xcode-select: error: tool 'xcodebuild' requires Xcode, but active developer directory '/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools' is a command line tools instance

[davis]

EDITED FOR PEOPLE JUST GETTING HERE

See #569 (comment) and #569 (comment), the warning can just be ignored. Command Line Tools works fine, you do not need the full Xcode.

See https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/blob/master/macOS_Catalina.md, here and here for more info.

Fix:

xcode-select --install # Install Command Line Tools if you haven't already.
sudo xcode-select --switch /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools # Enable command line tools

then just ignore the warning.

Alternatively if you want you can use the full Xcode.app (if you have it installed) with:

# Change the path if you installed Xcode somewhere else.
sudo xcode-select -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer

If your install is failing

There will be other errors nearer the end, almost certainly issues with the module you're trying to install or a dependency. Please report the error to that project.

If that doesn't work

Are you seeing this when you run node-gyp rebuild or npm install? If not then it's nothing to do with node-gyp, raise a bug with the project you're using.

[alejandroiglesias]

I'm looking for the same answer.

[davis]

@alejandroiglesias, try this: download Xcode from the app store, open it and accept the license/terms agreement, and try whatever you were doing again.

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EDIT(gibfahn): Command line tools is fine, you don't need the full Xcode. Just ignore the warning. See here and here for more info.

[jfmercer]

This fixed it for me:

1. Install Xcode
2. Run sudo xcode-select -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer

See this explanation on SO.

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EDIT(gibfahn): Command line tools is fine, you don't need the full Xcode. Just ignore the warning. See here and here for more info.

[nitinnain]

Same answer as @jfmercer . But if you installed XCode beta, use this command instead:
sudo xcode-select -s /Applications/Xcode-Beta.app/Contents/Developer

[HectorLS]

@nitinnain if i use your command i get
xcode-select: error: invalid developer directory '/Applications/Xcode-Beta.app/Contents/Developer'
i have Xcode7 beta 6 :S

[dbranchini]

@tibicenas @nitinnain - same here:
xcode-select: error: invalid developer directory '/Applications/Xcode-Beta.app/Contents/Developer'

[davis]

@tibicenas @dbranchini did either of you try my suggestion?

[HectorLS]

@davis finally i uninstalled Xcode and re-install and then doing the xcode-select -switch works.. anyway its a weird issue that should be fixed in the next patch

[rachellji]

@davis I tried your suggestion, it worked. thanks!

[wmertens]

Is there no way to not use xcodebuild? I don't want to waste 6GB of disk on pointless crap

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EDIT(gibfahn): Command line tools is fine, you don't need the full Xcode. Just ignore the warning. See here and here for more info.

[micky2be]

Agreed with @wmertens

[bnoordhuis]

You can maybe circumvent the xcode-specific logic by passing -DOS=mac -f make-linux to node-gyp (check the source) but it's not supported. I'll close the issue.

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EDIT(gibfahn): Command line tools is fine, you don't need the full Xcode. Just ignore the warning. See here and here for more info.

[firewoof]

But if you installed XCode beta, use this command instead:
sudo xcode-select -s /Applications/Xcode-Beta.app/Contents/Developer
hah, it's worked!

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EDIT(gibfahn): Command line tools is fine, you don't need the full Xcode. Just ignore the warning. See here and here for more info.