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KXApp

Build iOS apps in VS Code

Write code, build, run and debug on iPhone and the simulator, and run tests, all in VS Code. Your Xcode project stays exactly as it is, so you can pick it up in Xcode whenever you want.

Install for free Get started →

Free · No sign-up · Your code stays on your Mac

Debugging an iOS app in VS Code: stopped at a breakpoint in Swift code, with variables, call stack and threads on the left

Press Cmd+R to build and run. When a breakpoint hits, variables, call stack and threads are right there in VS Code.

Features

Everything iOS development needs, inside VS Code

Open the folder of your iOS project in VS Code and you're ready to go. Click a card for details.

One-key builds

Switch scheme, configuration and run device from the status bar. Cmd+B builds, and a click on an error takes you to the line.

iPhone and simulators

Connected iPhones and iPads and all your simulators are listed in the side bar. Pick one with a click, and boot or shut down simulators right there.

Run and debug

Cmd+R builds, installs and launches your app with the debugger attached: breakpoints, variables, call stack and console, all in VS Code. You can also attach to a running app.

Swift code completion

Completion, go to definition, hover docs and live errors for Swift, SwiftUI, Objective-C and C++, including third-party libraries and Swift packages.

Unit tests

XCTest and Swift Testing cases appear in the Test Explorer. Run one test, a class or everything with a click; failures are marked on the line.

Info.plist editor

Edit Info.plist, entitlements and privacy manifests as a table, and look inside provisioning profiles for certificates and devices.

App icons and assets

Manage images, colors and app icons. Generate every icon size from one 1024×1024 image, and preview and edit the new icon documents.

Localization

Translate string catalogs and .strings files in one table, add a language with a click, and collect new strings from your code.

Project settings

Signing, version numbers and build settings get a visual editor that shows where every value comes from.

Visual editors

Change settings without hand-editing XML

Project settings, Info.plist, assets and app icons all have a visual editor. Save, open the project in Xcode, and everything looks the same.

See all editors →

Project settings editor
Project settings editor →
Info.plist editor
Info.plist editor →
Asset catalog editor
Asset catalog editor →
App icon editor
App icon editor →

Works with Xcode

Code in VS Code, switch to Xcode any time

The extension builds and debugs with the Xcode on your Mac, so your app runs exactly as it does when you press Run in Xcode. The same project opens in both.

  • Same results as Xcode

    Building, signing and installing are done by Xcode, so if your project runs in Xcode, it runs in VS Code.

  • Switch back and forth

    What you built in VS Code doesn't need rebuilding when you open Xcode, and the other way round.

  • No migration

    Open your existing Xcode project and start. Nothing is converted or generated, and teammates on Xcode aren't affected.

  • Familiar shortcuts

    Cmd+R to run, Cmd+B to build, Cmd+. to stop, just like Xcode.

The shortcuts you know from Xcode 
⌘R   Build and run
⌘B   Build
⌘.   Stop
⇧⌘P  Search kxapp in the Command Palette for every command

FAQ

Questions you may have

Is KXApp free?
Yes. Every feature is free to use. There is no trial and no paid edition.
Do I still need Xcode to develop iOS apps in VS Code?
Yes. On your Mac the extension uses the installed Xcode to build, sign and debug, which is why the results match Xcode. Once it's installed, you can do your day-to-day work in VS Code alone.
Which iOS projects are supported?
Any project Xcode opens: .xcodeproj and .xcworkspace, including projects that use CocoaPods or Swift Package Manager. Just open the folder that contains it.
How is code signing handled on iPhone?
With the signing settings in your project. Once you're signed in with your Apple ID in Xcode › Settings › Accounts, provisioning profiles are created and updated automatically, just like running on a device from Xcode.
Do I need an account?
No. Install it from the extension marketplace and start using it. There's no sign-in, and your code is never uploaded.
Will it change my project?
Only when you change a setting in one of the editors, and then only that file. For code completion it adds a buildServer.json to the project root, which you can add to .gitignore.
Can I use it alongside Xcode?
Yes. Both share build results, so what you built in VS Code doesn't need rebuilding when you switch to Xcode, and the other way round.
Where do I report a problem?
Open an issue on GitHub and attach the kxapp log from the Output panel so we can track it down faster. You can also email us.

Start building your iOS app in VS Code

Install it from the extension marketplace, or download the VSIX and install it by hand.

VS Code Marketplace Open VSX Download VSIX
$ code --install-extension kxapp.kxapp