Apple Doc MCP
An MCP server that lets the agent search symbols and read Apple's developer documentation for SwiftUI, UIKit and other frameworks
- 632 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Extended access
Why this level
- The server downloads Apple documentation pages from the network
- It saves downloaded pages to disk in the `.cache/` folder
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add mcp/apple-doc-mcpDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The server downloads Apple documentation pages from the network
- It saves downloaded pages to disk in the `.cache/` folder
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
An agent writing code for iOS or macOS can mix up SwiftUI type and modifier names. Apple Doc MCP gives it reference material from Apple's developer documentation, so it checks the API against the primary source. The server speaks MCP and starts with `npx apple-doc-mcp-server@latest`. Work goes in three steps. The discover_technologies tool lists frameworks with a filter, choose_technology makes the chosen framework active, and search does not work without it. After that search_symbols looks up symbols and get_documentation opens the detailed page for a known symbol or documentation path. Search is tuned for agents. Exact names such as GridItem, View or ButtonStyle resolve at once, the wildcards `*` and `?` work as in a shell, and articles and guides come in a separate block after the symbols. The server caches downloaded documentation pages in the `.cache/` folder. The current_technology tool shows which framework is selected, and get_version reports the server version.
Who it is for. For iOS and macOS developers who write SwiftUI and UIKit with an agent and want it to check Apple's reference.
Good fit when
- The agent suggests a SwiftUI modifier that does not exist and you need to check it against the documentation
- You want every symbol matching a mask such as `Grid*` or `*Item` and need to see which ones relate to layout
- You need the page for a known type such as ButtonStyle, with its description and parameters
- You do not know the exact API name and search by synonym: sheet or modal, toolbar or tabbar
- You are picking a framework for a task and want to browse Apple's technologies with a keyword filter
Not a fit when
- You need documents for third-party libraries or other platforms: the server reads only Apple documentation
- You need to work offline: the server downloads Apple documentation pages and saves them to a cache
- The question is conceptual, such as "how should the app be architected": the server answers by symbols and articles and does not retell practices
- You need a SwiftUI code review with hints on state and performance: skills with practices cover that, while the server gives reference
Example request
Find symbols matching Grid* in Apple's documentation, open the GridItem description and show the parameters of its initializerMCP
- Transport
- stdio
- Authentication
- not required
Limitations
Node.js is needed to run the package through npx. Before searching, you must pick a framework with the choose_technology tool: without an active technology, symbol search does not work. If a query finds nothing, repeat discover_technologies with another keyword or choose a different framework.
For a local install from source, run `yarn install` and `yarn build`, then point the client configuration to the absolute path of `dist/index.js`. Whether Apple's developer documentation is reachable from Russia was not checked for this card.
How to disable. In Claude Code, run `claude mcp remove apple-docs`. In Codex, remove the server with `codex mcp remove apple-doc-mcp`; in other clients, delete the apple-docs block from the MCP configuration. The documentation cache lives in the `.cache/` folder and is deleted by hand.
FAQ
How do I install Apple Doc MCP in Claude Code?
Run `claude mcp add apple-docs -- npx apple-doc-mcp-server@latest`. OpenAI Codex uses a different command: `codex mcp add apple-doc-mcp -- npx apple-doc-mcp-server@latest`. In VS Code, open the command palette, choose `MCP: Add Server`, the npm type, and enter the package name apple-doc-mcp-server.
Why does symbol search return nothing?
First pick a framework with the choose_technology tool, otherwise there is no active technology. If a choice is made and there are still no results, run discover_technologies with another keyword or choose a different framework. Searching by synonym also helps, for example sheet instead of modal.
Which tools does Apple Doc MCP have?
Six: discover_technologies, choose_technology, current_technology, search_symbols, get_documentation and get_version. The first two set the framework, search_symbols searches within it, get_documentation opens a page, and the rest show the current selection and the server version.
Do masks such as Grid* work in search?
Yes. The wildcards `*` and `?` are honored in search. Exact names such as GridItem, View and ButtonStyle resolve directly, while articles and guides appear in a separate section after the symbols.
What changed in version 1.9.6?
Symbol search was simplified to behave more predictably for agents: exact name resolution was added, symbols come before articles, and wildcard handling was fixed. First-search index initialization was also corrected, and misleading messages about background downloads were removed.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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Comparison with similar tools
Entries that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Entry | Official | Authentication | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Doc MCP (this entry) | no | not required | 632 | |
| Context Hub | no | 13,986 | a CLI with curated API documentation by version and language for many platforms | |
| SwiftUI Expert Skill | no | 3,781 | a skill with SwiftUI practices: state, composition, performance |
README in short
The README introduces the server briefly as access to Apple's developer documentation from a coding assistant. It then gives the changelog of recent versions with search fixes, install commands for VS Code, Claude Code, Codex and manual configuration, and a run from a local build. It closes with search tips and a list of six tools.