How to install Xcode Command Line Tools

486
votes

How do I get the command-line build tools installed with the current Xcode/Mac OS X v10.8 (Mountain Lion) or later?

Unlike Xcode there is no installer, it's just a bundle.

It looks like all the command line tools are in the bundle, under Contents/Developer, but none of the appropriate environment variables are set to use them.

Is there a script I can run that will set-up my environment to support building from the command line?

16
xcodemacoscommand-line-tool
see stackoverflow.com/questions/9326647/… – fredley
For XCODE 5.1 and up: note that you can no longer install from within XCODE any longer. @Zaph notes this below but the fastest way is the terminal command $ xcode-select --install – AndyBean
@AndyBean "xcode-select --install" does not always work, the issue is that there is a problem in the OSX update that is not updating "xcode-select". Version 2333 works, version 2003 fails, I have the second on most of my Macs. This explains why it works for some and not all. – zaph
@Zaph and others - ran into version issue. ran sudo xcode-select --reset, and then reinstalled. then ran software update, then all fixed. – azochz

16 Answers

797
votes

Xcode 5.1 and OSX 10.9. (also works with Xcode 5.1.1 + OSX 10.10)

xcode-select --install worked with version 2333, failed with version 2003. So, try xcode-select --install and if that does not work download as described below.

In early February 2014 xcode-select --install has been reporting that "Can't install the software because it is not currently available from the Software Update server". In late February 2014 the command started only displaying help. The solution is to download directly, see "Separate Download" below.

Xcode 5.0.1 and OSX 10.9

With Xcode 5.0.1 and Mavericks 10.9 the command line tool is no longer available through Xcode. Instead they must be downloaded from the Apple Developer Tools site: https://developer.apple.com/downloads/index.action. This requires signing in with a developer account.

Or via terminal (from the release docs): The Command Line Developer Tools package can be installed on demand using "xcode-select --install” and the installed tools will be automatically updated using Software Update. OS X 10.9 is required for this feature. For earlier versions, continue to use the in-app download in Xcode.

Running the command in terminal produces the following GUI:enter image description here

Inside Xcode (5.0)

Xcode includes a new "Downloads" preference pane to install optional components such as command line tools, and previous iOS Simulators. To open this pane click the "Xcode" button in the top left of the screen near the Apple logo, then click "Preferences", then click "Downloads".

Xcode 5.0 screenshot: enter image description here

Xcode 4.x screenshot: screenshot of downloads pane

Separate Download

If you do not have Xcode, they are available as a separate download from Apple:

Go to developer.apple.com/downloads/index.action, and sign in with your Apple ID (the download's free). In the pane on the left, search for "command line tools" and choose the package appropriate to your version of OS X. Requires Mac OS X 10.7.3 or later.

40
votes

If you take a look into "Console" while trying to pull the Command Line Tools, you will find out that there is actually an "unofficial" link to the Mountain Lion Command Line Tools!

So just try:

http://adcdownload.apple.com/ios/ios_simulator__resigned/cltools_mountainliondp2_march12.dmg

Here is my Console log:

01/04/2012 15:41:54.258 Xcode: [MT] DVTDownloadable: Download failed. Downloadable: {
    dependencies =     (
    );
    fileSize = 141452226;
    identifier = "Xcode.CLTools.10.8";
    name = "Command Line Tools";
    source = "http://adcdownload.apple.com/ios/ios_simulator__resigned/cltools_mountainliondp2_march12.dmg";
    userInfo =     {
        ActivationPredicate = "$MAC_OS_X_VERSION >= '10.8.0' && $MAC_OS_X_VERSION < '10.9.0'";
        InstallPrefix = "/";
        InstalledIfAllSHA1SumsMatch =         {
            "/usr/bin/clang" = 600c35175775a6002452a88f17e00c570cd2e2d0;
        };
        Summary = "Before installing, note that from within Terminal you can use the XCRUN tool to launch compilers and other tools embedded within the Xcode application. Use the XCODE-SELECT tool to define which version of Xcode is active.  Type \"man xcrun\" from within Terminal to find out more.\n\nDownloading this package will install copies of the core command line tools and system headers into system folders, including the LLVM compiler, linker, and build tools.";
        "Xcode.SDKs" =         (
        );
    };
    version = "1.1.1";
}. Error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=3840 "The data couldn’t be read because it has been corrupted." (Encountered unknown ampersand-escape sequence at line 18) UserInfo=0x401bc8e60 {NSDebugDescription=Encountered unknown ampersand-escape sequence at line 18, kCFPropertyListOldStyleParsingError=The data couldn’t be read because it has been corrupted.}
32
votes

Here are links for Command Line Tools, located at Apple Developer Server. You may need an apple developer (Paid/Premium) account to access them. You can download current (stable and beta) Xcode Tools. (It does not need device verification. Just ensure your macOS and XCode Tool/SDK version while choosing your command line tool)

Xcode 11

Xcode 10

Xcode 9

Once you've latest command line tool installed in your system, set it from Xcode Menu.

(Xcode Menu Items) Xcode ▶ Preferences ▶ Location ▶ Command Line Tool ▶ Select appropriate command line tool

enter image description here

23
votes

The "unofficial" links are also available at

http://developer.apple.com/downloads/

and 403: Forbidden unless logged in with a qualifying developer account. Free accounts have access to everything except prerelease software and full OS installs. In particular, the command-line tools packages that coincide with the release of Xcode 4.4 (the "July 2012" packages) were posted on July 27, for both Lion and Mountain Lion.

Unlike log files, deep-linking Web pages, and the Xcode Preferences window, this page also links to lots of other useful downloads for free and paid developers alike, including everything else that has been unbundled from Xcode (audio tools, accessibility tools, etc.), OS X kernel debug builds, and release versions of Xcode back to 1.0.

13
votes

Instead of installing the "official" build of the command line tools from Apple, you can also install Kenneth's build from here:

https://github.com/kennethreitz/osx-gcc-installer

It doesn't even require XCode if all you are after is the command line tools.

11
votes

As of big sur..

sudo rm -rf /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools
sudo xcode-select --install

Thanks homebrew maintainers for putting this helpful messaging in brew doctor

10
votes

I recently had to install Xcode command line tools on Mountain Lion over SSH.

Notice: I imagine this process would work identically for any version of Xcode or OSX. Just make sure you get your paths correct.

Here's how I did it...

  1. If you don't have a free Apple developer account, register for one

  2. Login to https://developer.apple.com/downloads

  3. Download the "Command Line Tools for Xcode" appropriate for your version of OSX

    For me, that was "Command Line Tools (OS X Mountain Lion) for Xcode - April 2014"

  4. Copy the dmg file to your remote

    In the following command, I'm using scp to securely copy the file from my local computer to the remote named remote

    $ scp ~/Downloads/command_line_tools_for_osx_mountain_lion_april_2014.dmg remote:Downloads/

  5. ssh to your remote

    $ ssh remote

  6. mount the dmg file on the remote

    Here, I'm using hdiutil to mount the image

    $ hdiutil attach ~/Downloads/command_line_tools_for_osx_mountain_lion_april_2014.dmg

  7. install the package contained in the dmg

    Here, installer must be run with sudo because this package needs to be installed on the root file system 

    $ cd /Volumes/Command\ Line\ Tools\ \(Mountain\ Lion\)
$ sudo installer -pkg Command\ Line\ Tools\ \(Mountain\ Lion\).mpkg -target /

  8. unmount the dmg file

    $ hdiutil detach /Volumes/Command\ Line\ Tools\ \(Mountain\ Lion\)

  9. delete the dmg file from the remote; optional

    I see no purpose keeping it around, but you can if you want.

    $ rm ~/Downloads/command_line_tools_for_osx_mountain_lion_april_2014.dmg
9
votes

You can automate the installation of Command-Line Tools in bash. I needed to do this when I was automating the developer onboarding setup process.

xcode-select --install && sleep 1
osascript -e 'tell application "System Events"' -e 'tell process "Install Command Line Developer Tools"' -e 'keystroke return' -e 'click button "Agree" of window "License Agreement"' -e 'end tell' -e 'end tell'
8
votes

If you want to use the version of tools provided in XCode itself you can use xcrun (e.g. xcrun git). From the help at the bottom of the download preference pane:

note that from within Terminal you can use the XCRUN tool to launch compilers and other tools embedded within the Xcode application. Use the XCODE-SELECT tool to define which version of Xcode is active. Type "man xcrun" from within Terminal to find out more.

5
votes
  1. Visit the apple More Downloads for Apple Developers page (log in if you're not logged in)
  2. Expand the Command Line Tools row with appropriate MacOS Version (we can always view the macOS version from Top Bar > Click on Apple icon > About This Mac > view Version)
  3. Download the .dmg file for that Command Line Tools (Screenshot attached)
  4. Once the .dmg file is downloaded, we can double click it and install it

xcode - install manually

3
votes

UPDATED: On Lion 10.7.4 the Command Line Tools are already available from withing XCode. You can get it freely from App Store.

The GCC for OSX won't compile some packages obtained from macports. https://github.com/kennethreitz/osx-gcc-installer/downloads

1
votes

try going into Xcode > Preferences... > Downloads and clicking the button with a downward arrow in a circle next to command line tools.

1
votes

How do I get the command line builds tools installed with Xcode 4.4 / Mac OS X v10.8 (Mountain Lion) or later?

For OS X 10.9, you simply install Xcode. The Command Line Tools are bundled with Xcode. From Technical Note TN2339, Building from the Command Line with Xcode FAQ:

Downloading command-line tools is not available in Xcode for OS X 10.9. How can I install them on my machine?

In OS X 10.9, the Downloads pane of Xcode Preferences does not support downloading command-line tools. Use any of the following methods to install command-line tools on your system:

If Xcode is installed on your machine, then there is no need to install them. Xcode comes bundled with all your command-line tools. OS X 10.9 includes shims or wrapper executables. These shims, installed in /usr/bin, can map any tool included in /usr/bin to the corresponding one inside Xcode. xcrun is one of such shims, which allows you to find or run any tool inside Xcode from the command line. Use it to invoke any tool within Xcode from the command line. ...

1
votes

By updating my Mac to the latest Mac OS (ie Big Sur), everything broke down to repetition request of installing Xcode-select.

It might seem weird, but I solved the problem by reinstalling & updating to the latest Xcode.

This is just my experience to solve the problem.

0
votes

Xcode Command Line Tools can be installed as a side effect of running git --version in Terminal without Git installed. You will be prompted to install the tools as a requirement for running Git. Apple ships a binary of git with the Command Line tools. This is confirmed on the Git for Mac Download page. This seems like a valid option considering that Homebrew requires the Command Line tools to install Git as well according to another SO post. Otherwise, the previous answers are the most direct methods of install the tools.