| name | ios-dev |
| description | Develop and debug iOS apps with the xcodebuildmcp CLI using simulator-first build, test, run, log, UI-inspection, and device workflows. Use for ordinary iOS development, build or test failures, runtime crashes, simulator problems, and iterative fix/verify work. |
iOS Development
Use xcodebuildmcp for a fast simulator-first development loop. Prefer explicit project, scheme, and simulator flags so agent runs do not depend on hidden configuration.
Read references/commands.md when selecting exact discovery, simulator, device, logging, debugging, or Swift package commands.
Workflow
- Discover the project or workspace, schemes, and available simulators.
- Establish the smallest failing build, test, launch, or interaction.
- Fix one failure class at a time.
- Re-run the focused command.
- For runtime or UI behavior, reproduce in the running app and capture logs plus visible evidence.
- Run broader relevant tests after the focused path passes.
Use simulator-first unless hardware, signing, sensors, performance, or another device-specific contract requires a physical device.
Failure Triage
- Build/test: verify project, scheme, destination, configuration, and build settings before cleaning.
- Runtime: start focused log capture, reproduce, stop capture, and inspect the resulting logs.
- UI: inspect the accessibility snapshot and capture a screenshot or recording of the real interaction.
- Simulator state: verify boot and app state before considering reset.
- Device: confirm the exact device identifier and signing prerequisites.
Run xcodebuildmcp doctor when command availability or environment health is unclear.
Gotchas
- Cleaning is not a diagnosis; first capture the original failure.
- Simulator success does not prove device-only behavior.
- Build success does not prove launch or UI behavior.
- Ask before erasing a simulator or removing user data.
- Tool output and screenshots should identify the simulator/device and app state being proven.
- Verify current CLI help when a command or flag is rejected; tool interfaces can drift.
Closeout
Report the failing surface, root cause evidence, change made, exact verification commands or interaction, resulting state, and any device-only or signing risk that remains.
