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xcodesorg/xcodesapp

8,366SwiftAudience · developerComplexity · 1/5Setup · easy

TLDR

A macOS app that makes installing and switching between multiple Xcode versions simple, it shows every available release, downloads them up to five times faster using parallel connections, and switches the active version with one click.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Install multiple Xcodes
      Switch active version
      Download simulators
    Download features
      16 parallel connections
      3-5x faster than browser
      Automatic resume
    Supported runtimes
      iOS tvOS watchOS
      visionOS simulators
    Setup
      macOS 13 or newer
      Homebrew install
      Apple ID required
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Code map

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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Install any version of Xcode from a full list in the app without hunting through Apple's developer site or using the App Store.

USE CASE 2

Switch the active Xcode version instantly so your terminal and build tools use a different release without running xcode-select manually.

USE CASE 3

Download iOS, tvOS, watchOS, or visionOS simulator runtimes directly from the app without going through Xcode itself.

USE CASE 4

Resume an interrupted Xcode download automatically without starting over from scratch.

Tech stack

Swiftaria2

Getting it running

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Requires macOS 13 or newer and an Apple ID for downloading Xcode, install via Homebrew or direct download.

License not specified in the explanation.

In plain English

Xcodes.app is a macOS application that makes it straightforward to install and manage multiple versions of Xcode on your Mac. Xcode is Apple's tool for building iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch apps, and developers often need several versions installed at once to test against older systems or work on different projects with different requirements. The app shows you a list of every available Xcode version, pulled from Apple's developer website and a community-maintained releases database. To install one, you click a button, and Xcodes handles everything from download to installation without further input. It uses a download tool called aria2 that opens up to 16 connections at once, making downloads three to five times faster than a standard browser download. If your connection drops mid-download, the install automatically resumes where it left off. Once you have multiple versions installed, switching between them is a single click. Xcodes calls the appropriate macOS command behind the scenes, so your terminal tools and build systems immediately use whichever version you activated. You can also install simulator runtimes directly from the app for iOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS without going through Xcode itself. As of Xcode 26, Apple began distributing Apple Silicon and Universal variants of both Xcode and the runtimes, and Xcodes lets you pick which variant to install. The app supports dark and light mode, security key authentication, and has been translated into over fifteen languages by community contributors. Xcodes.app can be installed via Homebrew or by downloading directly from the releases page. It requires macOS 13 or newer and an Apple ID for downloading Xcode.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
I need Xcode 15 and Xcode 16 installed side by side on my Mac. Walk me through using Xcodes.app to install both and switch between them for different projects.
Prompt 2
How does Xcodes.app make Xcode downloads faster than using the App Store or a browser? What is aria2 and how many connections does it open?
Prompt 3
I want to install a specific iOS simulator runtime without opening Xcode. How do I do that inside Xcodes.app?
Prompt 4
Xcodes.app supports Apple Silicon and Universal variants of Xcode 26 and newer. How do I choose which variant to download?
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