Apple Docs & Xcode MCP

Quick Patterns

Xcode MCP Setup (Xcode 26.3+)

1. Xcode Settings > Intelligence > Enable Model Context Protocol + Xcode Tools ON
2. Add to your MCP client:

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

# Codex
codex mcp add xcode -- xcrun mcpbridge

// Cursor (.cursor/mcp.json)
{ "mcpServers": { "xcode": { "command": "xcrun", "args": ["mcpbridge"] } } }

// VS Code (.vscode/mcp.json)
{ "servers": { "xcode": { "type": "stdio", "command": "xcrun", "args": ["mcpbridge"] } } }

3. Verify: call XcodeListWindows -- should return tabIdentifier + workspacePath

Xcode MCP Tools (20 tools)

Discovery: XcodeListWindows -- call first, get tabIdentifier for all other tools

File Ops: XcodeRead, XcodeWrite, XcodeUpdate (str_replace patches), XcodeGlob, XcodeGrep, XcodeLS, XcodeMakeDir, XcodeRM (destructive), XcodeMV (destructive)

Build/Test: BuildProject(tabIdentifier), GetBuildLog(tabIdentifier), RunAllTests(tabIdentifier), RunSomeTests(tabIdentifier, tests), GetTestList(tabIdentifier)

Diagnostics: XcodeListNavigatorIssues(tabIdentifier) -- structured diagnostics, XcodeRefreshCodeIssuesInFile(tabIdentifier, path)

Other: ExecuteSnippet(code, language), RenderPreview(tabIdentifier, path, previewIdentifier), DocumentationSearch(query)

Xcode MCP Workflows

BuildFix Loop:

1. BuildProject(tab) -> check result
2. XcodeListNavigatorIssues(tab) -> structured diagnostics
3. XcodeUpdate(file, patches) -> fix errors
4. Repeat (max 5 iterations)

TestFix Loop:

1. GetTestList(tab) -> discover tests
2. RunSomeTests(tab, [failing]) -> fast iteration
3. XcodeUpdate -> fix
4. Repeat, then RunAllTests for verification

PreviewVerify: RenderPreview(tab, file, viewName) -> review image -> edit -> re-render

App Store Connect MCP (asc-mcp)

brew install mint && mint install zelentsov-dev/asc-mcp@1.4.0

claude mcp add asc-mcp \
  -e ASC_KEY_ID=YOUR_KEY_ID \
  -e ASC_ISSUER_ID=YOUR_ISSUER_ID \
  -e ASC_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH=/path/to/AuthKey.p8 \
  -- ~/.mint/bin/asc-mcp --workers apps,builds,versions,reviews

Worker presets: TestFlight (apps,builds,beta_groups,beta_testers), Release (apps,builds,versions,reviews), Monetization (apps,iap,subscriptions,offer_codes,pricing)

WWDC Transcript Research

Navigate to developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdcYYYY/NNN/ with browser. Page contains full verbatim transcript with timestamps. Extract API names, code descriptions, chapter markers.

sosumi.ai for API Docs

Clean markdown version of Apple docs. URL: sosumi.ai/documentation/[framework] (lowercase, no spaces/hyphens).

sosumi.ai/documentation/swiftui
sosumi.ai/documentation/widgetkit
sosumi.ai/documentation/appintents
sosumi.ai/documentation/avfoundation

Decision Tree

Need Apple documentation?
+-- Compiler error/warning? --> Read matching apple-diag-* bundled doc
+-- Framework API details? --> sosumi.ai/documentation/[framework]
+-- WWDC session content? --> Navigate to developer.apple.com/videos transcript
+-- Xcode MCP setup? --> See setup section above
+-- Build/test via MCP? --> BuildFix/TestFix workflow loops
+-- App Store Connect automation? --> asc-mcp workflows
+-- Bundled guide (Liquid Glass, concurrency, etc.)? --> Read apple-guide-* doc

Anti-Patterns

Using xcodebuild when MCP available

MCP gives IDE state, navigator diagnostics, previews, and resolved packages that CLI does not expose. Use MCP for iterative workflows, CLI for CI/scripted builds.

Parsing build logs instead of navigator issues

XcodeListNavigatorIssues provides structured, deduplicated diagnostics. Build logs contain raw noise.

Skipping tabIdentifier

Most tools fail silently without correct tabIdentifier. Always call XcodeListWindows first.

XcodeWrite for existing files

Use XcodeUpdate (str_replace patches) for editing. XcodeWrite overwrites the entire file.

Loading all 208 asc-mcp tools

Use --workers flag to load only needed workers. Full set wastes context tokens.

Scraping developer.apple.com HTML

Use sosumi.ai for clean markdown. Transcripts are already on WWDC video pages.

Deep Patterns

Xcode MCP Multi-Instance Targeting

pgrep -x Xcode  # Find PIDs
claude mcp add --transport stdio xcode -- env MCP_XCODE_PID=12345 xcrun mcpbridge

Xcode MCP Troubleshooting

Symptom	Fix
"Connection refused"	Launch Xcode, enable MCP in Settings > Intelligence
tools/list empty	Open a project, approve permission dialog in Xcode
Wrong project targeted	Use correct tabIdentifier from XcodeListWindows
Cursor rejects responses	Use XcodeMCPWrapper proxy (schema compliance)
"No such command: mcpbridge"	Update to Xcode 26.3+

ASC Release Pipeline

apps_search(query) -> builds_list(appId) -> app_versions_create(appId, versionString)
-> app_versions_attach_build(versionId, buildId) -> app_versions_set_review_details(...)
-> app_versions_submit_for_review(versionId) -> app_versions_create_phased_release(...)

ASC TestFlight Distribution

builds_list(appId) -> builds_set_beta_localization(buildId, whatsNew)
-> beta_groups_create/list -> beta_groups_add_builds(groupId, [buildId])
-> builds_send_beta_notification(buildId)

Bundled Apple Guides (read via MCP axiom_read_skill)

UI: apple-guide-swiftui-implementing-liquid-glass-design, apple-guide-swiftui-new-toolbar-features, apple-guide-swiftui-styled-text-editing, apple-guide-swiftui-webkit-integration

Concurrency: apple-guide-swift-concurrency-updates, apple-guide-swift-inlinearray-span

AI: apple-guide-foundationmodels-using-on-device-llm-in-your-app

Integration: apple-guide-appintents-updates, apple-guide-storekit-updates

Data: apple-guide-swiftdata-class-inheritance

Swift Compiler Diagnostics (bundled)

Concurrency: apple-diag-actor-isolated-call, apple-diag-conformance-isolation, apple-diag-sendable-closure-captures, apple-diag-sending-risks-data-race, apple-diag-mutable-global-variable, apple-diag-nonisolated-nonsending-by-default

Type System: apple-diag-existential-any, apple-diag-protocol-type-non-conformance, apple-diag-opaque-type-inference

Build: apple-diag-deprecated-declaration, apple-diag-strict-language-features, apple-diag-member-import-visibility

Diagnostics

Xcode MCP Not Responding

1. Check Xcode is running with project open
2. Verify MCP toggle: Settings > Intelligence > Enable MCP
3. Check permission dialog appeared and was approved
4. Re-run XcodeListWindows to verify connection
5. If Cursor/strict client: use XcodeMCPWrapper proxy

ASC Build Not Found

• Build processing takes 15-30 minutes after upload
• Poll builds_get_processing_state -- must return VALID
• Verify correct app with apps_search bundleId check

Related

• ax-build -- xcodebuild CLI, build errors, code signing
• ax-shipping -- App Store submission workflow, review guidelines
• ax-testing -- Test plans, XCUITest, Swift Testing
• WWDC transcripts at developer.apple.com/videos
• sosumi.ai for clean API documentation