. Do not pass productName or organizationIdentifier here
organizationIdentifier	string	No	Bundle identifier prefix (e.g. com.example)
teamIdentifier	string	No	Development team ID for code signing

Example:

XcodeNewProject(templateIdentifier: "com.apple.dt.unit.multiplatformApp", productName: "MyApp", destinationPath: "/Users/username/Developer", options: ["languageChoice": "SwiftUI"])

XcodeNewTarget 🆕

Adds a target to a project from a template. Discover templateIdentifier values and their options with XcodeListTemplates. Some templates derive a different target name from productName (e.g. Widget Extension appends Extension) — use the returned targetName for follow-up calls. If "Autocreate schemes" is on, a scheme may be created and activated; the result reports activeSchemeName.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
templateIdentifier	string	Yes	Template to instantiate (e.g. com.apple.dt.unit.iosFramework)
productName	string	Yes	Product name for the new target; must be unique within the destination project
options	object	No	Template options keyed by option identifier, values as strings. productName, organizationIdentifier, and bundleIdentifierPrefix are rejected here
organizationIdentifier	string	No	Bundle identifier prefix; defaults to the workspace's, or to the host app's when embedInAppNamed is set
embedInAppNamed	string	No	Existing app target to embed into (extensions, widgets, intents). Must live in the same project
projectPath	string	No	Owning .xcodeproj; required only in multi-project workspaces when embedInAppNamed doesn't disambiguate

Example:

XcodeNewTarget(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  templateIdentifier: "com.apple.dt.unit.iosFramework",
  productName: "MyFeature",
  options: { "languageChoice": "Swift" }
)

AddEntitlement 🆕

Adds an entitlement to the project's entitlements file. Reserve this for restricted system capabilities — App Groups, Push Notifications, iCloud, paid transactions, privileged IPC, etc. Not for standard frameworks (SwiftUI, MapKit, CoreLocation...) or Info.plist privacy strings — use AddInfoPlist for those.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
targetName	string	Yes	Target to add the entitlement to
entitlementKey	string	Yes	Entitlement key
entitlementValueType	string	Yes	bool, string, int, stringArray, or dictionary
entitlementValue	string	No	Value for bool/string/int types ("true"/"false" for bool)
entitlementValueItems	string[]	No	Values for stringArray type
entitlementDictionaryItems	string	No	JSON-encoded dictionary for dictionary type
projectPath	string	No	Path to the owning .xcodeproj; only needed when the target name is ambiguous

Example:

AddEntitlement(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  targetName: "MyApp",
  entitlementKey: "com.apple.security.application-groups",
  entitlementValueType: "stringArray",
  entitlementValueItems: ["group.com.example.myapp"]
)

AddInfoPlist 🆕

Adds or updates an Info.plist key — privacy usage descriptions, App Transport Security, supported orientations, URL schemes, background modes, bundle metadata, etc. Not for entitlements — use AddEntitlement for restricted system capabilities.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
targetName	string	Yes	Target to add the key to
infoPlistKey	string	Yes	Info.plist key (e.g., NSCameraUsageDescription)
infoPlistValueType	string	Yes	bool, string, int, stringArray, or dictionaryArray
infoPlistValue	string	No	Value for bool/string/int types ("true"/"false" for bool)
infoPlistValueItems	string[]	No	Values for stringArray type
infoPlistDictionaryItems	string	No	JSON-encoded array of dictionaries for dictionaryArray type
projectPath	string	No	Path to the owning .xcodeproj; only needed when the target name is ambiguous

Example:

AddInfoPlist(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  targetName: "MyApp",
  infoPlistKey: "NSCameraUsageDescription",
  infoPlistValueType: "string",
  infoPlistValue: "Used to scan documents"
)

GetTargetBuildSettings 🆕

Gets all build settings for an Xcode target. Use this rather than reading project.pbxproj directly.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
targetName	string	Yes	Target name
projectPath	string	No	Path to the owning .xcodeproj; only needed when the target name is ambiguous

Example:

GetTargetBuildSettings(tabIdentifier: "...", targetName: "MyApp")

UpdateTargetBuildSetting 🆕

Updates, appends to, or deletes a build setting on a target. Omit buildSettingValue to delete the setting. Use this rather than modifying project.pbxproj directly.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
targetName	string	Yes	Target name
buildSettingName	string	Yes	Build setting name
buildSettingValue	string	No	New value (omit to delete the setting; don't convert "NO" to "false")
appendValue	boolean	No	Append to the existing value instead of replacing it
projectPath	string	No	Path to the owning .xcodeproj; only needed when the target name is ambiguous

Example:

UpdateTargetBuildSetting(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  targetName: "MyApp",
  buildSettingName: "SWIFT_VERSION",
  buildSettingValue: "6.0"
)

GetFileCompilerFlags 🆕

Gets the per-file compiler flags for a source file in a target — the value shown in the Compiler Flags column of Target > Build Phases > Compile Sources. Returns an empty string when none are set. Note: flags on .swift files often don't affect builds, since Swift compiles per-module — prefer OTHER_SWIFT_FLAGS at the target level.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
targetName	string	Yes	Target whose build phase contains the file
filePath	string	Yes	Project-relative path to the source file
projectPath	string	No	Path to the owning .xcodeproj; only needed when the target name is ambiguous

Example:

GetFileCompilerFlags(tabIdentifier: "...", targetName: "MyApp", filePath: "MyApp/Sources/Legacy.m")

UpdateFileCompilerFlags 🆕

Updates, appends to, or deletes the per-file compiler flags for a source file. Use sparingly — prefer UpdateTargetBuildSetting unless a flag truly must apply to a single file (e.g. incrementally adopting -fbounds-safety). Note: flags on .swift files typically don't affect builds — prefer OTHER_SWIFT_FLAGS at the target level.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
targetName	string	Yes	Target whose build phase contains the file
filePath	string	Yes	Project-relative path to the source file
compilerFlags	string	No	Space-separated flags (e.g. "-DFOO=1 -Wno-unused-variable"); omit to delete all
appendValue	boolean	No	Append to existing flags (space-separated) instead of replacing
projectPath	string	No	Path to the owning .xcodeproj; only needed when the target name is ambiguous

Example:

UpdateFileCompilerFlags(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  targetName: "MyApp",
  filePath: "MyApp/Sources/Legacy.m",
  compilerFlags: "-fno-objc-arc"
)

---

Build & Run

BuildProject

Builds the Xcode project using the active scheme and waits for completion. The result carries the build outcome, any errors, and fullLogPath — the complete build log with command lines and task output.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
buildForTesting	boolean	No	🆕 Also build test targets that a regular build would skip

Example:

BuildProject(buildForTesting: true)

GetBuildLog

Retrieves build log entries from the current or most recent build. Filter by severity, file pattern, or message regex.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
severity	string	No	Minimum severity: error (default), warning, or remark
pattern	string	No	Regex to filter by message, task description, command line, or console output
glob	string	No	Glob to filter by file path or task location

Example:

GetBuildLog(tabIdentifier: "...", severity: "warning")

RunCodeSnippet

Renamed from ExecuteSnippet in Xcode 27, and gained a required purpose parameter.

Builds and runs a code snippet in the context of a specific source file and waits for the result. The snippet has access to all declarations in that file, including fileprivate ones. Output comes from print statements. Only works with source files in targets that build apps, frameworks, libraries, or CLI executables.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
codeSnippet	string	Yes	Swift code to execute
sourceFilePath	string	Yes	Project-relative path to the context file
purpose	string	Yes	Short human-readable description of why the snippet is being run (avoid the word "test" — this isn't related to testing)
timeout	integer	No	Max wait time in seconds. Default: 600

Example:

RunCodeSnippet(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  sourceFilePath: "MyApp/Sources/Models/User.swift",
  codeSnippet: "let user = User(name: \"Test\")\nprint(user)",
  purpose: "Inspect the default User description"
)

RunProject 🆕

Builds and runs the active scheme — equivalent to pressing Run (Cmd+R). Returns once the app has launched and is running.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
attachDebugger	boolean	No	Attach the debugger to the launched process. Default: false

Use InvokeDebuggerCommand to debug (with attachDebugger: true), GetConsoleOutput to read logs, and StopProject to stop the app when finished.

Example:

RunProject(tabIdentifier: "...", attachDebugger: true)

StopProject 🆕

Stops the currently running app — equivalent to pressing Stop (Cmd+.). Reports that there's nothing to stop if no app is running.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier

Example:

StopProject(tabIdentifier: "...")

GetConsoleOutput 🆕

Retrieves stdout, stderr, and OSLog output from a running or completed app launch session, with regex, severity, and context-line filtering.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
launchSessionReference	string	No	Launch session to read from. Defaults to the current/most recent session
outputType	string	No	stdio, oslog, or all (default)
oslogSeverity	string[]	No	Filter OSLog by severity: error, fault, info, debug, default
pattern	string	No	Regex to filter stdout/stderr text and OSLog messages
contextLines	integer	No	Context lines around pattern matches (like grep -C). Default: 0
includeMetadata	boolean	No	Include OSLog metadata (subsystem, category, pid, tid, sender). Default: false
tailLimit	integer	No	Max lines to return from the end of the output. Default: 500

Example:

GetConsoleOutput(tabIdentifier: "...", outputType: "oslog", oslogSeverity: ["error", "fault"])

InvokeDebuggerCommand 🆕

Sends an lldb command to Xcode's active debugging session and returns the output. The process must already be running with the debugger attached (e.g. via RunProject(attachDebugger: true)). The command runs in the same lldb session as Xcode's debug console. Start a debug session with process status unless you already know whether the process is stopped — expressions and other commands require a stopped process.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
command	string	Yes	lldb command (e.g. bt, po self, breakpoint set -n viewDidLoad, continue, thread step-over, frame variable)
timeout	integer	No	Max seconds to wait. Default: 30 (increase for commands that resume execution, like continue)

Example:

InvokeDebuggerCommand(tabIdentifier: "...", command: "po self.viewModel")

---

Testing

XcodeListTestPlans 🆕

Lists the test plans of the active scheme and identifies the active one. All testing tools (GetTestList, RunAllTests, RunSomeTests) and build-for-testing operate on the active plan. If the scheme hasn't been upgraded to test plans, usesTestPlans is false and testPlans is empty. Inline results are capped at 100 (active plan first); the full list goes to fullTestPlanListPath.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier

Example:

XcodeListTestPlans(tabIdentifier: "...")

XcodeSwitchTestPlan 🆕

Changes the active test plan of the active scheme — the same persistent change as picking a plan in Xcode's test plan picker. Discover names with XcodeListTestPlans; when two plans share a name, pass the reported path (or an unambiguous trailing portion of it).

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
testPlanName	string	Yes	Plan name, or its path when the name is ambiguous

Example:

XcodeSwitchTestPlan(tabIdentifier: "...", testPlanName: "UnitTests")

GetTestList

Gets all available tests from the active scheme's active test plan. Results are limited to 100 tests. The complete list is written to fullTestListPath in grep-friendly format — use grep with keys like TEST_TARGET, TEST_IDENTIFIER, or TEST_FILE_PATH to find specific tests.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier

Example:

GetTestList(tabIdentifier: "...")

RunAllTests

Runs every test in the active scheme's active test plan. Alongside the per-test results the output carries paths for anything truncated: fullSummaryPath, fullConsoleLogsPath (everything print/NSLog emitted during build and run), and 🆕 xcresultBundlePath — the .xcresult bundle for xcresulttool, or xccov when coverage is enabled.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier

Example:

RunAllTests(tabIdentifier: "...")

RunSomeTests

Runs specific tests by target and identifier. Use GetTestList first to discover available test identifiers. Output matches RunAllTests, including xcresultBundlePath.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
tests	array	Yes	Array of test specifiers (see below)

Each test specifier object:

Field	Type	Required	Description
targetName	string	Yes	Test target name
testIdentifier	string	Yes	Test identifier in XCTestIdentifier format

Example:

RunSomeTests(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  tests: [
    { "targetName": "MyAppTests", "testIdentifier": "MyAppTests/LoginTests/testValidLogin" }
  ]
)

---

Diagnostics

XcodeRefreshCodeIssuesInFile

Retrieves current compiler diagnostics (errors, warnings, notes) for a specific file.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
filePath	string	Yes	Project-relative file path

Example:

XcodeRefreshCodeIssuesInFile(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  filePath: "MyApp/Sources/ContentView.swift"
)

XcodeListNavigatorIssues

Lists issues from Xcode's Issue Navigator, including build errors, package resolution problems, and workspace configuration issues. Not available in headless mode, which has no navigator.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
severity	string	No	Minimum severity: error (default), warning, or remark
pattern	string	No	Regex to filter by message
glob	string	No	Glob to filter by file path

Example:

XcodeListNavigatorIssues(tabIdentifier: "...", severity: "warning")

---

Device Interaction 🆕

Tools for driving a simulator or physical device — booting it, installing and launching the app, and synthesizing UI events. Sessions are expensive to keep open: start one early (in parallel with other work) and always close it with DeviceInteractionEndSession when done.

DeviceInteractionStartSession 🆕

Prepares a runtime for device interaction without a workspace — finds and, if necessary, boots the target device. Call this as early as possible if device interaction will be needed. This session cannot build or install the project; use DeviceInteractionStartWorkspaceSession for that.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
sessionIdentifier	string	Yes	Unique, human-friendly session name in Title Case (e.g. "Verify Login Flow"), used in logs and UI
deviceIdentifier	string	Yes	UUID/ECID/name/OS version/type to match against — the best candidate is selected

Example:

DeviceInteractionStartSession(deviceIdentifier: "iPhone 17 Pro", sessionIdentifier: "Verify Login Flow")

DeviceInteractionStartWorkspaceSession 🆕

Prepares a runtime for device interaction with a workspace. Same as DeviceInteractionStartSession, but bound to the workspace: it only offers devices the active scheme can run on, and enables installing & running the project via DeviceInteractionInstallAndRun. Do not call it if the app doesn't need to be built and installed on a device.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
sessionIdentifier	string	Yes	Unique, human-friendly session name in Title Case (e.g. "Verify Login Flow"), used in logs and UI
deviceIdentifier	string	No	UUID/ECID/name/OS version/type to match against — the best candidate is selected

Example:

DeviceInteractionStartWorkspaceSession(sessionIdentifier: "Verify Login Flow")

DeviceInteractionInstallAndRun 🆕

Builds, installs, and starts the app on the currently targeted device. Call again whenever you modify the project, change the target device, or lose the debug session and need fresh logs.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
interactionSessionKey	string	Yes	Session key from DeviceInteractionStartWorkspaceSession
commandLineArguments	string[]	No	Launch arguments; may include $(inherited) for scheme-provided arguments
environmentVariables	object	No	Launch environment variables; may include $(inherited) as a key for scheme-provided variables

Example:

DeviceInteractionInstallAndRun(interactionSessionKey: "...")

DeviceInteractionSynthesize 🆕

Synthesizes device events — tap, swipe, type, button press, orientation change — and captures the resulting screenshot and UI hierarchy. Always derive coordinates from the latest hierarchy dump; never guess positions from a screenshot alone.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
interactSessionKey	string	Yes	Session key from DeviceInteractionStartSession or DeviceInteractionStartWorkspaceSession
interactionCommand	string	Yes	Interaction command to run (e.g. t 100 200 to tap at that point)
activationBundleId	string	No	Bundle identifier of the app to activate before running the interaction

Example:

DeviceInteractionSynthesize(interactSessionKey: "...", interactionCommand: "t 100 200")

DeviceInteractionEndSession 🆕

Closes a session opened with DeviceInteractionStartSession or DeviceInteractionStartWorkspaceSession. Always call this once interaction is finished — keeping a session alive is expensive and affects the user-facing UI.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
interactionSessionKey	string	Yes	Session key to close

Example:

DeviceInteractionEndSession(interactionSessionKey: "...")

---

Crash & Performance Reports 🆕

Tools for querying Apple's crash reporting and field performance data for a shipped app. bundle_id and platform auto-resolve from the active scheme/run destination when omitted.

GetTopCrashIssues 🆕

Returns the top crash signatures for an app over the last 14 days, sorted by the number of unique devices affected. Use this to identify and prioritize the most impactful crashes.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
bundle_id	string	No	App bundle identifier (case-sensitive). Auto-resolved from the active scheme's target if omitted
platform	string	No	iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, or visionOS. Auto-resolved from the active run destination if omitted
app_version	string	No	Filter to a specific version (e.g. 4.6). Returns all versions if omitted
is_beta	boolean	No	TestFlight (true) or App Store (false) data. Both channels if omitted
count	integer	No	Number of signatures to return. Use 1 for "top crash" (singular). Default: 5

Example:

GetTopCrashIssues(tabIdentifier: "...", count: 1)

GetCrashIssueLogs 🆕

Gets detailed crash logs, expert triage knowledge, and actionable recommendations for a specific crash signature. Use after GetTopCrashIssues to drill into a signature.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
signature_name	string	Yes	Human-readable crash signature name from GetTopCrashIssues
bundle_id	string	No	App bundle identifier (case-sensitive). Auto-resolved if omitted
platform	string	No	Platform to query. Auto-resolved if omitted
app_version	string	No	Filter to a specific version. Returns all versions if omitted
is_beta	boolean	No	TestFlight (true) or App Store (false) data. Both channels if omitted

Example:

GetCrashIssueLogs(tabIdentifier: "...", signature_name: "SIGABRT in UIViewController.viewDidLoad")

GetTopFieldPerformanceIssues 🆕

Analyzes app performance and identifies regressions across diagnostic types — app launches, hangs, disk writes, or energy usage — using Apple's field report data.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
diagnostic_type	string	Yes	launches, hangs, diskwrites, or energy
bundle_id	string	No	App bundle identifier (case-sensitive). Auto-resolved if omitted
platform	string	No	Platform to query (supported values depend on diagnostic type). Auto-resolved if omitted
app_version	string	No	App version (e.g. 4.6). Lists available versions if omitted
is_beta	boolean	No	TestFlight (true) or App Store (false) data. Auto-detected from the version when possible

Example:

GetTopFieldPerformanceIssues(tabIdentifier: "...", diagnostic_type: "hangs")

GetFieldPerformanceIssueLogs 🆕

Gets detailed logs, performance data (stack traces, timeline data), and triage guidance for a specific field performance issue. Use after GetTopFieldPerformanceIssues to drill into a signature.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
app_version	string	Yes	App version (e.g. 13.14.0)
signature_name	string	Yes	Human-readable signature name from GetTopFieldPerformanceIssues
diagnostic_type	string	Yes	launches, hangs, diskwrites, or energy
bundle_id	string	No	App bundle identifier (case-sensitive). Auto-resolved if omitted
platform	string	No	Platform to query. Auto-resolved if omitted
is_beta	boolean	No	TestFlight (true) or App Store (false) data. Auto-detected from the version when possible

Example:

GetFieldPerformanceIssueLogs(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  app_version: "13.14.0",
  signature_name: "Slow launch on iPhone 13",
  diagnostic_type: "launches"
)

---

Localization 🆕

Note: These tools require activating the corresponding xcode-integration:translation (for StringCatalogContext/StringCatalogEdit) or xcode-integration:translation-coordinator (for StringCatalogRead/LocalizationPlanner) skill before use.

StringCatalogRead 🆕

Returns string keys grouped by translation state for a locale in a String Catalog.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
filePath	string	Yes	Path to the String Catalog
targetLocaleIdentifier	string	Yes	Locale identifier to check translations for
requestedState	string	No	Translation state to retrieve keys for
offset	integer	No	Number of keys to skip before returning results
keyLimit	integer	No	Maximum number of keys to return

Example:

StringCatalogRead(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  filePath: "MyApp/Resources/Localizable.xcstrings",
  targetLocaleIdentifier: "de"
)

StringCatalogContext 🆕

Returns context and the source-language value for a string key — the text (sourceValues) that needs to be translated.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
filePath	string	Yes	Path to the String Catalog
stringKey	string	Yes	String key to get context for
targetLocaleIdentifier	string	Yes	Locale identifier to translate into

Example:

StringCatalogContext(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  filePath: "MyApp/Resources/Localizable.xcstrings",
  stringKey: "welcome_message",
  targetLocaleIdentifier: "de"
)

StringCatalogEdit 🆕

Inserts a translation for a locale into a String Catalog — a simple string, a template with plural/format substitutions, a top-level plural/device/width variation structure, or a string set.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
filePath	string	Yes	Path to the String Catalog
stringKey	string	Yes	String key to translate
targetLocaleIdentifier	string	Yes	Locale identifier to insert the translation for
translation	string	No	Simple translation for non-varied strings
templateTranslation	object	No	Template + substitutions (for strings varied by plural/format)
variationTranslation	object	No	Top-level plural/device/width variation structure
stringSetTranslation	string[]	No	Translated values for string sets

Example:

StringCatalogEdit(
  tabIdentifier: "...",
  filePath: "MyApp/Resources/Localizable.xcstrings",
  stringKey: "welcome_message",
  targetLocaleIdentifier: "de",
  translation: "Willkommen"
)

LocalizationPlanner 🆕

Ensures the project is in a state where translations can be added for a locale. Call this every time you're asked to add a language to the project, or to localize an entire project.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
targetLocaleIdentifier	string	Yes	Locale identifier to prepare the project for

Example:

LocalizationPlanner(tabIdentifier: "...", targetLocaleIdentifier: "de")

---

Preview

RenderPreview

Builds and renders a SwiftUI preview, returning a snapshot of the resulting UI. The result identifies which preview was rendered via displayName and sourceLineNumber, matching the title and "Line N" subtitle in Xcode's canvas, and reports the actual renderedDestination (platform, device model, OS version), which may differ from the workspace's selected run destination. In the snapshot at previewSnapshotPath, areas of the framebuffer that fall outside the render destination's device screen are transparent.

The override parameters are discovery-driven: call the tool once, read supportedLocalizations, supportedPreviewVariantOverrides, and supportedCanvasControlOverrides from the result, then pass values from those back in.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
tabIdentifier	string	No	Workspace tab identifier
sourceFilePath	string	Yes	Project-relative path to the file containing the preview
previewDefinitionIndexInFile	integer	No	Zero-based index of the #Preview macro or PreviewProvider in the file. Default: 0
previewCanvasControlOverrides	object	No	🆕 Canvas controls to override: timelineIndex (timeline position for Widgets/Live Activities), toggleState (boolean toggle control), groupItemIndex (which item of a #Preview(arguments:) set). Only meaningful for the controls listed in supportedCanvasControlOverrides
previewLocalizationOverride	string	No	🆕 Locale identifier to preview in (e.g. "fr", "ja"), from supportedLocalizations. Don't call the tool in parallel when this is set
previewVariantOverrides	object	No	Variant group name → variant name, from supportedPreviewVariantOverrides (e.g. color scheme, dynamic type)
timeout	integer	No	Max wait time in seconds. Default: 120

Example:

RenderPreview(
  sourceFilePath: "MyApp/Sources/Views/ProfileView.swift",
  previewLocalizationOverride: "ja",
  previewCanvasControlOverrides: { timelineIndex: 2 }
)

---

Documentation

DocumentationSearch ⚠️

Status in Xcode 27: gated on the local com.apple.MobileAsset.AppleDeveloperDocumentation asset (visible under Settings → Components → Downloads) — until it finishes downloading/indexing, the tool returns Tool 'DocumentationSearch' is not enabled. Earlier 27 betas also left it out of the windowed server's tools/list, so a standard MCP client couldn't discover it through normal enumeration, though it still worked when called directly by name. Verified on beta 6 with the asset installed: it's listed normally by both the windowed and headless servers, and calls return real results. Xcode's own built-in chat knows the tool by name independently of tools/list (via a MCPTool_DocumentationSearch flag in its system prompt template).

Searches Apple Developer Documentation using semantic matching. Useful for looking up APIs, frameworks, and usage patterns.

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
query	string	Yes	Search query
frameworks	string[]	No	Limit search to specific frameworks. Searches all if omitted

Example:

DocumentationSearch(query: "URLSession background download")

---

Deep dives

How the server is put together, what changed in Xcode 27, and where the raw schemas live.

Headless mode 🆕

Xcode 27 adds xcrun mcp-server, a preview of an MCP server that runs without an open Xcode workspace, and that can grant code-signed agents access to a directory tree for a longer period instead of asking every time. Apple flags it as an early preview: some commands may not work in every configuration, and some settings or permissions may need an Xcode relaunch or a reboot to take effect.

sudo xcrun mcp-server enable

Command	Description
start / stop	Launch or terminate the server (no-op if already in that state)
open <paths>	Launch if needed, then open workspaces/projects
enable / disable	Turn headless mode on/off (sudo)
status	Report permissions and, when running, the open workspaces. --format text|json
approve <id>	Approve a pending agent or folder request (sudo). --always (signed agents and folders only) or --for-24-hours
allow-folder <path>	Permit workspaces under a folder without waiting for a request (sudo). --always or --for-24-hours
deny <id>	Deny a pending request, permitted agent, or permitted folder (sudo); denying an agent also stops the server
clear-permissions	Remove all granted agent and folder permissions (sudo)

Request and permission ids come from mcp-server status. For unattended environments, sudo xcrun mcp-server enable --unsafe-always-allow-all-agents approves every agent upfront — Apple does not recommend it for at-desk use.

What actually runs

xcrun mcp-server is only a launcher, and so is xcrun mcpbridge — with headless mode on it launches or reuses the headless service through LaunchServices, so no Xcode window is needed. The server itself is XcodeService.app, shipped inside the toolchain at Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Applications/XcodeService.app with bundle identifier com.apple.dt.mcp-server and LSUIElement, so it has no Dock icon and no menu bar. It is started as a RunningBoard-managed application job — launchctl print gui/$(id -u)/application.com.apple.dt.mcp-server.<n>.<n> shows the job with managed_by = com.apple.runningboard. It is the same Xcode engine, not a separate reimplementation, and it can attach a UI later, so headless is a mode rather than a different product.

Permissions

Granted permissions are stored in a JSON file inside Xcode's secure settings group container, readable only by the user:

~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.dt.Xcode.SecureSettingsContainer/CodingAssistant/HeadlessPermissions/mcp-server.json

{
  "version": 1,
  "enabled": true,
  "agentPermissions": [
    { "id": "1B162114-…", "trust": { "signed": { "signingIdentifier": "com.anthropic.claude-code", "teamIdentifier": "Q6L2SF6YDW" } } }
  ],
  "folderPermissions": [
    { "id": "B9BAFD34-…", "subtreeRoot": "/Users/username/Developer/MyApp" }
  ]
}

Agent trust is a code-signing identity — team identifier plus signing identifier — not a filesystem path, so moving or renaming an approved agent binary does not invalidate its grant, but re-signing it does. Unsigned agents are recorded by path and a content hash, and can only be approved with --for-24-hours; --always is rejected for them.

Two things are worth knowing before enabling this:

• The identity that gets recorded is the process that launched mcpbridge, not mcpbridge itself. Wrapping the command (for example timeout xcrun mcpbridge) registers the wrapper as the agent.
• An already-approved agent can widen its own reach: calling XcodeOpenWorkspace on a project outside every permitted folder adds that folder to folderPermissions without a prompt, and launching mcpbridge from an approved agent's process tree grants the launcher a 24-hour agent permission of its own.

Tool surface in headless mode

Headless mode does not expose the same tools as an Xcode window. tools-headless.json has the full headless schema; the differences from the windowed server are:

	Tools
Headless only	XcodeListWorkspaces, XcodeOpenWorkspace, XcodeCloseWorkspace, XcodeNewProject
Windowed only	XcodeListWindows, XcodeGetCurrentFile, XcodeListNavigatorIssues

The tools that only make sense with a UI — the window list, the file the user is looking at, the issue navigator — are gone, and the tools for driving the workspace set yourself take their place.

Every other tool that took a tabIdentifier takes a workspaceIdentifier instead: "Identifies the target workspace directly (used in headless mode): its workspace identifier (e.g. workspace1) or its absolute path." It accepts either the identifier returned by XcodeOpenWorkspace/XcodeListWorkspaces (in practice something like workspace-LKfjPJCMBL) or the absolute path of the project. Prompts, skills, and scripts that hardcode tabIdentifier need updating for headless mode.

DocumentationSearch, which is hidden from tools/list in the windowed server, is listed normally in headless mode.

Schema

tools.json contains the full MCP tool definitions (name, title, description, input/output schemas) generated directly from xcrun mcpbridge against a running Xcode. tools-headless.json is the same listing captured from headless mode — 54 tools instead of 53, see Tool surface in headless mode for the differences. tools-26.5.json is the same listing from the current release, Xcode 26.5 (21 tools), kept as the baseline for What's new in Xcode 27.

What's new in Xcode 27

Everything below compares Xcode 27 beta 6 against the current release, Xcode 26.5 — 21 tools → 53 windowed, 54 headless. Both schemas were captured from tools/list: tools-26.5.json and tools.json. 🆕 throughout the tool reference marks a tool that doesn't exist in Xcode 26.5.

Server

• Added: xcrun mcp-server — headless MCP server that runs without an open workspace, plus durable per-agent/per-folder permissions; see Headless mode
• Changed: mcpbridge connects to the xcode-select Xcode by default (MCP_XCODE_PID/MCP_XCODE_SESSION_ID to override), and reaches the headless XcodeService.app when headless mode is on; it also gained the run-agent subcommand
• Changed: tabIdentifier is no longer required on any tool — omit it when only one workspace tab is open. In headless mode it becomes workspaceIdentifier and takes a workspace identifier or an absolute path

Added tools

• Workspace: XcodeListSchemes, XcodeSwitchScheme, XcodeListRunDestinations, XcodeSwitchRunDestination — plus headless-only XcodeListWorkspaces, XcodeOpenWorkspace, XcodeCloseWorkspace
• Project configuration: XcodeListTargets, XcodeListTemplates, XcodeNewTarget, AddEntitlement, AddInfoPlist, GetTargetBuildSettings, UpdateTargetBuildSetting, GetFileCompilerFlags, UpdateFileCompilerFlags — plus headless-only XcodeNewProject
• Run & debug: RunProject, StopProject, GetConsoleOutput, InvokeDebuggerCommand
• Testing: XcodeListTestPlans, XcodeSwitchTestPlan — inspect and change the active scheme's test plan, which all testing tools operate on
• Device interaction: DeviceInteractionStartSession, DeviceInteractionStartWorkspaceSession, DeviceInteractionInstallAndRun, DeviceInteractionSynthesize, DeviceInteractionEndSession
• Crash & field performance: GetTopCrashIssues, GetCrashIssueLogs, GetTopFieldPerformanceIssues, GetFieldPerformanceIssueLogs
• Localization: StringCatalogRead, StringCatalogContext, StringCatalogEdit, LocalizationPlanner

Changed tools

• Renamed: ExecuteSnippet → RunCodeSnippet, which gained a required purpose parameter
• Asset-gated: DocumentationSearch — its results gained a kind field. In 27 the tool is gated on the local com.apple.MobileAsset.AppleDeveloperDocumentation asset; earlier 27 betas didn't list it in the windowed server's tools/list. On beta 6 with the asset installed it's listed normally by both the windowed and headless servers
• Fixed: XcodeMV's operation is now a plain string enum (move/copy); in 26.5 it was declared as an object with a rawValue field
• BuildProject: new buildForTesting parameter — also build test targets that a regular build would skip
• GetBuildLog: line is no longer required on an issue — issues without a line number are now representable
• RunAllTests / RunSomeTests: output adds xcresultBundlePath for xcresulttool/xccov
• RenderPreview: new previewCanvasControlOverrides (timeline, toggle, group item) and previewLocalizationOverride parameters; output adds displayName, sourceLineNumber, renderedDestination, supportedCanvasControlOverrides, and supportedLocalizations

Apple Documentation

• Setting up coding intelligence
• Writing code with intelligence in Xcode
• Giving agentic coding tools access to Xcode

Author

Artem Novichkov, https://artemnovichkov.com