xcode iconApple today released Xcode 4.3 [Mac App Store], making a number of improvements to the software. Among the notable changes, Xcode is now offered directly as an app. It had previously been offered as an installer package, and the move simplifies the installation and update process.

What's New in Version 4.3

Xcode is now distributed as an application, rather than as an installer. This change enables Xcode to be updated directly from the Mac App Store.

- Includes SDKs for Mac OS X 10.7 Lion and iOS 5
- New code signing workflow supports signing OS X apps with Developer ID
- Adds installation of command-line tools to the Downloads preference pane
- Open Developer Tool menu launches Instruments, File Merge, and other tools
- ARC migration tool converts both retain/release and garbage collected code
- Additional bug fixes and stability improvements

Xcode is a free download, but users must be registered members of Apple's iOS or Mac Developer Program in order to submit apps created with Xcode to the respective App Stores.

Top Rated Comments

kainjow Avatar
180 months ago
Awesome, even the dev tools are being dumbed down.

How is it dumbed down? It's simply just better management. Should have been this way years ago IMO.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mdriftmeyer Avatar
180 months ago
XCode 4.4 will be the big jump from Clang 3.0 -> Clang 3.1 where C++11 is fully implemented and all the Macroscalar patented hints are implemented within libc++ [a drop in replacement to libstdc++ from GNU].

http://clang.llvm.org/cxx_status.html

Tons of info over at LLVM/Clang:

http://www.llvm.org/devmtg/2011-11/

Release notes for 3.1 are not any where close to current:

http://llvm.org/docs/ReleaseNotes.html

But it's safe to say XCode 4.4 will be a big hit for the Tools and maturity of LLVM/Clang.

Clang 3.1 also ends cuts off backward compatibility of bitcodes at 3.0 and forward.


LLVM 3.1 removes support for reading LLVM 2.9 bitcode files. Going forward, we aim for all future versions of LLVM to read bitcode files and .ll files produced by LLVM 3.0 and later.

Tons of work going on with Vectorization and gaining advanced vector instruct set full support for AMD and Intel, not to mention ARM.

The mailing archives for cfe-dev [clang] and llvm-dev are heavily traffic'd.

All important changes going to Xcode 4.3 are highlighted here:

https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/DeveloperTools/Conceptual/WhatsNewXcode/Articles/xcode_4_3.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/1006-SW1


----------

Uh-oh ... now I have two XCodes - one (version 4.2.1) in the Developer folder and now the new one (version 4.3) in the Applications folder.

Plus I have a new "Install Xcode" app in the applications folder (version 4.2.1).

What do I do? And what about all the other stuff in the developer folder?

confused

Xcode 4.3 removes Xcode 4.2.x as /Developer no longer exists.

Xcode 4.3 is one unified Application with all the Tools launched within Xcode.

https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/DeveloperTools/Conceptual/WhatsNewXcode/Articles/xcode_4_3.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/1006-SW1
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
balamw Avatar
180 months ago
If this change facilitates the delta updates instead of requiring a huge download for every minor update, I'm all for it.

B
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
flash84x Avatar
180 months ago
Does anyone who has downloaded this have tips on installing over the top of the previous release? Or tips on the best process to take to delete the previous release before downloading and running 4.3?

Or is it just as simple as dragging the previous Developer folder into the trash?

I left Xcode 4.2 where it was and installed 4.3 from the AppStore, once I launched the AppStore version I got this screen to help with the migration...

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
radiogoober Avatar
180 months ago
Do you mean it does this when I launch the new version? Because the developer folder and the old version are still there at the moment

You really couldn't try launching it first before writing this post?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kainjow Avatar
180 months ago
That is the problem. The other tools downloads (graphics, IO, audio, dashcode, auxiliary and accessibility) are just apps inside the DMG and I have no idea where one is supposed to place them.

They appear to be all self contained apps, so looks like you can put them anywhere.

But I agree, it is a bit odd for Apple to just give you a dmg with apps. They should at least give a read me saying you can put them anywhere.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
chatgpt logo

Sam Altman Declares 'Code Red' for ChatGPT, Delays OpenAI Advertising Plans

Tuesday December 2, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
OpenAI is deprioritizing work on advertising as it focuses on improving the quality of ChatGPT, reports The Information. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman declared a "code red" on Monday, and told employees that the company needs to improve ChatGPT so it doesn't fall behind competitors like Google and Anthropic. Altman said that OpenAI needs to work on personalization for each user, image generation,...