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apple-dev-mcp

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MCP Server for Apple's Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) & Developer Documentation

21 stars TypeScriptOthers Updated Aug 11, 2026
appleiosmcpmcp-servertypescript

Documentation

✨ Features

  • 🎨 Complete Coverage: HIG design guidelines + Apple API documentation for iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS
  • ⚡ Smart Caching: Fast responses via intelligent caching with graceful degradation
  • 🔍 Smart Search: Unified search across design and technical content
  • 🤖 Enhanced Search: Advanced search combining design principles with technical implementation
  • 📚 Pre-built Content: 113+ pre-processed Apple HIG sections for instant access

🚀 Quick Start

1. Download `apple-dev-mcp.dxt` from 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

🔧 Configuration

Claude Desktop

Add to `claude_desktop_config.json`:

json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "Apple Dev": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/usr/local/lib/node_modules/apple-dev-mcp/dist/server.js"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

bash
claude mcp add "Apple-Dev" node /usr/local/lib/node_modules/apple-dev-mcp/dist/server.js

Cursor / Windsurf / VS Code

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"]
    }
  }
}

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`

📖 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"
  }
}

🧪 Testing

bash
npm test                # Run test suite
npm test               # Test functionality

# Interactive testing
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector apple-dev-mcp

🤝 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 for guidelines.

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.

> © Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Provided for educational purposes.

🙏 Acknowledgments


Built with ❤️ for the developer community

*Bringing Apple's design excellence directly to your AI-assisted development workflow.*

Frequently asked questions

What is apple-dev-mcp?

apple-dev-mcp is MCP Server for Apple's Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) & Developer Documentation

How do I install apple-dev-mcp?

Open the GitHub repository and follow its README. Most MCP servers are added to your client's MCP config, then called by your agent.

Is apple-dev-mcp open source?

Yes — it is hosted on GitHub at https://github.com/tmaasen/apple-dev-mcp and has 21 stars.

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