Photo credit: Apple

Apple is taking app development to the next level with the introduction of agentic coding in Xcode 26.3, giving developers the ability to work side by side with advanced coding agents like Anthropic’s Claude Agent and OpenAI’s Codex. The new feature allows developers to tackle complex tasks more efficiently by letting intelligent agents handle parts of the workflow with greater autonomy.

With agentic coding, Xcode can now break down development tasks, make decisions based on project architecture, and use built-in tools to help developers move from idea to finished app faster. Instead of acting only as assistants, these coding agents can collaborate throughout the entire development life cycle — from exploring file structures and searching documentation to updating project settings and verifying work through Xcode Previews and iterative builds.

The update builds on the intelligence features introduced in Xcode 26, which added a new coding assistant for writing and editing Swift. In this latest release, Apple expands those capabilities by allowing coding agents deeper access to Xcode’s native functions, making it easier to streamline workflows and accelerate app development across Apple platforms.

“At Apple, our goal is to make tools that put industry-leading technologies directly in developers’ hands so they can build the very best apps,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “Agentic coding supercharges productivity and creativity, streamlining the development workflow so developers can focus on innovation.”

Developers will be able to integrate Claude Agent and Codex directly into their projects, bringing advanced reasoning models into everyday workflows. The feature also supports the Model Context Protocol — an open standard that allows developers to connect other compatible agents and tools, offering more flexibility depending on project needs.

Xcode 26.3 is currently available as a release candidate for members of the Apple Developer Program, with a full public release on the App Store expected soon. As AI continues to reshape how software is built, Apple’s move signals a growing shift toward smarter, more autonomous development tools designed to boost both productivity and creativity.