Apple Dev MCP Server
by tmaasen
README.md
<div align="center">
<img src="icon.png" width="128" height="128" alt="Apple Dev MCP Icon">
# ๐ Apple Dev MCP Server
[](https://github.com/tmaasen/apple-dev-mcp/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
[](https://www.npmjs.com/package/apple-dev-mcp)
[](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
[](https://nodejs.org/)
**Complete Apple development guidance for AI assistants**
Combines Human Interface Guidelines (design) with Technical Documentation (API reference) for all Apple platforms.
</div>
## โจ Features
- **๐จ Complete Coverage**: HIG design guidelines + Apple API documentation for iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS
- **โก Smart Caching**: Fast responses via intelligent caching with graceful degradation
- **๐ Smart Search**: Unified search across design and technical content
- **๐ค Enhanced Search**: Advanced search combining design principles with technical implementation
- **๐ Pre-built Content**: 113+ pre-processed Apple HIG sections for instant access
## ๐ Quick Start
### Option 1: Claude Desktop Extension (Recommended)
1. Download `apple-dev-mcp.dxt` from [releases](https://github.com/tmaasen/apple-dev-mcp/releases)
2. Double-click to install in Claude Desktop
3. Restart Claude Desktop
4. Start using Apple development guidance!
### Option 2: Traditional Installation
```bash
npm install -g apple-dev-mcp
```
## ๐ง Configuration
<details>
<summary><strong>Claude Desktop</strong></summary>
Add to `claude_desktop_config.json`:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"Apple Dev": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/usr/local/lib/node_modules/apple-dev-mcp/dist/server.js"]
}
}
}
```
</details>
<details>
<summary><strong>Claude Code</strong></summary>
```bash
claude mcp add "Apple-Dev" node /usr/local/lib/node_modules/apple-dev-mcp/dist/server.js
```
</details>
<details>
<summary><strong>Cursor / Windsurf / VS Code</strong></summary>
Create `.cursor/mcp.json`, windsurf config, or `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"Apple Dev": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/usr/local/lib/node_modules/apple-dev-mcp/dist/server.js"]
}
}
}
```
</details>
**Find your path**: `npm list -g apple-dev-mcp`
**Windows users**: Replace with `C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\apple-dev-mcp\dist\server.js`
## ๐ Usage
### Available Tools (3 core tools)
**Design Guidelines Search**
- `search_human_interface_guidelines` - Search Apple HIG with platform filters
- Returns full content (not snippets) for AI-friendly responses
- Covers all Apple platforms: iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS
**Technical Documentation Search**
- `search_technical_documentation` - Search Apple API documentation
- Framework-specific searches (SwiftUI, UIKit, AppKit, etc.)
- Symbol and method lookups with code examples
**Unified Search**
- `search_unified` - Combined design + technical documentation search
- Cross-references design guidelines with implementation details
- Perfect for end-to-end development guidance
### Examples
**Search Design Guidelines:**
```json
{
"name": "search_human_interface_guidelines",
"arguments": {
"query": "Tab Bars",
"platform": "iOS"
}
}
```
**Search Technical Documentation:**
```json
{
"name": "search_technical_documentation",
"arguments": {
"query": "Button",
"framework": "SwiftUI"
}
}
```
**Unified Search:**
```json
{
"name": "search_unified",
"arguments": {
"query": "navigation",
"platform": "iOS"
}
}
```
## ๐งช Testing
```bash
npm test # Run test suite
npm test # Test functionality
# Interactive testing
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector apple-dev-mcp
```
## ๐ค Contributing
We welcome contributions! The most needed help:
1. **Scraper fixes** when Apple changes their website
2. **New features** and **bug fixes**
3. **Documentation** improvements
See [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md) for guidelines.
## โ๏ธ Legal & Attribution
This project operates under fair use principles for educational purposes. All content includes proper Apple attribution and respects their intellectual property.
> Content sourced from Apple's Human Interface Guidelines.
> ยฉ Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Provided for educational purposes.
## ๐ Acknowledgments
- [MightyDillah](https://github.com/MightyDillah/apple-doc-mcp) for inspiration
- Apple Inc. for comprehensive design guidelines
- [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) team
- Open source community for contributions
---
**Built with โค๏ธ for the developer community**
*Bringing Apple's design excellence directly to your AI-assisted development workflow.*TDQS
B3.4/5.0
Scored across 3 tools
Disambiguation4/5
Each tool has a distinct target: HIG, technical docs, or unified search. The unified tool overlaps but serves a combined purpose, so there is slight potential for confusion, but overall they are clearly distinguishable.
Naming Consistency5/5
All tools follow a consistent 'search_<descriptive_suffix>' pattern, making it easy for agents to predict and understand tool purposes.
Tool Count5/5
With only three tools, the server is well-scoped for its purpose of searching Apple documentation, avoiding unnecessary complexity while covering key search scenarios.
Completeness4/5
The set covers both major documentation areas (HIG and technical) with individual and unified search. Minor gaps like sample code search exist but are outside the stated scope.
Maintenance
ActivityInactive
ResponsivenessNo issues