xcode-select: note: No developer tools were found, requesting install.
If developer tools are located at a non-default location on disk,
use `sudo xcode-select --switch path/to/Xcode.app` to specify
the Xcode that you wish to use for command line developer tools,
and cancel the installation dialog.
See `man xcode-select` for more details.
Press command+Tab as many times as needed to select the utility icon. This dialog should appear:
To identify the path to one of the utilities listed above, such as gcc, use the xcrun utility that comes with macOS:
xcrun --find gcc
If Command Line Utilities are installed, the response would be:
/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/bin/gcc
If Xcode.app is installed, the response would be:
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/usr/bin/gcc
If neither is installed:
xcrun: error: active developer path ("/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools") does not exist
Use `sudo Xcode-select --switch path/to/Xcode.app` to specify the Xcode that you wish to use for command line developer tools, or use `Xcode-select --install` to install the standalone command line developer tools.
See `man Xcode-select` for more details.
The same for make and other utilities.
Again, if “Command not found” appears, either install CommandLineTools or install XCode.app, then return here.
Which version has been installed?
Verify the version of GCC installed:
gcc --version
If the response is “command not found”, it’s not installed.
If the program is running on an Apple Silicon ARM chip and using CommandLineTools, you would see (at time of this writing):
Apple clang version 15.0.0 (clang-1500.1.0.2.5)
Target: arm64-apple-darwin23.3.0
Thread model: posix
InstalledDir: /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/bin
If the program is running on an Intel x86_64 and using CommandLineTools, you would see (at time of writing):
Apple clang version 15.0.0 (clang-1500.1.0.2.5)
Target: x86_64-apple-darwin22.6.0
Thread model: posix
InstalledDir: /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/bin
Note that Intel hardware are stuck on Ventura.
Only ARM hardware can run on Sonoma, the latest macOS version.
In previous OS versions, it was instead:
Configured with: --prefix=/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr --with-gxx-include-dir=/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/4.2.1
Apple clang version 13.0.0 (clang-1300.0.29.3)
Target: x86_64-apple-darwin21.1.0
Thread model: posix
InstalledDir: /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/bin
Configured with: --prefix=/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr --with-gxx-include-dir=/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk/usr/include/c++/4.2.1
Apple clang version 11.0.3 (clang-1103.0.32.62)
Target: x86_64-apple-darwin19.4.0
Thread model: posix
InstalledDir: /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/bin
Apple LLVM version 10.0.1 (clang-1001.0.46.4)
InstalledDir: /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin
If Xcode.app was installed, you would see (at time of writing):
Apple clang version 14.0.3 (clang-1403.0.22.14.1)
Target: x86_64-apple-darwin22.5.0
Thread model: posix
InstalledDir: /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin
Files and Folders
Let’s see what is in those folders:
The response would have more than what’s in CommandLineTools:
Applications Library Makefiles Platforms Toolchains Tools usr
How many folders and files were installed?
If you have the tree utility installed:
tree /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools | tail -1
Would yield (at time of writing):
16143 directories, 72910 files
See the link’s location using a Linux utility:
which gcc
On an Intel Mac, the response is a path to the file at:
/usr/bin/gcc
See it’s a binary executable if you view the file:
cat /usr/bin/gcc
Press q to exit from the multi-page viewer.
Xcode.app Version
Identify, from within a Terminal:
/usr/bin/Xcodebuild -version
If Command Line Tools was installed, you would see:
This message means that it’s not installed:
Xcode-select: error: tool ‘Xcodebuild’ requires Xcode, but active developer directory ‘/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools’ is a command line tools instance
If Xcode is installed, you would get a version code that should match up with the Build Number on Apple’s web page:
Xcode 14.3.1
Build version 14E300c
For a more precise version number and other info (macOS Mavericks version and up):
pkgutil --pkg-info=com.apple.pkg.CLTools_Executables
A sample response, at time of writing:
package-id: com.apple.pkg.CLTools_Executables
version: 14.3.1.0.1.1683849156
volume: /
location: /
install-time: 1686936570
Previously:
package-id: com.apple.pkg.CLTools_Executables
version: 13.1.0.0.1.1633545042
volume: /
location: /
install-time: 1637303193
groups: com.apple.FindSystemFiles.pkg-group
BTW The previous command was constructed based on a search of tools package names:
pkgutil --pkgs | grep -i tools
The response:
com.apple.pkg.CLTools_Executables
com.apple.pkg.CLTools_SDK_macOS1015
com.apple.pkg.CLTools_SDK_macOS1014
com.apple.pkg.CLTools_macOS_SDK
Specifying the XCode utility to use
PROTIP: Xcode.app cannot be installed if Command Utilities has already been installed. So the installation program needs to first check whether XCode.app or CommandLineTools is installed.
Choose which one you want to use:
Reset:
sudo xcode-select -r
The command provides no response.
To specify the use of CommandLineTools:
sudo xcode-select --switch /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
Enter Password.
Remove all files in that folder, provide a password for elevated permissions to get all the files:
sudo rm -rf /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools
Input your password when prompted.
The response is a lot of files removed (to the Trash).
Now install CommandLineTools (or install the full Xcode IDE).
CAUTION: On a Mac M1 (Apple Silicon chip, macOS 12.0 Monterey), after installed the Command Line Tools then uninstalled them by deleting /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools and running sudo xcode-select -r, I was still getting updates to the tools in System Preferences > Software Update.
The files below are protected by SIP: to delete them, I had to disable SIP first (ie disable SIP, delete the files, re-enable SIP).
Indeed, the receipts are at /Library/Apple/System/Library/Receipts, in the form of files:
com.apple.pkg.CLTools_Executables.{bom,plist}
com.apple.pkg.CLTools_SDK_macOS*.{bom,plist}
com.apple.pkg.CLTools_macOS_SDK.{bom,plist}
Software Update
To get to “Software Update”:
Click the Apple icon or press command+, (comma).
Click Settings. Click General. Click Software Update.
A shell script uses these commands to not require manual clicking on the dialog that pops up (below):
#!/bin/sh
# Create placeholder file checked by CLI updates' .dist code in Apple's SUS catalog:
touch /tmp/.com.apple.dt.CommandLineTools.installondemand.in-progress;
# Find the CLI Tools update:
PROD=$(softwareupdate -l |
grep "\*.*Command Line" |
head -n 1 | awk -F"*" '{print $2}' |
sed -e 's/^ *//' |
tr -d '\n')
# Unless "No new software available.", install it:
softwareupdate -i "$PROD" -v;
If you see this pop up, manually click “Install”, “Agree”, then “Install”. It says “Finding software”, then “Downloading software”. Finally, “Updates Available” appears.
CAUTION: The large number of files means this can a long time. It took 13 minutes on my 10mbps line.
When you see “The software was installed.”, click “Done” to dismiss the pop-up.
Set license
If you try to confirm the versions installed, you’ll see:
You have not agreed to the Xcode license agreements. You must agree to both license agreements below in order to use Xcode.
Press the ‘return’ key to view the license agreements at ‘/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Resources/en.lproj/License.rtf’
Press q, then type “agree”.
Press spacebar several times until it says:
Agreeing to the Xcode/iOS license requires admin privileges, please run “sudo xcodebuild -license” and then retry this command.
Run the command suggested to set Apple’s licensing agreement bit:
sudo xcodebuild -license
Enter your password for the sudo.
Confirm the versions installed.
About Xcode.app
Xcode is Apple’s free IDE developers use to create custom programs for an Apple platform.
There is no Windows PC version of XCode. XCode only works on macOS.
This limitation has served to increase the need for MacBooks.
Increasingly, Machine Learning developers are using Apple’s Swift language.
Visit Apple’s Xcode marketing page at
https://developer.apple.com/Xcode
Xcode “includes everything you need to create amazing apps for all Apple platforms. Now Xcode and Instruments look great in the new Dark Mode on macOS Mojave. The source code editor lets you transform or refactor code more easily, see source control changes alongside the related line, and quickly get details on upstream code differences. You can build your own instrument with custom visualization and data analysis. Swift compiles software more quickly, helps you deliver faster apps, and generates even smaller binaries. Test suites complete many times faster, working with a team is simpler and more secure, and much more.”.
PROTIP: Newer versions of Xcode installer also installs a Git client.
How big is the XCode installer?
To see how big the XCode installer is, visit Apple’s fancy “downloads” web page:
https://developer.apple.com/download/applications
Scroll down to a version that doesn’t say “beta”.
Notice the size, such as “(7.01 GB)”.
Because XCode.app is several Gigabytes large, developers who do not create Apple programs can save disk space and time to install it by not installing it.
Also, installer size is also why Xcode does not come with macOS.
Since the Apple Store only handles individual .app files, other mechanisms are needed to install additional programs needed as a pre-requisite by Homebrew, Python, and other development programs.
Make sure you have at least 13GB free on your hard-drive before attempting installation.
Click the Apple icon to select “About this Mac”.
Click “Storage” tab.
Open a Terminal.app console window.
At any directory, invoke Apple’s Software Update Tool”:
softwareupdate --install -a
If you see this:
Finding available software
No updates are available.
Below is the “Software Update” approach:
You’ll need to establish an Apple ID if you haven’t already.
Click the cloud icon Download and provide your Apple ID.
Go through Apple’s location verification if prompted.
CAUTION: Make sure that your machine has enough free space available.
These are massive files that may take a while to download if you don’t have a fast internet connection.
NOTE: Each version of Xcode is related to a specific version of the Apple OS Mac operating system.
Switch to Finder Downloads folder to watch progress on the file name ending with “Download”. The one with a clock icon which signifies downloading.
Return to the versions instructions above to view the updated version.
Delete the installer after you’re done, to reclaim disk space.
In an internet browser, get to the “Mac App Store Preview” for Xcode at
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/Xcode/id497799835?mt=12
Provide your Apple ID and password. Get one if you don’t already have one.
PROTIP: DO NOT install a beta version of Xcode.
The blue “OPEN” icon appears at the upper-right when the app is installed.
But don’t click it because we are done.
In Finder, look for Xcode.app in the /Applications folder.
Alternately, on the Touchpad pinch 4 fingers together to click the App Store.
Type enough of “Xcode” to filter out others.
To view the version, cursor to the top of the screen and click the program name next to the Apple icon to select “About Xcode”:
Search for “Software Updates” or click the icon.
Click “Update Now” if that appears. (but first do a backup.)
Click “Agree” to the EULA.
When done, view the version numbers installed.
swift -version
If you are on an ARM (M1/M2/M3) CPU, a sample response at time of this writing:
Apple Swift version 5.9.2 (swiftlang-5.9.2.2.56 clang-1500.1.0.2.5)
Target: arm64-apple-darwin23.3.0
Previously:
swift-driver version: 1.75.2 Apple Swift version 5.8.1 (swiftlang-5.8.0.124.5 clang-1403.0.22.11.100) Target: x86_64-apple-macosx13.0
Previously:
swift-driver version: 1.45.2 Apple Swift version 5.6 (swiftlang-5.6.0.323.62 clang-1316.0.20.8)
Target: arm64-apple-macosx12.0
Alternately, if you are on an older Intel CPU, a sample response (at time of this writing):
Apple Swift version 5.9 (swiftlang-5.9.0.114.6 clang-1500.0.27.1)
Target: x86_64-apple-darwin22.5.0
Previously:
Apple Swift version 5.6 (swiftlang-5.6.0.323.62 clang-1316.0.20.8)
Target: x86_64-apple-darwin21.4.0
If jamf installed Xcode, you’ll also see:
[1]+ Done sudo rm -rf /Library/Developer/CommandLineToolsjamfselfservice://content?entity=policy
iOS to run iPhone mobile phones
iPadOS to run iPad tablets
watchOS to run Apple Watch wearable products
tvOS to run Apple TV devices
visionOS to run vision visors introduced in 2023
References:
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xctest/defining_test_cases_and_test_methods
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wLdNSvGPB8&list=PLvUWi5tdh92zaJIMa65f8G2aWTytY3rN3&index=1
More on MacOS
This is one of a series on macOS:
MacOS Setup step-by-step, with automation
MacOS Hardware and accessories
MacOS dotfiles for System Preferences setup automation
MacOS Homebrew installers
MacOS Boot-up
MacOS Versions
MacOS Keyboard tricks
MacOS Terminal Tips and Tricks
MacOS Find (files and text in files)
Text editors and IDEs on MacOS
MacOS Xcode.app and CommandTools (gcc)
MacOS Command-line utilities
Task Runners Grunt and Gulp
Applications on MacOS
1password on MacOS
Data Backups on MacOS
Manage Disk Space on MacOS
Screen capture on MacOS
Printing from macOS or Linux
Ports open
MacOS iPhone integration
MacOS within AWS
Linux and Windows on Apple MacOS
Packer create Vagrant Windows image
Remote into Windows
Python on MacOS
Maven on MacOS
Ruby on MacOS
Node on MacOS installation
PHP on MacOS
Java on MacOS
Scala ecosystem
