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Version: 1.6.0

How can I build the application?

RepoPrompt CE is a native macOS application. To build it from source, use the public RepoPrompt CE repository.

Requirements​

  • macOS 26 or later.
  • Xcode 26 or later, installed as the full Xcode.app. The Command Line Tools package alone is not enough because the app and its dependencies use Swift macros shipped with Xcode.
  • Python 3 for the Finder launchers and generated Xcode workflow.

From Terminal, clone the repository and check the build toolchain:

git clone https://github.com/repoprompt/repoprompt-ce.git
cd repoprompt-ce
./Scripts/doctor.sh

The doctor script checks whether the required development tools are available. Resolve any reported Xcode or SDK issue before building.

Build and launch a debug app​

For a quick local build, double-click Launch RepoPrompt CE.command in Finder. The launcher builds the debug app, opens it, and leaves a small Terminal window available for rebuild and stop controls. It requires Python 3 and coordinates build and launch operations through the repository's developer daemon.

If your Mac has an Apple Development signing identity, the launcher uses it. Without one, you can build and launch from Terminal with explicit ad-hoc signing:

ALLOW_ADHOC_SIGNING=1 ./conductor app relaunch

Ad-hoc debug builds use temporary in-memory secure storage. API keys and secure permission changes do not persist after the app closes. To use persistent Keychain storage for local development, set your installed Apple Development identity:

SIGN_IDENTITY="Apple Development: Your Name (TEAMID)" ./conductor app relaunch

Replace the example identity with one installed on your Mac. You can list available signing identities with security find-identity -v -p codesigning.

Open the project in Xcode​

Generate and open the disposable contributor workspace from the repository root:

make xcode

The generated workspace lives in .build/xcode/RepoPromptCE.xcworkspace; it is derived output and should not be edited or committed. In Xcode, use the RepoPrompt CE App scheme to build and run the packaged debug application. The RepoPrompt CE MCP scheme builds the coordinated MCP executable. The RepoPrompt CE Tests scheme delegates tests to the repository's conductor workflow.

For generation, validation, cleanup, and scheme details, see the repository's Generated Xcode Workspace guide.

Install a local release-mode build​

To build and install a release-mode app locally, install Python 3 and double-click Install RepoPrompt CE Local Production.command in Finder. It builds from source and replaces /Applications/RepoPrompt CE.app with a locally signed app. macOS may ask you to approve the local self-signed certificate.

This local build is not notarized. Keep it on your Mac; it is not the distribution method for another computer. For the signed, notarized public application, follow the repository's Homebrew installation instructions, which install the released app rather than building from source.

Troubleshooting​

  • If the toolchain check fails, install or select a full Xcode 26+ installation and run ./Scripts/doctor.sh again.
  • If the debug app cannot sign, use the explicit ad-hoc command above or configure an Apple Development identity.
  • If an ad-hoc build appears to lose saved API keys or secure permission changes, that is expected: ad-hoc builds use ephemeral secure storage.
  • If you need more build detail, see the repository's README build instructions and contributor guide.

Build Tip code with Xcode​

Tip Builds follow development on the repository's main branch. To build that code locally, start with a fresh clone of the repository, or update an existing clean checkout to the latest main. If you want to reproduce the source used for a particular published Tip Build, check out the commit identified in that release before generating the workspace.

From the repository root, run make xcode to generate and open the contributor workspace. In Xcode, select the RepoPrompt CE App scheme and the My Mac destination, then choose Product → Run to build and launch the packaged debug app. Use the same macOS, full Xcode, Python, and signing requirements described above. After updating your checkout, run make xcode again to regenerate the workspace for that source revision.

This gives you a local development build of the Tip source. The official Tip distribution is signed and notarized by the project's release workflow; Xcode's contributor workspace builds the debug app and does not perform that release packaging. To install the published Tip Build instead, follow Installing Tip Build.