Editing Xcode (section)

== Major features ==
Xcode supports [[source code]] for the [[programming language]]s: [[Swift (programming language)|Swift]], [[C++]], [[Objective-C]], [[Objective-C++]], [[Java (programming language)|Java]], [[AppleScript]], [[Python (programming language)|Python]], [[Ruby (programming language)|Ruby]], [[ResEdit]] (Rez), and [[C (programming language)|C]], with a variety of programming models, including but not limited to [[Cocoa (API)|Cocoa]], [[Carbon (API)|Carbon]], and Java. Third parties have added support for [[GNU Pascal]],<ref>{{cite web |author=Adriaan van Os |url=http://www.microbizz.nl/gpcxcode.html |title=GNU Pascal and Xcode |publisher=Microbizz.nl |access-date=June 21, 2010 |archive-date=April 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418084323/http://microbizz.nl/gpcxcode.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Free Pascal]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pascal-central.com/fp-xcode/ |title=Using Free Pascal with Xcode |publisher=Pascal-central.com |access-date=June 21, 2010 |archive-date=June 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612010805/http://pascal-central.com/fp-xcode/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Ada (programming language)|Ada]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.macada.org/macada/Tools.html|title=Tools|publisher=macada.org|access-date=February 8, 2011|archive-date=July 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727051830/http://www.macada.org/macada/Tools.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]],<ref>{{cite web |url = https://code.google.com/p/cocoa-sharp-dev/wiki/CSharpPlugin |title=CSharpPlugin - cocoa-sharp-dev - Google Code |access-date=June 21, 2010}}</ref> [[Go (programming language)|Go]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=xkick brings Golang support to Xcode 11 - Blog - Wirecog|url=https://www.wirecog.com/blog/xkick-brings-golang-support-to-xcode-11|website=www.wirecog.com|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> [[Perl]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://camelbones.sourceforge.net/ |title = CamelBones, an Objective-C/Perl bridge for Mac OS X & GNUStep - Home |publisher=Camelbones.sourceforge.net |date=December 1, 2004 |access-date=June 21, 2010}}</ref> and [[D (programming language)|D]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://michelf.ca/projects/d-for-xcode/|title=D for Xcode|access-date=February 9, 2019}}</ref>

Xcode can build ''[[fat binary]]'' ([[universal binary]]) files containing code for multiple architectures with the [[Mach-O]] executable format. These helped ease the transitions from [[32-bit]] [[PowerPC]] to [[64-bit]] PowerPC, from PowerPC to [[Intel]] [[x86]], from 32-bit to 64-bit Intel, and most recently from Intel x86 to [[Apple silicon]] by allowing developers to distribute a single application to users and letting the operating system automatically choose the appropriate architecture at runtime. Using the [[iOS SDK]], tvOS SDK, and watchOS SDK, Xcode can also be used to compile and debug applications for [[iOS]], [[iPadOS]], [[tvOS]], and [[watchOS]].

Xcode includes the GUI tool [[Instruments (application)|Instruments]], which runs atop a dynamic tracing framework, [[DTrace]], created by [[Sun Microsystems]] and released as part of [[OpenSolaris]].

Xcode also integrates built-in support for [[version control|source code management]] using the [[Git]] [[version control]] system and protocol, allowing the user to create and [[version control#Common terminology|clone]] Git [[repository (version control)|repositories]] (which can be hosted on source code repository hosting sites such as [[GitHub]], [[Bitbucket]], and [[Perforce]], or self-hosted using open-source software such as [[GitLab]]), and to [[commit (version control)|commit]], [[version control#Common terminology|push]], and [[version control#Common terminology|pull]] changes, all from within Xcode, automating tasks that would traditionally be performed by using Git from the [[command-line interface|command line]].

=== Composition ===
The main application of the suite is the [[integrated development environment]] (IDE), also named Xcode. The Xcode suite includes most of Apple's developer documentation, and built-in [[Interface Builder]], an application used to construct [[graphical user interface]]s.
Up to Xcode 4.1, the Xcode suite included a modified version of the [[GNU Compiler Collection]].  In Xcode 3.1 up to Xcode 4.6.3, it included the LLVM-GCC compiler, with front ends from the [[GNU Compiler Collection]] and a code generator based on [[LLVM]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Prince McLean|title=Apple's other open secret: the LLVM Compiler|url=http://appleinsider.com/articles/08/06/20/apples_other_open_secret_the_llvm_complier.html|date=June 20, 2008|access-date=April 3, 2012}}</ref> In Xcode 3.2 and later, it included the [[Clang]] C/C++/Objective-C compiler, with newly-written front ends and a code generator based on LLVM, and the Clang [[Static program analysis|static analyzer]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Xcode 3.2: {{not a typo|teh}} awesome edition|url=http://www.mcubedsw.com/blog/index.php/site/comments/xcode_3.2_teh_awesome_edition/|date=August 30, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616065312/http://www.mcubedsw.com/blog/index.php/site/comments/xcode_3.2_teh_awesome_edition/|archive-date=June 16, 2013}}</ref>  Starting with Xcode 4.2, the Clang compiler became the default compiler,<ref name="What's New in Xcode 4.2">{{cite web|url=https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/Xcode/Conceptual/WhatsNewXcode-Archive/Articles/xcode_4_0.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40016147-SW10 |title=New Features in Xcode 4: Xcode 4.2 |publisher=Apple |date=September 16, 2015 |access-date=September 15, 2016}}</ref> Starting with Xcode 5.0, Clang was the only compiler provided.

Up to Xcode 4.6.3, the Xcode suite used the [[GNU Debugger]] (GDB) as the [[Front and back ends|back-end]] for the IDE's [[debugger]]. Starting with Xcode 4.3, the [[LLDB (debugger)|LLDB debugger]] was also provided; starting with Xcode 4.5 LLDB replaced GDB as the default back-end for the IDE's debugger.<ref name="What's New in Xcode 4.5">{{cite web |title = New Features in Xcode 4: Xcode 4.5 |url = https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/DeveloperTools/Conceptual/WhatsNewXcode/Articles/xcode_4_0.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40016147-SW12 |publisher=Apple Inc.|date=September 16, 2015 |access-date=October 18, 2015}}</ref> Starting with Xcode 5.0, GDB was no longer supplied.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://developer.apple.com/library/content/documentation/Xcode/Conceptual/WhatsNewXcode-Archive/Articles/xcode_5_0.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40012953-SW18 |title = New Features in Xcode 5: Xcode 5.0 |date=September 16, 2015|access-date=September 15, 2016}}</ref>

=== Playgrounds ===
The Playgrounds feature of Xcode provides an environment for rapid experimentation and development in the [[Swift (programming language)|Swift]] programming language. The original version of the feature was announced and released by [[Apple Inc]] on June 2, 2014, during [[WWDC 2014]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Keynote - WWDC 2014 - Videos |url=http://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2014/101/ |access-date=February 1, 2019 |website=Apple Developer |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple's new Swift language explained: A clever move to boost iOS, while holding Android apps back - ExtremeTech |url=https://www.extremetech.com/computing/183563-apples-new-swift-language-explained-a-clever-move-to-boost-ios-while-holding-android-apps-back |access-date=February 1, 2019 |website=www.extremetech.com|date=June 3, 2014 }}</ref>

Playgrounds provide a testing ground that renders developer code in real time. They have the capability of evaluating and displaying the results of single expressions as they are coded (in line or on a side bar), providing rapid feedback to the programmer. This type of development environment, known as a [[read-eval-print loop]] (or REPL) is useful for learning, experimenting and fast prototyping.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 4, 2014 |title=Swift: Apple's next-generation programming language 4 years in the making |url=https://www.imore.com/swift-apples-next-generation-programming-language-4-years-making |access-date=February 1, 2019 |website=iMore |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mayo |first=Benjamin |date=June 2, 2014 |title=Apple announces new Xcode, 'Swift' programming language |url=https://9to5mac.com/2014/06/02/apple-announces-new-xcode-swift-programming-language/ |access-date=February 1, 2019 |website=9to5Mac |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Swift Resources - Apple Developer |url=https://developer.apple.com/swift/resources/ |access-date=February 1, 2019 |website=developer.apple.com |language=en}}</ref> Playgrounds was used by Apple to publish [[Swift (programming language)|Swift]] tutorials and guided tours where the REPL advantages are noticeable''.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Swift Tour — The Swift programming language (Swift 5) |url=https://docs.swift.org/swift-book/GuidedTour/GuidedTour.html |access-date=February 5, 2019 |website=docs.swift.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Swift.org |title=A Swift Tour |url=https://docs.swift.org/swift-book/GuidedTour/GuidedTour.playground.zip |access-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204091803/https://docs.swift.org/swift-book/GuidedTour/GuidedTour.playground.zip |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Playgrounds feature was developed by the Developer Tools department at Apple. According to [[Chris Lattner]], the inventor of [[Swift (programming language)|Swift Programming Language]] and Senior Director and Architect at the Developer Tools Department, Playgrounds was "heavily influenced by Bret Victor's ideas, by [[Light Table (software)|Light Table]] and by many other interactive systems".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Victor |first=Bret |date=September 2012 |title=Learnable Programming |url=http://worrydream.com/#!/LearnableProgramming |website=worrydream.com}}</ref> Playgrounds was announced by [[Apple Inc.]] on June 2, 2014, during [[WWDC 2014]] as part of [[#6.x series|Xcode 6]] and released in September.

In September 2016, the [[Swift Playgrounds]] application for iPad (also available on [[macOS]] starting in February 2020) was released, incorporating these ideas into an educational tool. Xcode's Playgrounds feature continued development, with a new step-by-step execution feature introduced in Xcode 10 at [[WWDC 2018]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Getting the Most out of Playgrounds in Xcode - WWDC 2018 - Videos |url=https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2018/402/ |accessdate=November 25, 2020 |website=Apple Developer}}</ref>

=== Removed features ===
Formerly, Xcode supported distributing a product build process over multiple systems. One technology involved was named ''Shared Workgroup Build'', which used the [[Bonjour protocol]] to automatically discover systems providing compiler services, and a modified version of the free software product [[distcc]] to facilitate the distribution of workloads. Earlier versions of Xcode provided a system named ''Dedicated Network Builds''. These features are absent in the supported versions of Xcode.

Xcode also includes Apple's [[WebObjects]] tools and frameworks for building Java web applications and web services (formerly sold as a separate product). As of Xcode 3.0, Apple dropped<ref>{{cite web|author=David Holt says |url=http://wiki.wocommunity.org/display/WEB/Home#xcode3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007064500/http://wiki.wocommunity.org/display/WEB/Home#xcode3 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 7, 2013 |title=Facts about WebObjects (WebObjects Community) |publisher=Wocommunity.org |date=May 15, 2010 |access-date=June 21, 2010}} </ref> WebObjects development inside Xcode; WOLips<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wiki.wocommunity.org/display/WOL/WOLips |title=WOLips |publisher=Wiki.objectstyle.org |date=February 27, 2010 |access-date=June 21, 2010}}</ref> should be used instead. Xcode 3 still includes the WebObjects frameworks.