/mcp-tools

name: mcp-tools
description: Use when needing Xcode build automation or Apple API/WWDC documentation lookup via XcodeBuildMCP or apple-docs MCP servers.
user-invocable: false
references: references/xcodebuild-mcp.md, references/xcodebuild-mcp-ui-verification.md, references/apple-docs-mcp.md, references/apple-docs-mcp-workflows.md
related-skills: swift-core, ios, macos

<objective> Documents the two MCP servers that power the Swift/Apple workflow: XcodeBuildMCP for Xcode project automation, build validation and on-simulator UI verification (discover projects, build/run/test on simulator, screenshots, runtime UI snapshots, appearance, autonomous build-fix-rebuild loops), and Apple Docs MCP for official documentation (all frameworks, symbol details, availability/deprecation, sample code, and bundled WWDC transcripts for 2014-2025 - newer sessions via developer.apple.com).

Defines the mandatory research-first priority order (Apple Docs MCP first, then Context7 for third-party libraries, then Exa web search) and the mandatory build-validation loop after every code change (build, read errors, fix, rebuild, only commit on zero errors).

Includes installation snippets for both servers and a quick-reference table mapping tasks to the right tool. </objective>

MCP Tools for Swift Development

**Model Context Protocol servers for enhanced Swift/Xcode workflows.**

Available MCP Servers

1. XcodeBuildMCP

**Purpose**: Xcode project automation and build validation

**Documentation**: [xcodebuild-mcp.md](references/xcodebuild-mcp.md), [xcodebuild-mcp-ui-verification.md](references/xcodebuild-mcp-ui-verification.md)

**Key features**:

• Discover Xcode projects and workspaces
• Build/run/test on simulator (`build_run_sim`, `test_sim`), device and macOS
• List schemes and show build settings
• Clean builds and derived data
• `screenshot` + `snapshot_ui` for UI verification (default workflow); appearance and taps via optional workflows
• **Autonomous build validation** (AI can build, read errors, fix, rebuild)

**Installation**:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "XcodeBuildMCP": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "xcodebuildmcp@latest"]
    }
  }
}

**Use when**:

• After making code changes (MANDATORY validation)
• Debugging build issues
• Creating new Xcode projects
• Cleaning stale builds

---

2. Apple Docs MCP

**Purpose**: Official Apple documentation with offline WWDC access

**Documentation**: [apple-docs-mcp.md](references/apple-docs-mcp.md), [apple-docs-mcp-workflows.md](references/apple-docs-mcp-workflows.md)

**Key features**:

• Search all Apple frameworks (SwiftUI, UIKit, Foundation, etc.)
• Get detailed symbol information (classes, methods, properties)
• **WWDC sessions bundled offline for 2014-2025**; newer sessions via developer.apple.com/videos
• Access Apple sample code
• Framework exploration and discovery
• API availability and deprecation checking

**Installation**:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apple-docs": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@kimsungwhee/apple-docs-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

**Use when**:

• Researching Apple APIs (PRIORITY over Context7)
• Finding WWDC best practices
• Checking API availability
• Getting official code examples

---

Workflow Integration

Research-First (MANDATORY)

Priority order:
1. ⭐ Apple Docs MCP (official Apple docs + WWDC)
2. Context7 (third-party libraries)
3. Exa web search (community tutorials)

Build Validation (MANDATORY)

After EVERY code change:
1. XcodeBuildMCP: Build project
2. If errors → Read error messages
3. Fix issues
4. Rebuild to validate
5. Only commit if zero errors

---

Complete Development Workflow (2026)

1. Feature request received
   ↓
2. Apple Docs MCP: Search API/WWDC
   ↓
3. Read existing codebase (DRY principle)
   ↓
4. Implement following Apple patterns
   ↓
5. XcodeBuildMCP: Build to validate ⭐
   ↓
6. If build errors:
   - Read error messages
   - Fix issues
   - Rebuild
   ↓
7. Run tests (if available)
   ↓
8. UI changed? HIG verification gate on simulator
   (xcodebuild-mcp-ui-verification.md)

---

Benefits

XcodeBuildMCP

✅ Autonomous error detection and fixing ✅ Zero tolerance for compilation errors ✅ Lightning-fast incremental builds ✅ Project scaffolding automation ✅ Build validation before commits

Apple Docs MCP

✅ Official Apple documentation (most accurate) ✅ WWDC sessions offline (2014-2025 bundled) ✅ Deprecation and availability info ⚠️ No HIG pages and no post-2025 WWDC: use developer.apple.com via `browser_fetch`

---

Resources

**XcodeBuildMCP**:

• [Website](https://www.xcodebuildmcp.com) (repository moved to getsentry)
• [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/xcodebuildmcp)
• Version: 2.7.0 (npm)

**Apple Docs MCP**:

• [GitHub](https://github.com/kimsungwhee/apple-docs-mcp)
• [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/@kimsungwhee/apple-docs-mcp)

---

Quick Reference

| Task | MCP Tool | Documentation | |------|----------|---------------| | Search Apple API | `apple-docs` | `apple-docs-mcp.md` | | Find WWDC session | `apple-docs` | `apple-docs-mcp.md` | | Get code example | `apple-docs` | `apple-docs-mcp.md` | | Research workflow | `apple-docs` | `apple-docs-mcp-workflows.md` | | Build project | `XcodeBuildMCP` | `xcodebuild-mcp.md` | | Validate changes | `XcodeBuildMCP` | `xcodebuild-mcp.md` | | Clean build | `XcodeBuildMCP` | `xcodebuild-mcp.md` | | Create project | `XcodeBuildMCP` | `xcodebuild-mcp.md` | | Verify UI (HIG gate) | `XcodeBuildMCP` | `xcodebuild-mcp-ui-verification.md` |