Apple just made Xcode perfect for vibe coding – Claude and Codex get full access

Xcode 26.3 takes AI-powered coding assistants to the next level: Claude and ChatGPT can now search documentation, explore file structures, tweak project settings, and verify results right inside Xcode Previews – all powered by the new Model Context Protocol servers.

• Xcode 26.3 grants Claude and OpenAI Codex access to documentation search, file structures, project settings, and visual feedback through Previews
• Apple rolled out support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP), allowing the integration of any AI agents compatible with this open standard
• Developers can pick their preferred AI model in Xcode’s settings-for example, opting for GPT 5.1 instead of GPT 5.2

Apple has released Xcode 26.3, significantly enhancing support for AI-powered coding assistants. Building on the AI features introduced at WWDC 2025 with Xcode 26, this update expands the capabilities of systems like Claude and ChatGPT, giving them deeper integration inside Apple’s development environment.

AI agents get full access to Xcode’s toolkit

With Xcode 26.3, Apple says Claude and OpenAI Codex can “search documentation, map file structures, update project settings, and visually verify their work by capturing Xcode Previews and iterating builds and fixes.” This is a major step up from earlier releases of Xcode 26, where AI agents had limited visibility into the development environment, restricting their usefulness. According to Apple, these changes arm developers with powerful new tools to streamline workflows and boost productivity.

Adding Claude and Codex to Xcode’s terminal is done via the Intelligence section in the app settings. Once the provider is selected, developers can specify their preferred AI model. So if you prefer the output of GPT 5.1 over GPT 5.2, you can switch accordingly.

Model Context Protocol opens the door to more AI agents

The tighter integration with Claude and Codex is made possible by Apple’s deployment of Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. MCP, introduced by Anthropic in fall 2024, is designed to simplify data exchange between large language models like Claude and third-party tools and platforms. Since its debut, MCP has quickly become an industry standard-for example, OpenAI adopted the protocol last year to manage its own suite of connectors.

Apple says it worked directly with Anthropic and OpenAI to optimize token usage within Xcode, but implementing MCP means developers can add any AI agents supporting the protocol into the Xcode terminal in the future. Xcode 26.3 is available starting today for all Apple Developer Program members, with a Mac App Store release coming “soon.”