Xctools MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides structured access to Xcode development tools including `xcrun`, `xcodebuild`, and `xctrace`.

Local serverstdioPython

What is the Xctools MCP server?

Xctools mcp server connects Xctools to AI assistants that speak the Model Context Protocol. A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides structured access to Xcode development tools including xcrun, xcodebuild, and xctrace.

What Xctools does

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides structured access to Xcode development tools including xcrun, xcodebuild, and xctrace.

Key capabilities

  • Complete Xcode toolchain access — through xcrun
  • Project building and testing — with xcodebuild
  • Performance analysis — using xctrace (Instruments)
  • SDK and destination management —
  • Comprehensive error handling — with detailed messages
  • Cross-platform compatibility — (macOS with Xcode installed)

Installing the xctools mcp server

The server is distributed via PyPI as xctools-mcp-server, so most clients can run it without a manual build step. Add it to your MCP client's configuration and restart the client to pick it up — the copy-paste configs for Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor are on this page.

Requirements

  • macOS: Required (Xcode development tools are macOS-only) - Xcode: Xcode Command Line Tools or full Xcode installation - Python: 3.13 or higher - MCP Client: Claude Desktop, VS Code with MCP extension, or any MCP-compatible client

Where it fits

Developer-tool servers are usually the first ones people connect, because they turn "help me with this code" into an assistant that can actually read the repo and act on it. Xctools sits in that group. Worth comparing against the other developer tools servers in this directory before you commit to one, since several overlap in scope but differ sharply in setup cost and permissions.

Practical notes

  • This server runs locally, so it operates with whatever access your machine and its credentials already have. Scope that deliberately rather than by default.
  • Maintained by nzrsky, written in Python.
  • MCP clients ask for confirmation before each tool call by default. Keep that on while you learn what the xctools mcp server actually does with your data.
  • Every entry in this directory is reviewed by hand before it goes live, and details are checked against the project's own documentation.

How to install the Xctools MCP server

Or if using uvx:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xctools": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["xctools-mcp-server"],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

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

Configuration

  • macOS: Required (Xcode development tools are macOS-only) - Xcode: Xcode Command Line Tools or full Xcode installation - Python: 3.13 or higher - MCP Client: Claude Desktop, VS Code with MCP extension, or any MCP-compatible client

Frequently asked questions

It connects Xctools to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Xctools directly.