Xcode Studio MCP Server

Built in Swift. Single binary. No Node/Python runtime required.

Local serverstdioPython

What is the Xcode Studio MCP MCP server?

Connect Xcode Studio MCP to Claude, Cursor or any other MCP client and it stops being a tab you switch to. Built in Swift. Single binary. No Node/Python runtime required. The xcode studio mcp mcp server is what makes that connection.

Available tools

The toolset is worth reading before you wire it up, because it tells you what the integration is really for:

  • xcode_build — Build an Xcode project with structured error output (file, line, column, severity, message)
  • xcode_run — Build and launch an app in the iOS Simulator
  • simulator_screenshot — Capture the Simulator screen as a PNG image
  • simulator_tap — Tap at x,y coordinates on the Simulator screen
  • simulator_type — Type text into the currently focused field
  • simulator_describe — Get the accessibility tree of the current screen (JSON)
  • Tools — The Tools tool exposed by this server
  • Prerequisites — The Prerequisites tool exposed by this server
  • Build — The Build tool exposed by this server

Installation

Setup follows the usual MCP pattern — install or clone the server, register it in your client's configuration file, restart the client. The configuration blocks on this page cover the common clients.

Credentials and setup notes

  • macOS with Xcode installed - For UI interaction tools (tap, type, describe):

Where it fits

This sits in the developer tooling group, where several servers overlap in what they claim to do but differ sharply once you actually set them up. Xcode Studio MCP's toolset — xcode_build, xcode_run, simulator_screenshot and 6 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by kevinswint; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

This entry was verified against Xcode Studio MCP's own documentation before publication; SyncDev keeps the directory reviewed rather than auto-generated.

Worth knowing first

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • With 9 tools registered it takes up a noticeable share of the context window; turn it off in projects that never touch Xcode Studio MCP.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
xcode_buildBuild an Xcode project with structured error output (file, line, column, severity, message)
xcode_runBuild and launch an app in the iOS Simulator
simulator_screenshotCapture the Simulator screen as a PNG image
simulator_tapTap at x,y coordinates on the Simulator screen
simulator_typeType text into the currently focused field
simulator_describeGet the accessibility tree of the current screen (JSON)
ToolsThe Tools tool exposed by this server.
PrerequisitesThe Prerequisites tool exposed by this server.
BuildThe Build tool exposed by this server.

How to install the Xcode Studio MCP MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xcode-studio-mcp": {
      "command": "/path/to/xcode-studio-mcp/.build/release/XcodeStudioMCP"
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Configuration

  • macOS with Xcode installed - For UI interaction tools (tap, type, describe):

Example prompts to try

  • Use Xcode Studio MCP to xcode build.
  • Use Xcode Studio MCP to xcode run.
  • Use Xcode Studio MCP to simulator screenshot.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Xcode Studio MCP to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 9 tools (xcode_build, xcode_run, simulator_screenshot, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Xcode Studio MCP directly.