Apple has officially unveiled Xcode 26.3, introducing a major leap forward in app development with the launch of agentic coding.
Announced on February 3, 2026, the update allows developers to use advanced AI-powered coding agents directly within Xcode to automate complex tasks and accelerate workflows.
With agentic coding, Xcode gains greater autonomy in helping developers achieve their goals. Coding agents such as Anthropic’s Claude Agent and OpenAI’s Codex can now break down tasks, make decisions based on a project’s architecture, and use Xcode’s built-in tools to complete work more efficiently. This marks a significant expansion of the intelligence features first introduced in Xcode 26, which added a redesigned coding assistant for writing and editing Swift code.
Xcode 26.3 gives coding agents deeper access to the development environment, enabling collaboration throughout the entire app lifecycle. These agents can search official documentation, navigate file structures, update project settings, and visually verify results by capturing Xcode Previews. They can also iterate through builds, identify issues, and apply fixes, helping developers move from concept to completion faster than ever.
Apple says the goal is to empower developers with industry-leading tools that enhance both productivity and creativity. According to Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations, agentic coding streamlines development workflows so developers can focus more on innovation rather than repetitive tasks.
By integrating Claude Agent and Codex directly into Xcode, developers gain access to advanced reasoning models without leaving their native workflow. This seamless connection combines the intelligence of AI agents with Xcode’s platform-specific capabilities, giving developers the flexibility to choose the model that best suits their project needs.
Beyond built-in integrations, Xcode 26.3 also supports the Model Context Protocol, an open standard that allows developers to connect any compatible AI agent or tool to Xcode. This openness ensures greater flexibility and future-proofing for teams adopting AI-assisted development.
Xcode 26.3 is currently available as a release candidate for members of the Apple Developer Program, with a public release on the App Store expected soon. Developers should note that Anthropic’s and OpenAI’s terms of service may apply when using their respective agents.