---
id: CharlesWiltgen/Axiom/axiom-xcode-mcp
version: "295adc42"
license: MIT
install: manual
updated: 2026-07-27
---

# axiom-xcode-mcp — This skill guides you through connecting external AI clients to Xcode via its MCP server (xcrun mcpbridge). It covers initial setup for different clients, configuring tool access permissions, and resolving connection problems. Use it when establishing MCP connections, invoking Xcode's 20 IDE tools, or diagnosing mcpbridge failures.

Publisher: CharlesWiltgen · Stars: 1095 · Updated: 2026-07-27

Install (manual): `git clone https://github.com/CharlesWiltgen/Axiom`

## SKILL.md

# Xcode MCP

**You MUST use this skill for ANY Xcode MCP interaction — setup, tool usage, workflow patterns, or troubleshooting.**

Xcode ships an MCP server (`xcrun mcpbridge`, available since Xcode 26.3) that exposes 20 IDE tools to external AI clients. Xcode 27 adds an explicit "Allow external agents to use Xcode tools" gate, the `run-agent` launch path, and an agent-extension model (custom MCP servers, skills, plug-ins). This skill suite covers setup, tool reference, workflow patterns, and troubleshooting.

**mcpbridge requires a running Xcode with a project open** — if that's a liability (headless CI, or you don't want to keep Xcode up), the device/simulator half of these operations has a fully Xcode-independent CLI path: `devicectl` + `simctl` + Axiom's `xcui`/`xclog`/`xcsym`/`xcprof`. See `axiom-tools (skills/device-control-ref.md)`. The IDE-authoring tools (build state, render previews, navigator diagnostics) are MCP-only; `xcodebuild` builds and tests but does not render previews.

## When to Use

Use this skill when:
- Setting up Xcode MCP for the first time
- Configuring `xcrun mcpbridge` for any MCP client
- Using any Xcode MCP tool (file ops, build, test, preview)
- Building, testing, or previewing via MCP tools
- Troubleshooting mcpbridge connection issues
- Window/tab targeting questions
- Permission dialog confusion

## Routing Logic

### 1. Setup/Connection → **xcode-mcp-setup**

**Triggers**:
- First-time Xcode MCP setup
- Client-specific config (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, VS Code, Gemini CLI)
- Connection errors ("Connection refused", "No windows")
- Permission dialog confusion
- Multi-Xcode targeting (`MCP_XCODE_PID`)
- Schema compliance issues with strict clients
- Giving external agents access to Xcode (Intelligence settings gate)
- Launching an agent via Xcode config (`xcrun mcpbridge run-agent`)
- Exporting Xcode's skill bundles (`run-agent skills export`)
- Extending Xcode's agent (per-agent config files, MCP servers, plug-ins)

**Read**: `skills/xcode-mcp-setup.md`

---

### 2. Using Tools & Workflows → **xcode-mcp-tools**

**Triggers**:
- How to build/test/preview via MCP
- Workflow patterns (BuildFix loop, TestFix loop)
- Tool gotchas and anti-patterns
- Window/tab targeting strategy
- When to use MCP tools vs CLI (`xcodebuild`)
- Destructive operation safety (`XcodeRM`, `XcodeMV`)

**Read**: `skills/xcode-mcp-tools.md`

---

### 3. Tool API Reference → **xcode-mcp-ref**

**Triggers**:
- Specific tool parameters and schemas
- Input/output format for a tool
- "How does XcodeGrep work?"
- "What params does BuildProject take?"
- Tool category listing

**Read**: `skills/xcode-mcp-ref.md`

---

## Decision Tree

```dot
digraph xcode_mcp_router {
    rankdir=TB;
    "User has Xcode MCP question" [shape=ellipse];
    "Setup or connection?" [shape=diamond];
    "Using tools or workflows?" [shape=diamond];
    "Need specific tool params?" [shape=diamond];

    "xcode-mcp-setup" [shape=box];
    "xcode-mcp-tools" [shape=box];
    "xcode-mcp-ref" [shape=box];

    "User has Xcode MCP question" -> "Setup or connection?";
    "Setup or connection?" -> "xcode-mcp-setup" [label="yes"];
    "Setup or connection?" -> "Using tools or workflows?" [label="no"];
    "Using tools or workflows?" -> "xcode-mcp-tools" [label="yes"];
    "Using tools or workflows?" -> "Need specific tool params?" [label="no"];
    "Need specific tool params?" -> "xcode-mcp-ref" [label="yes"];
    "Need specific tool params?" -> "xcode-mcp-tools" [label="general question"];
}
```

## Anti-Rationalization

| Thought | Reality |
|---------|---------|
| "I'll just use xcodebuild directly" | MCP gives IDE state, diagnostics, previews, and navigator issues that CLI doesn't expose |
| "I already know how to set up MCP" | Client configs differ. Permission dialog behavior is specific. Check setup skill. |
| "I can figure out the tool params" | Tool schemas have required fields and gotchas. Check ref skill. |
| "Tab identifiers are obvious" | Most tools fail silently without correct tabIdentifier. Tools skill explains targeting. |
| "This is just file reading, I'll use Read tool" | XcodeRead sees Xcode's project view including generated files and resolved packages |

## Conflict Resolution (vs Other Routers)

| Domain | Owner | Why |
|--------|-------|-----|
| MCP-specific interaction (mcpbridge, MCP tools, tab identifiers) | **xcode-mcp** | MCP protocol and tool-specific |
| Xcode environment (Derived Data, zombie processes, simulators) | **axiom-build** | Environment diagnostics, not MCP |
| Apple's bundled documentation (for-LLM guides/diagnostics) | **apple-docs** | Bundled docs, not MCP tool |
| `DocumentationSearch` MCP tool usage specifically | **xcode-mcp** | MCP tool invocation |
| Build failures diagnosed via CLI | **axiom-build** | Traditional build debugging |
| Build failures diagnosed via MCP tools | **xcode-mcp** | MCP workflow patterns |

## Example Invocations

User: "How do I set up Xcode MCP with Claude Code?"
-> Read: `skills/xcode-mcp-setup.md`

User: "How do I build my project using MCP tools?"
-> Read: `skills/xcode-mcp-tools.md`

User: "What parameters does BuildProject take?"
-> Read: `skills/xcode-mcp-ref.md`

User: "My mcpbridge connection keeps failing"
-> Read: `skills/xcode-mcp-setup.md`

User: "How do I target a specific Xcode window?"
-> Read: `skills/xcode-mcp-tools.md`

User: "Can I render SwiftUI previews via MCP?"
-> Read: `skills/xcode-mcp-tools.md` (workflow), then `skills/xcode-mcp-ref.md` (params)

User: "Cursor can't parse Xcode's MCP responses"
-> Read: `skills/xcode-mcp-setup.md` (schema compliance section)

## Resources

**References**: skills/xcode-mcp-setup.md, skills/xcode-mcp-tools.md, skills/xcode-mcp-ref.md, skills/axe-ref.md


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