XcodeBuildMCP

Exposes 77 tools across 15 workflows through both MCP JSON-RPC server mode (for AI agents) and CLI mode (for direct invocation), with a shared implementation layer in build/cli.js that ensures identical behavior regardless of interface. The tool registry uses manifest-driven discovery to map workflow names to executable implementations, eliminating code duplication between modes.

Provides comprehensive simulator control through a dedicated Simulator Workflows module that handles device creation, booting, shutdown, and state management. The system tracks simulator state across sessions using session management tools and integrates with the background daemon to maintain long-running simulator instances without blocking agent execution.

Provides tools to write and execute UI automation tests using XCUITest framework, with integration for accessibility testing and screen recording. The system captures test output, screenshots, and accessibility audit results in structured format.

Generates code coverage reports from test execution, parses coverage data (line, branch, function coverage), and tracks coverage trends across builds. The system integrates with coverage tools like llvm-cov and provides JSON output with per-file and per-function coverage metrics.

Provides tools to open projects in Xcode IDE, navigate to specific files and line numbers, and trigger Xcode actions (build, test, run) from the command line. The system uses AppleScript and Xcode's command-line tools to control the IDE programmatically.

Provides tools to generate new iOS and macOS projects from templates, with customizable project structure, dependencies, and build configurations. The system uses manifest-based templates to define project structure and automatically generates boilerplate code.

Provides tools to manage Swift package dependencies, resolve package versions, and integrate SPM packages into Xcode projects. The system parses Package.swift files, queries package registries, and handles dependency resolution conflicts.

Automatically detects execution environment (CLI terminal, MCP JSON-RPC, CI/CD system) and formats output accordingly (ANSI colors for terminals, JSON for agents, plain text for CI/CD logs). The system uses environment variables and output stream detection to choose appropriate formatting.

Implements automatic error recovery for transient failures (network timeouts, simulator crashes, device disconnections) using exponential backoff retry logic. The system classifies errors as transient or permanent and applies appropriate recovery strategies.

Implements schema validation and type safety through manifest-driven tool definitions that specify parameter schemas, input/output types, and platform constraints. The system validates all tool invocations against these schemas before execution, catching parameter mismatches early and providing structured error messages to agents.

Automatically discovers Xcode projects, workspaces, and Swift packages in the current directory and subdirectories, parsing project metadata (targets, schemes, build settings) without requiring manual configuration. The system maintains a project cache and provides tools to query available build targets, test schemes, and configuration options.

Wraps xcodebuild invocations with structured output parsing that captures build logs, compiler errors, warnings, and test results in JSON format. The system parses xcodebuild's unstructured output using regex patterns and structured logging, converting it into machine-readable JSON that agents can analyze and act upon.

Orchestrates test execution through xcodebuild test, capturing test results in JSON format with per-test pass/fail status, execution time, and failure reasons. The system integrates with code coverage tools to generate coverage reports and aggregates results across multiple test targets and schemes.

Provides tools to list connected physical iOS/macOS devices, manage provisioning profiles, and deploy built apps to devices. The system integrates with Xcode's device management APIs to query device capabilities, installed apps, and provisioning status, and handles the provisioning workflow for code signing.

Provides specialized build workflows for macOS applications that handle code signing, entitlements configuration, and notarization. The system manages macOS-specific build settings and integrates with Apple's notarization service for distribution-ready builds.

Implements session management that persists tool state (selected project, simulator, device, build configuration) across multiple tool invocations without requiring agents to re-specify context. Sessions are stored in .xcodebuildmcp/sessions/ and automatically loaded based on session ID or environment variables.

Provides a background daemon (xcodebuildmcp daemon) that runs long-lived processes like simulator instances and build servers without blocking agent execution. The daemon manages process lifecycle, handles signal forwarding, and provides status queries through a socket-based IPC interface.