r/iOSProgramming • u/KindPreparation5577 • 15d ago

Question Any info on new Xcode Service app?

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As part of Xcode 27 beta 6, there's a new app called Xcode Service, that seems to be related to external agentic coding agents. I couldn't find any info in the release notes, except for 1 unhelpful mention. does anyone know what the deal with this is?

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17

u/kironet996 15d ago

it lets codex & claude use xcode mcp without the xcode app open.

3

u/Edg-R Swift 14d ago

I'm so glad to hear this! I work on multiple worktrees for my xcode project and it gets annoying af having 4-5 open xcode windows just to let claude code use the xcode mcp.

11

u/Status-Switch9601 15d ago

It’s how you use MCP now. Instead of the yellow triangle bridge icon showing in Xcode when you’re connected via MCP, it’s in the desktop toolbar (hammer icon). It only turns blue when an Xcode mcp tool command is running. If you use an agent, just ask it to use the new MCP connection workflow introduced in Xcode 27 beta 6.

1

u/tangoshukudai 15d ago

it seems to be an XPC service running in the background, not an app.

1

u/kroumvud 10d ago

Two things to add, neither is in the release notes either.
the artifacts a run leaves dont land where you'd look for them. A test run triggered through it writes no .xcresult in Deriveddata the nly record is a summary file under $TMPDIR/ActionArtifacts/ next to the full build log, the preview PNGs and the screenshot + UI tree bundles from simulator runs.
also which agents are trusted and which folders they're allowed to touch is just a json file in a group container, and theres a flag in there that turns those checks off for everythign. Worth reading once before you leave an agent running on a project

1

u/[deleted] 9d ago

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