XTool – Cross-platform Xcode replacement
28 comments
·May 17, 2025lwouis
rockbruno
I think you are mixing some different concepts here. It's not that this is a layer on top of Xcode/xcodebuild, it's just that Apple today happens to package everything iOS/Swift-related together with Xcode releases. So even if you couldn't care less about the Xcode IDE itself or the xcodebuild build system, you still need to have it because this is the only way for you to download / install those toolchains. Apple could provide these separately, but they just don't.
zh3
Also https://forums.swift.org/t/xtool-cross-platform-xcode-replac... (and HN discussion https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43952239).
firecall
JetBrains used to develop AppCode:
AppCode
A smart IDE for iOS/macOS development
AppCode is no longer available as a commercial product as of December 14, 2022.
https://www.jetbrains.com/objc/lwouis
It seems that Fleet will support building XCode apps. It looks like a big regression from AppCode. As of today Fleet doesn't compile my macOS app. I try regularly on new updates. No alternatives, unfortunately
flax
Would this theoretically allow a Flutter app developer to build and deploy an ios app from Linux? God, I hope so.
candiddevmike
It technically violates the Apple Developer Agreement AFAIK, but that seems like yet another lawsuit waiting to happen IMO.
ronsor
Apple won't do anything right now as they're certainly afraid the courts* will slap them hard.
*Both US and EU now
saagarjha
They’re still rejecting Fortnite so I don’t think they’re particularly scared of anything
petabyt
People have been doing hackintoshes and macos VMs for years... And apple hasn't really done anything. So I doubt this tool will provoke them.
karlgkk
A long while ago, they put some company selling hackintoshes straight into the ground. Nobody tried since
conception
Apple has killed the Hackintosh…. It’s just bleeding out still.
tgma
IIRC it is only a potential issue if the host machine isn't made by Apple. You can install Linux on a Mac and use this.
IANAL yada yada.
_blk
Yeah weird world. When Gates bundles IE that no one wants it's an abuse of power but when Jobs shoves his apples down your throat just to (try to) publish for their platform it's all OK.. Oh, or was that the lawsuit waiting to happen? ;)
freeamz
Same thing with the bank bail out, if Bush did oh my we will never hear end of it, but if cool president who smokes weed and get down some good music, then no one really call him out on it.
gman83
Just use something like CodeMagic, I wouldn't risk getting your Apple account banned.
Cloudef
Afaik its already possible with darling. Nixpkgs also has xcbuild replacement, but not sure if it can handle codesigning.
woleium
no android support?
landr0id
...this is for building apps targeting iOS and macOS on non-macOS platforms. Why would Android support be necessary?
thayne
So you can build iOS apps on your android device?
If for no other reason, it would be gloriously ironic.
woleium
Oh, i misunderstood. my bad!
I thought it was for compilation of ios apps for linux and macos.
null
This tool says "Xcode replacement" and "Xcode-free development". I thought there is no way they can build apps without Xcode. How would they replicate the libraries, compilers, etc.
I dug more and of course they don't: "Though we don’t rely on the Xcode build system, you still need to install Xcode for the iOS SDK and toolchain"
I think they should clarify their messaging. This is not a replacement or an alternative. It's a layer on top designed for what they think is a better experience.