Xcode includes a code editor with syntax highlighting and autocompletion, a graphical user interface (GUI) editor for designing user interfaces, a debugger for identifying and fixing errors in your code, and a simulator for testing your applications on different devices and platforms.
In addition, Xcode includes tools for managing dependencies, configuring build settings, and integrating with version control systems like Git. Xcode also includes a suite of tools for profiling and analyzing the performance of your application.
Xcode is Apple's integrated development environment (IDE) for macOS, used to develop software for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS. It was initially released in late 2003; the latest stable release is version 16, released on September 16, 2024, and is available free of charge via the Mac App Store and the Apple Developer website. Registered developers can also download preview releases and prior versions of the suite through the Apple Developer website. Xcode includes command-line tools that enable UNIX-style development via the Terminal app in macOS. They can also be downloaded and installed without the GUI.
Before Xcode, Apple offered developers Project Builder and Interface Builder to develop Mac OS X applications.