# gen-xcode-compile-commands

**Repository Path**: bugtree/gen-xcode-compile-commands

## Basic Information

- **Project Name**: gen-xcode-compile-commands
- **Description**: No description available
- **Primary Language**: Unknown
- **License**: MIT
- **Default Branch**: master
- **Homepage**: None
- **GVP Project**: No

## Statistics

- **Stars**: 0
- **Forks**: 0
- **Created**: 2026-01-27
- **Last Updated**: 2026-01-27

## Categories & Tags

**Categories**: Uncategorized

**Tags**: None

## README

# gen_cdb.swift

A tiny Swift CLI tool to generate a `compile_commands.json` database for Xcode projects and workspaces, enabling powerful C/C++/Objective-C code navigation and completion with tools like [clangd](https://clangd.llvm.org/).

## What is this?

`gen_cdb.swift` is a single-file Swift script that wraps `xcodebuild`, watches the build log for Clang compile invocations, and writes a `compile_commands.json` file in your current directory. This file is the standard way to provide build information to C/C++/Objective-C language tools, such as clangd, for features like code completion, go-to-definition, and more.

- **No dependencies:** Just needs Swift and Xcode.
- **Works with both `.xcodeproj` and `.xcworkspace` projects.**
- **Forwards all arguments to `xcodebuild`—use it just like you would use `xcodebuild`.**

## Why?

Xcode does not natively generate `compile_commands.json`, but many modern C/C++/Objective-C tools (like clangd, ccls, etc.) rely on it for accurate code intelligence. This script makes it easy to generate the file for any Xcode-based project.

## Installation

No installation required! Just download or copy `gen_cdb.swift` into your project root and make it executable:

```sh
chmod +x gen_cdb.swift
```

You need Swift (comes with Xcode) and Xcode command line tools installed.

## Usage

Run the script from your project root, passing your usual `xcodebuild` arguments. For example:

### For an Xcode workspace

```sh
./gen_cdb.swift -workspace MyApp.xcworkspace -scheme MyApp -configuration Debug clean build COMPILER_INDEX_STORE_ENABLE=NO
```

### For an Xcode project

```sh
./gen_cdb.swift -project MyLib.xcodeproj -scheme MyLib build
```

- All arguments after the script name are forwarded directly to `xcodebuild`.
- When the build finishes, a `compile_commands.json` file will be created in your current directory.

### Typical clangd setup in VS Code

Add this to your `.vscode/settings.json`:

```json
{
    "clangd.arguments": [
        "--compile-commands-dir=${workspaceFolder}"
    ]
}
```

## How does it work?

- Runs `xcodebuild` with your arguments.
- Watches the build log for Clang compile invocations.
- Tracks directory changes (`cd ...`) to record the correct working directory for each command.
- Writes a `compile_commands.json` file compatible with clangd and other tools.

## Troubleshooting

- If you see `warning: no compile commands captured – did the build succeed?`, check your build arguments and ensure your scheme is building C/C++/Objective-C targets.
- The script only captures Clang invocations (not Swift or other compilers).

## Contributing

This is mostly a LLM generated hack that turned out to be good enough for my usecases. I put it on github to not lose track of it and because it might also be good enough for
others. I'm not really looking to spend a lot of time maintaining this and reviewing large PRs.
Feel free to fork and maybe let me know if you turn this into a super awesome, generic solution ;-)

## License

[MIT License](LICENSE)