Apple Xcode
| Version | 14(as of 6/1/2023) |
| Platform | Mac |
| License | Freeware |
| Category | Programming |
Main Features
- Fully-equipped IDE with SwiftUI for publishing macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS apps
- Support for various languages, including Objective-C, C, C++, Java, Swift, Python, Ruby, and AppleScript
- Various debugging and performance testing tools
- Version control systems, including Git, Subversion, and Xcode snapshots, allow for team collaboration
- Dark Xcode interface and tools for building dark macOS apps
- Built-in testing engine for running unit tests and UI and performance tests
- Xcode Cloud for continuous integration and delivery
Software Overview
Apple Xcode is a macOS IDE for developing apps for various Apple platforms, including macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. It provides tools to help developers build user interface components with SwiftUI, write source code, and test and deploy their builds. The software is available for free from the Mac App Store.
Xcode includes all the tools needed to build and publish apps from start to finish. Xcode's Interface Builder provides a design canvas to create user interface components and set properties for interacting with your source code. SwiftUI allows you to build apps across all Apple platforms and includes navigation API, advanced layout control, UIKit interoperability, and support for additional UI components. The program integrates with popular version control tools, such as GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket. Also, it provides its own local revision tracking system called snapshots, allowing developers to track source code revisions.
The IDE features an impressive source code editor that makes it easy to visualize and select code sections and has a built-in refactoring and transformation engine. In addition, it supports various languages, including C++ and Swift, highlights changes you make to your code next to each line, and notifies you instantly if you have created a conflict. This is especially helpful when working collaboratively with local changes and commits from team members upstream in the source repository.
Debugging and performance tools allow developers to test for memory leaks and examine app efficiency during runtime. You can customize these tools, or you can use templates included with Xcode to build using the same tools as Apple. Xcode's Simulator enables you to prototype and test builds of your app by simulating iOS, watchOS, and tvOS devices. Also, Xcode comes with Xcode Cloud built into it, allowing you to deliver apps to testers and manage user feedback.
Summary
Xcode is a powerful tool for developing apps and has come a long way since the first version of the software. Apple has streamlined many tools and continues to make development more manageable by adding features like SwiftUI for multiplatform app development and Xcode Cloud for testing and deploying apps. As a result, Apple Xcode is an excellent IDE for developing macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS apps.
Primary File Type
.XCODEPROJXcode Project
Supported File Types
| Extension | File Type |
|---|---|
| .XCODEPROJ | Xcode Project |
| .ASM | Assembly Language Source Code File |
| .C | C/C++ Source Code File |
| .CC | C++ Source Code File |
| .CP | Xcode C++ Source File |
| .CPP | C++ Source Code File |
| .CXX | C++ Source Code File |
| .DEVELOPERPROFILE | Xcode Developer Profile |
| .DOCSET | Doxygen Document Set File |
| .ENTITLEMENTS | Mac App Sandboxing Entitlements File |
| .F | Fortran Source Code |
| .FOR | Fortran Source Code File |
| .GEOJSON | GeoJSON File |
| .GLSL | GLSL Shader File |
| .GPX | GPS Exchange File |
| .H | C/C++/Objective-C Header File |
| .HPP | C++ Header File |
| .JAVA | Java Source Code File |
| .L | Lex Source File |
| .LPP | LabelPrint Project File |
| .M | Objective-C Implementation File |
| .MAKE | Xcode Makefile Script |
| .MM | Objective-C++ Source File |
| .MOBILEPROVISION | Xcode Mobile Provisioning Profile |
| .MOM | Managed Object Model |
| .NIB | Interface Builder User Interface File |
| .OCTEST | Xcode Objective-C Unit Test Bundle |
| .PLIST | Property List |
| .R | Rez Source Code File |
| .RB | Ruby Source Code |
| .RBW | Ruby Script |
| .S | Source Code File |
| .STORYBOARD | Xcode Interface Builder Storyboard |
| .XCAPPDATA | Xcode App Data File |
| .XCARCHIVE | Xcode Archive |
| .XCDATAMODEL | Xcode Core Data Model File |
| .XCDATAMODELD | Xcode Core Data Model File |
| .XCODE | Xcode Project |
| .XCSNAPSHOTS | Xcode Snapshot |
| .XCUSERSTATE | Xcode User State File |
| .XCWORKSPACE | Xcode Workspace |
| .XIB | Interface Builder File |
| .Y | Yacc Source File |
| .YM | Atari ST Audio File |
Additional Related File Types
| Extension | File Type |
|---|---|
| .CACTION | Automator Converter Action |
| .DSYM | Xcode Debug Symbols File |
| .DYLIB | Mach-O Dynamic Library |
| .EXP | Symbols Export File |
| .FTN | Fortran Source Code File |
| .HH | C++ Header File |
| .HXX | C++ Source Code Header File |
| .IPSW | iPod and iPhone Software Update File |
| .JAV | Java Source File |
| .MAK | Makefile |
| .PBPROJ | Project Builder Project |
| .PBXBTREE | Xcode Auto-Complete File |
| .PBXPROJ | Xcode Project Data File |
| .PBXUSER | Xcode Project User Data File |
| .PCH | Precompiled Header File |
| .SCRIPTSUITE | AppleScript Script Suite File |
| .SCRIPTTERMINOLOGY | AppleScript Script Terminology File |
| .SDEF | AppleScript Dictionary Document |
| .STRINGS | Text Strings File |
| .TBD | Apple Xcode Text-based Definition File |