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CLAUDE.md for macOS Development

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SwiftUI Development Guidelines

  • Aim to build all functionality using SwiftUI unless there is a feature that is only supported in AppKit.
  • Design UI in a way that is idiomatic for the macOS platform and follows Apple Human Interface Guidelines.
  • Use SF Symbols for iconography.
  • Use the most modern macOS APIs. Since there is no backward compatibility constraint, this app can target the latest macOS version with the newest APIs.
  • Use the most modern Swift language features and conventions. Target Swift 6 and use Swift concurrency (async/await, actors) and Swift macros where applicable.

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Logging Guidelines

IMPORTANT: Never use print() statements in production code. Always use the unified logging system with proper Logger instances.

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Setting up Loggers

Each Swift file should declare its own logger at the top of the file: 
import os.log

private let logger = Logger(subsystem: "sh.vibetunnel.vibetunnel", category: "CategoryName")

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Log Levels

Choose the appropriate log level based on context:
  • .debug - Detailed information useful only during development/debugging 
    logger.debug("Detailed state: \(internalState)")
  • .info - General informational messages about normal app flow 
    logger.info("Session created with ID: \(sessionID)")
  • .notice - Important events that are part of normal operation 
    logger.notice("User authenticated successfully")
  • .warning - Warnings about potential issues that don’t prevent operation 
    logger.warning("Failed to cache data, continuing without cache")
  • .error - Errors that indicate failure but app can continue 
    logger.error("Failed to load preferences: \(error)")
  • .fault - Critical errors that indicate programming mistakes or system failures 
    logger.fault("Unexpected nil value in required configuration")

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Common Patterns

// Instead of:
print("🔍 [GitRepositoryMonitor] findRepository called for: \(filePath)")

// Use:
logger.info("🔍 findRepository called for: \(filePath)")

// Instead of:
print("❌ [GitRepositoryMonitor] Failed to get git status: \(error)")

// Use:
logger.error("❌ Failed to get git status: \(error)")

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Benefits

  • Logs are automatically categorized and searchable with vtlog
  • Performance optimized (debug logs compiled out in release builds)
  • Privacy-aware (use \(value, privacy: .public) when needed)
  • Integrates with Console.app and system log tools
  • Consistent format across the entire codebase

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Important Build Instructions

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Xcode Build Process

CRITICAL: When you build the Mac app with Xcode (using XcodeBuildMCP or manually), it automatically builds the web server as part of the build process. The Xcode build scripts handle:
  • Building the TypeScript/Node.js server
  • Bundling all web assets
  • Creating the native executable
  • Embedding everything into the Mac app bundle
DO NOT manually run pnpm run build in the web directory when building the Mac app - this is redundant and wastes time.

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Always Use Subtasks

IMPORTANT: Always use the Task tool for operations, not just when hitting context limits:
  • For ANY command that might generate output (builds, logs, file reads)
  • For parallel operations (checking multiple files, running searches)
  • For exploratory work (finding implementations, debugging)
  • This keeps the main context clean and allows better organization
Examples: 
# Instead of: pnpm run build
Task(description="Build web bundle", prompt="Run pnpm run build in the web directory and report if it succeeded or any errors")

# Instead of: ./scripts/vtlog.sh -n 100
Task(description="Check VibeTunnel logs", prompt="Run ./scripts/vtlog.sh -n 100 and summarize any errors or warnings")

# Instead of: multiple file reads
Task(description="Analyze WebRTC implementation", prompt="Read WebRTCManager.swift and webrtc-handler.ts, then explain the offer/answer flow")

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VibeTunnel Architecture Overview

VibeTunnel is a macOS application that provides terminal access through web browsers. It consists of three main components:

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1. Mac App (Swift/SwiftUI)

  • Native macOS application that manages the entire system
  • Spawns and manages the Bun/Node.js server process
  • Handles terminal creation and management
  • Provides system tray UI and settings

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2. Web Server (Node.js)

  • Runs on localhost:4020 by default
  • Serves the web frontend
  • Manages WebSocket connections for terminal I/O
  • Handles API requests and session management
  • Routes logs from the frontend to the Mac app

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3. Web Frontend (TypeScript/LitElement)

  • Browser-based terminal interface
  • Connects to the server via WebSocket
  • Uses xterm.js for terminal rendering
  • Sends logs back to server for centralized logging

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Logging Architecture

VibeTunnel has a sophisticated logging system that aggregates logs from all components:

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Log Flow

Frontend (Browser) → Server (Bun) → Mac App → macOS Unified Logging
     [module]         [CLIENT:module]      ServerOutput category

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Log Prefixing System

To help identify where logs originate, the system uses these prefixes:
  1. Frontend Logs:
    • Browser console: [module-name] message
    • When forwarded to server: [CLIENT:module-name] message
  2. Server Logs:
    • Direct server logs: [module-name] message
    • No additional prefix needed
  3. Mac App Logs:
    • Native Swift logs: Use specific categories (ServerManager, SessionService, etc.)
    • Server output: All captured under “ServerOutput” category

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Understanding Log Sources

When viewing logs with vtlog, you can identify the source:
  • [CLIENT:*] - Originated from web frontend
  • [server], [api], etc. - Server-side modules
  • Category-based logs - Native Mac app components

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Debugging and Logging

The VibeTunnel Mac app uses the unified logging system with the subsystem sh.vibetunnel.vibetunnel. We provide a convenient vtlog script to simplify log access.

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Quick Start with vtlog

The vtlog script is located at scripts/vtlog.sh. It’s designed to be context-friendly by default. Default behavior: Shows last 50 lines from the past 5 minutes 
# Show recent logs (default: last 50 lines from past 5 minutes)
./scripts/vtlog.sh

# Stream logs continuously (like tail -f)
./scripts/vtlog.sh -f

# Show only errors
./scripts/vtlog.sh -e

# Show more lines
./scripts/vtlog.sh -n 100

# View logs from different time range
./scripts/vtlog.sh -l 30m

# Filter by category
./scripts/vtlog.sh -c ServerManager

# Search for specific text
./scripts/vtlog.sh -s "connection failed"

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Common Use Cases

# Quick check for recent errors (context-friendly)
./scripts/vtlog.sh -e

# Debug server issues
./scripts/vtlog.sh --server -e

# Watch logs in real-time
./scripts/vtlog.sh -f

# Debug screen capture with more context
./scripts/vtlog.sh -c ScreencapService -n 100

# Find authentication problems in last 2 hours
./scripts/vtlog.sh -s "auth" -l 2h

# Export comprehensive debug logs
./scripts/vtlog.sh -d -l 1h --all -o ~/Desktop/debug.log

# Get all logs without tail limit
./scripts/vtlog.sh --all

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Available Categories

  • ServerManager - Server lifecycle and configuration
  • SessionService - Terminal session management
  • TerminalManager - Terminal spawning and control
  • GitRepository - Git integration features
  • ScreencapService - Screen capture functionality
  • WebRTCManager - WebRTC connections
  • UnixSocket - Unix socket communication
  • WindowTracker - Window tracking and focus
  • NgrokService - Ngrok tunnel management
  • ServerOutput - Node.js server output (includes frontend logs)

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Manual Log Commands

If you prefer using the native log command directly: 
# Stream logs
log stream --predicate 'subsystem == "sh.vibetunnel.vibetunnel"' --level info

# Show historical logs
log show --predicate 'subsystem == "sh.vibetunnel.vibetunnel"' --info --last 30m

# Filter by category
log stream --predicate 'subsystem == "sh.vibetunnel.vibetunnel" AND category == "ServerManager"'

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Tips

  • Run ./scripts/vtlog.sh --help for full documentation
  • Use -d flag for debug-level logs during development
  • The app logs persist after the app quits, useful for crash debugging
  • Add --json for machine-readable output
  • Server logs (Node.js output) are under the “ServerOutput” category
  • Look for [CLIENT:*] prefix to identify frontend-originated logs

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XcodeBuildMCP Usage Guide

XcodeBuildMCP is an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that provides comprehensive Xcode build and automation capabilities. It’s the recommended way to build, test, and manage the VibeTunnel macOS project.

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Installation

If XcodeBuildMCP is not already installed, add it to Claude Code: 
claude mcp add XcodeBuildMCP -- npx -y xcodebuildmcp@latest

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Common XcodeBuildMCP Commands for VibeTunnel

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Project Discovery

# Find Xcode projects in the repository
discover_projs(workspaceRoot: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel")

# List available schemes
list_schems_proj(projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj")

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Building the Mac App

# Build for Debug configuration
build_mac_proj(
    projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj",
    scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac",
    configuration: "Debug"
)

# Build for Release configuration
build_mac_proj(
    projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj",
    scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac",
    configuration: "Release"
)

# Build with code signing
build_mac_proj(
    projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj",
    scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac",
    configuration: "Release",
    extraArgs: ["CODE_SIGN_IDENTITY=Developer ID Application"]
)

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Running the App

# Build and run in one step
build_run_mac_proj(
    projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj",
    scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac"
)

# Get the app bundle path after building
get_mac_app_path_proj(
    projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj",
    scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac"
)

# Get bundle identifier
get_mac_bundle_id(appPath: "/path/to/VibeTunnel.app")

# Launch the app
launch_mac_app(appPath: "/path/to/VibeTunnel.app")

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Testing

# Run all tests
test_macos_proj(
    projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj",
    scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac"
)

# Run tests with specific configuration
test_macos_proj(
    projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj",
    scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac",
    configuration: "Debug"
)

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Cleaning

# Clean build artifacts
clean_proj(
    projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj",
    scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac"
)

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Build Settings

# Show build settings
show_build_set_proj(
    projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj",
    scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac"
)

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Tips for Using XcodeBuildMCP

  1. Always use full paths: XcodeBuildMCP requires absolute paths for project files
  2. Check schemes first: Use list_schems_proj to verify available schemes
  3. Use proper configuration: Debug for development, Release for distribution
  4. Handle build failures: If builds fail, check the error output and use clean_proj if needed
  5. Incremental builds: XcodeBuildMCP supports incremental builds by default for faster iteration

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Common Workflows

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Development Build & Run

# Clean, build, and run for development
clean_proj(projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj", scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac")
build_run_mac_proj(projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj", scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac")

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Release Build

# Build optimized release version
build_mac_proj(
    projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj",
    scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac",
    configuration: "Release",
    extraArgs: ["ENABLE_HARDENED_RUNTIME=YES"]
)

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CI Build

# Build with derived data path for CI
build_mac_proj(
    projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj",
    scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac",
    configuration: "Release",
    derivedDataPath: "/tmp/VibeTunnel-DerivedData"
)

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Testing

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Running macOS Tests

IMPORTANT: macOS tests MUST be run using XcodeBuildMCP commands or xcodebuild, NOT with swift test:

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Why swift test Fails

  1. Missing Server Binary: The vibetunnel SEA (Single Executable Application) binary is only created during the full Xcode build process. Tests expect this binary to be embedded in the app bundle’s Resources folder.
  2. No Proper App Bundle: swift test runs in a minimal test bundle environment without the full app structure
  3. UserNotifications Framework: Tests using UserNotifications will crash due to missing bundle configuration
  4. Missing Build Phases: The web frontend build and SEA creation only happen during Xcode builds

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Correct Testing Methods

Using XcodeBuildMCP (Recommended): 
test_macos_proj(
    projectPath: "/Users/steipete/Projects/vibetunnel/mac/VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj",
    scheme: "VibeTunnel-Mac"
)
Using xcodebuild directly: 
cd mac
xcodebuild test \
    -project VibeTunnel-Mac.xcodeproj \
    -scheme VibeTunnel-Mac \
    -destination 'platform=macOS'
NEVER use: 
swift test  # This will fail with missing server binary and framework issues
The test suite includes checks for the embedded server binary (ServerBinaryAvailableCondition) which correctly fail when the binary isn’t present, preventing tests from running in an incomplete environment.

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Testing the Web Interface

The VibeTunnel server runs on localhost:4020 by default. To test the web interface:
  1. Ensure the Mac app is running. The user does that. Do not start the mac app yourself!
  2. Access http://localhost:4020 in your browser
  3. Use Playwright MCP for automated testing: 
    # Example: Navigate to the interface
# Take screenshots
# Interact with terminal sessions

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Key Implementation Details

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Server Process Management

  • The Mac app spawns the Bun server using BunServer.swift
  • Server logs are captured and forwarded to macOS logging system
  • Process lifecycle is tied to the Mac app lifecycle

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Log Aggregation

  • All logs flow through the Mac app for centralized access
  • Use vtlog to see logs from all components in one place
  • Frontend errors are particularly useful for debugging UI issues

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Development Workflow

  1. Use XcodeBuildMCP for Swift changes
  2. The web frontend auto-reloads on changes (when pnpm run dev is running)
  3. Use Playwright MCP to test integration between components
  4. Monitor all logs with vtlog -f during development

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Unix Socket Communication Protocol

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Type Synchronization Between Mac and Web

When implementing new Unix socket message types between the Mac app and web server, it’s essential to maintain type safety on both sides:
  1. Mac Side: Define message types in Swift (typically in ControlProtocol.swift or related files)
  2. Web Side: Create corresponding TypeScript interfaces in web/src/shared/types.ts
  3. Keep Types in Sync: Whenever you add or modify Unix socket messages, update the types on both platforms to ensure type safety and prevent runtime errors
Example workflow:
  • Add new message type to ControlProtocol.swift (Mac)
  • Add corresponding interface to types.ts (Web)
  • Update handlers on both sides to use the typed messages
  • This prevents bugs from mismatched message formats and makes the protocol self-documenting
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