Build Xcode project for iOS Simulator

SkillDev tools

This skill should be used when the user invokes "/xcode-build-simulator" to build the current Xcode project for the iOS Simulator (generic destination).

Available today. Use it from your connected AI after setup.

Connect ahel once, and every AI you use reads what you have installed.

Then ask your AI: use the Build Xcode project for iOS Simulator skill

What this skill tells your AI

The instructions your AI receives, as published by xenodium/emacs-skills in skills/xcode-build-simulator/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.

Build the Xcode workspace or project under the current working directory for the iOS Simulator. Uses a generic simulator destination (no specific UDID), so no simulator needs to be booted.

How to build

The shared agent-skill-xcode.el lives in the sibling xcode-shared directory at skills/xcode-shared/agent-skill-xcode.el in the emacs-skills plugin. All four /xcode-* skills load it from there.

emacsclient --eval "(progn (load \"/path/to/skills/xcode-shared/agent-skill-xcode.el\" nil t) (agent-skill-xcode-build-simulator :project-dir \"$(pwd)\"))"

The function:

  • Locates the first .xcworkspace (preferred) or .xcodeproj in :project-dir.
  • Picks a scheme via xcodebuild -list -json: prefers the scheme matching the project basename, else the first non-test scheme.
  • Runs xcodebuild build -destination 'generic/platform=iOS Simulator'.
  • Returns "Build succeeded: ..." on success, or "Build FAILED: ...\n--- last 40 lines ---\n..." on failure.

Rules

  • Pass the agent's current working directory as :project-dir via $(pwd). Do not assume a hard-coded path.
  • Run via the Bash tool with a single emacsclient --eval invocation.
  • Report the returned status string to the user verbatim on failure (truncated tail is already included).
  • On success, a one-line confirmation is enough.
  • If the user wants to also run the app, suggest /xcode-run-simulator.

Signals

GitHub stars
135
Forks
17
Last commit
Jul 2026
Advanced
Catalog kind
skill
Gateway key
xcode-build-simulator
Source
github.com/xenodium/emacs-skills