Xcforge

xcforge

[](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT) [](#requirements) [](https://swift.org) [](https://modelcontextprotocol.io) [](https://github.com/justinthevoid/homebrew-tap) [](https://github.com/justinthevoid/xcforge/releases) [](CONTRIBUTING.md)

An MCP server and CLI for iOS development — build, test, automate, and diagnose from any AI agent or terminal.

109 MCP tools. 19 CLI command groups. Single native binary (~8 MB stripped, ~18 MB with debug symbols). Zero external runtime dependencies.

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Install

Homebrew (recommended)

brew tap justinthevoid/tap && brew install xcforge

Claude Code (one-liner)

claude mcp add xcforge -- xcforge

This registers xcforge as an MCP server in your current project. Run it after installing via Homebrew.

From source

git clone https://github.com/justinthevoid/xcforge.git
cd xcforge && swift build -c release
cp .build/release/XCForgeCLI /usr/local/bin/xcforge

Uninstall

Homebrew

brew uninstall xcforge
brew untap justinthevoid/tap   # optional: remove the tap

From source

rm /usr/local/bin/xcforge

Remove MCP configuration

After uninstalling the binary, remove the "xcforge" entry from your MCP client config file (see [Configure](#configure) for file locations).

For Claude Code:

claude mcp remove xcforge

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Configure

Add xcforge to your MCP client. Each client has a different config format and file location.

Claude Code

The fastest way is the CLI command shown above under [Install](#install). To configure manually, add to .mcp.json in your project root (or ~/.claude/.mcp.json for global):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xcforge": {
      "command": "xcforge",
      "args": [],
      "type": "stdio"
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop

File: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xcforge": {
      "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/xcforge",
      "args": []
    }
  }
}

> Note: Claude Desktop does not inherit your shell PATH. Use the full Homebrew path — /opt/homebrew/bin/xcforge on Apple Silicon, /usr/local/bin/xcforge on Intel.

Cursor

File: .cursor/mcp.json in your project root (or ~/.cursor/mcp.json for global)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xcforge": {
      "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/xcforge",
      "args": []
    }
  }
}

> Note: Same PATH caveat as Claude Desktop — use the absolute path. Restart Cursor after changes.

VS Code (GitHub Copilot)

File: .vscode/mcp.json in your project root

{
  "servers": {
    "xcforge": {
      "command": "xcforge",
      "args": [],
      "type": "stdio"
    }
  }
}

> Note: VS Code uses "servers" not "mcpServers". Requires the GitHub Copilot extension with agent mode enabled. VS Code typically resolves PATH from your shell, so the bare command works.

Windsurf

File: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xcforge": {
      "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/xcforge",
      "args": []
    }
  }
}

> Note: Full path recommended. Restart Windsurf after editing.

Zed

File: ~/.config/zed/settings.json (or .zed/settings.json per-project)

{
  "context_servers": {
    "xcforge": {
      "command": {
        "path": "/opt/homebrew/bin/xcforge",
        "args": []
      },
      "settings": {}
    }
  }
}

> Note: Zed uses "context_servers" with a nested "command.path" — different from every other client.

Config quick reference

| Client | Config key | File location | Needs absolute path? | | -------------- | ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------- | | Claude Code | mcpServers | .mcp.json | No | | Claude Desktop | mcpServers | ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json | Yes | | Cursor | mcpServers | .cursor/mcp.json | Yes | | VS Code | servers | .vscode/mcp.json | No | | Windsurf | mcpServers | ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json | Yes | | Zed | context_servers | ~/.config/zed/settings.json | Yes |

---

Claude Code Skill

xcforge includes a Claude Code skill that loads the full tool reference into context when you're working on iOS tasks. Install it globally with:

npx skills justinthevoid/xcforge

Once installed, Claude will automatically load the right reference files when you use xcforge tools — exact parameters, return values, and usage patterns for each category (build, test, simulator, UI automation, logs, LLDB, diagnosis, and more).

---

Two Modes, Same Tools

xcforge                          # MCP server (stdio JSON-RPC, 109 tools)
xcforge build --scheme MyApp     # CLI mode (19 command groups)

Every tool available over MCP has a matching CLI command. Every CLI command supports --json.

---

Tools Overview

| Category | Count | Highlights | | --------------------- | ----- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Build | 6 | build_sim, build_compile (fast compile-only), build_run_sim, clean, project/scheme discovery | | Test | 7 | test_sim with xcresult parsing, test_failures, test_coverage, list_tests, test_plan_inspect, agent output mode, known-failures gating | | Simulator | 18 | Full lifecycle + video recording, location simulation, dark mode toggle, status bar override, info | | Physical Devices | 7 | Via devicectl — list, install, launch, screenshot, pair | | UI Automation | 20 | WebDriverAgent + native AX bridge — find, tap (point or pixel), swipe, drag, type, alerts | | Screenshots | 3 | Framebuffer capture (0.3s), point-space coordinate alignment, optional grid overlay | | Visual Regression | 3 | Pixel-diff baselines, multi-device checks (Dark Mode, Landscape, iPad), bless workflow | | Logs | 4 | 4-layer filtered capture, 8 topic categories, regex wait | | Console | 3 | stdout/stderr capture for launched apps | | SPM | 5 | Resolve, update, show deps, reset, clean | | Accessibility | 5 | Audit labels, traits, VoiceOver order, contrast | | Git | 5 | Status, diff, log, commit, branch | | LLDB Debugger | 8 | Attach, breakpoints, inspect variables, backtrace, step/continue, arbitrary commands | | Diagnosis | 10 | Multi-step workflows: build, run, inspect, capture evidence, compare, verify | | Plan Execution | 2 | Scripted multi-step automation with assertions | | Session | 3 | Persistent defaults, .xcforge.yaml repo config, session profiles |

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Key Capabilities

Structured Test Results

Test output is parsed from .xcresult bundles — the structured format Xcode generates internally — not from raw xcodebuild stdout/stderr.

A single test_sim call returns: pass/fail counts, failure messages with source location, exported failure screenshots, and the xcresult path for deeper inspection via test_failures or test_coverage.

Fast Screenshots

The screenshot tool reads the simulator framebuffer via CoreSimulator's IOSurface API, falling back to ScreenCaptureKit, then simctl. Typical latency is ~300ms.

UI Automation Without Appium

xcforge communicates directly with WebDriverAgent over HTTP and supplements it with a native Accessibility API bridge (AXPBridge). This means:

• find_element with scroll: true auto-scrolls using 3 fallback strategies
• handle_alert searches across SpringBoard, ContactsUI, and the active app — accept_all clears multiple permission dialogs in one call
• drag_and_drop works with element IDs, not just coordinates
• get_source returns the full view hierarchy in ~20ms

Topic-Filtered Logs

start_log_capture streams os_log through 4 filter layers:

1. Noise exclusion — strips 15 known noisy processes at the stream level
2. Capture modes — smart (broad + topic-ready), app (tight, auto-detected bundle), verbose
3. Topic filtering — read_logs classifies lines into 8 topics (app, crashes, network, lifecycle, springboard, widgets, background, system) and shows only app + crashes by default
4. Deduplication — collapses repeated lines

The response includes a topic menu with counts, so the agent can pull in specific topics on demand without re-querying.

Interactive LLDB Debugger

8 tools for attaching LLDB to running simulator processes, setting breakpoints, inspecting variables, viewing stack traces, and stepping through code. Sessions persist for 30 minutes, so you can attach once and run multiple debugging operations. CLI commands are one-shot (attach → operation → detach). Includes:

• Session management: lldb_attach (by bundle ID or PID), lldb_detach
• Breakpoints: set by file+line or function name, remove by ID
• Inspection: evaluate expressions at the current frame, view stack traces
• Execution control: continue, step over, step into, step out (with 10-second timeout)
• Raw passthrough: run arbitrary LLDB commands

Use alongside logs and screenshots for systematic root-cause analysis.

Diagnosis Workflows

10 tools that chain together into structured diagnostic pipelines — start a session, build, launch, capture runtime signals, collect evidence (screenshots, logs, accessibility state), compare against previous runs, and verify fixes. Designed for agents to systematically debug issues across multiple iterations.

Physical Device Support

7 tools wrapping Apple's devicectl for real devices — list connected devices, install/launch/terminate apps, take screenshots, and manage pairing.

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CLI Examples

xcforge init                                     # Scaffold a committed .xcforge.yaml (repo defaults)
xcforge build                                    # Build (auto-detects project, scheme, sim)
xcforge build compile --scheme MyApp             # Fast compile-only check (~5s)
xcforge build --scheme MyApp --simulator "iPhone 16 Pro"
xcforge test --scheme MyApp --json               # Run tests, JSON output
xcforge test --for agent                         # Agent-optimized slim JSON
xcforge test --gate                              # Subtract known-failures.yaml
xcforge test rerun-failed                        # Replay last run's failures
xcforge test plan inspect --plan AllTests        # Inspect .xctestplan
xcforge build-test --env BLESS_BASELINE=1        # Inject env var into test process
xcforge test failures --xcresult /path/to.xcresult
xcforge test coverage --min-coverage 80
xcforge bless --baseline login --tests "UITests/LoginTests"  # Baseline+test+diff in one call
xcforge sim list                                 # List simulators
xcforge sim boot "iPhone 16 Pro"
xcforge sim info                                 # Booted simulator screen size and scale
xcforge ui find --aid "loginButton"              # Find by accessibility ID
xcforge ui tap --element el-0                    # Tap element at point coordinates
xcforge ui tap-pixel --x 750 --y 1334            # Tap at pixel coordinates
xcforge screenshot                               # Screenshot to stdout
xcforge screenshot --grid --output /tmp/x.png    # Screenshot with point-coordinate grid
xcforge pose Settings                            # Build, install, launch to a screen
xcforge log start                                # Start log capture
xcforge log read --include network               # Read with topic filter
xcforge spm resolve                              # Resolve packages
xcforge device list                              # Connected physical devices
xcforge debug attach --bundle-id com.example.App    # Attach debugger
xcforge debug breakpoint set --bundle-id com.example.App --file ViewController.swift --line 42
xcforge debug inspect --bundle-id com.example.App --expression "self.count"
xcforge debug backtrace --bundle-id com.example.App # Show stack trace
xcforge debug continue --bundle-id com.example.App --mode step-over
xcforge diagnose start --scheme MyApp            # Start diagnosis session

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Alternatives

There are several iOS-focused MCP servers worth knowing about:

| Server | Stars | Scope | Build | Test | UI Automation | Screenshots | Visual Regression | Accessibility | Physical Devices | SPM | Git | Logs | | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | --------- | ------- | ---- | ------------- | ----------- | ----------------- | ------------- | ---------------- | --- | --- | ---- | | xcforge | — | 109 tools | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | XcodeBuildMCP | ~5k | ~15 tools | Yes | Yes | Partial | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | | ios-simulator-mcp | ~1.8k | ~10 tools | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | | xcode-mcp-server | ~370 | ~8 tools | Partial | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | | iosef | <10 | ~5 tools | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | | Appium MCP | <50 | ~10 tools | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Partial | No | No | No |

• XcodeBuildMCP — The most popular iOS MCP server. Backed by Sentry. Covers build, test, and simulator management well. If you only need build/run workflows, it's a solid choice.
• ios-simulator-mcp — Focused on simulator UI interaction — screenshots, taps, swipes, accessibility tree. Good if you only need simulator automation.
• xcode-mcp-server — Early MCP server for Xcode project management. Basic integration — no simulator automation, testing, or device support.
• iosef — Agent-optimized simulator CLI with clean ergonomics. Narrow scope but thoughtful design. Swift native.
• Appium MCP — Cross-platform (iOS + Android) via the Appium ecosystem

…

Source & license

This open-source MCP server is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: justinthevoid
• Source: justinthevoid/xcforge
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.