macOS Setup

Install the system dependencies required for Tauri v2 development on macOS

Tauri relies on a few system‑level libraries to compile a Rust application that can display web content. On macOS, this process is generally simpler than on Linux because Apple's operating system ships with the necessary webview engine built-in.

Why macOS Needs Setup

Tauri uses the operating system’s own web engine instead of bundling a full browser. On macOS, that engine is WKWebView. Because this is an Apple-provided framework, you do not need to install the web engine yourself. However, the Rust compiler still needs a C/C++ compiler and the macOS SDKs to link against these frameworks and compile native code.

The setup is only required for development and building. End‑users running your finished Tauri app do not need to install any of these tools — the final binary is a self-contained application bundle.

Installing the Dependencies

You must install either the full Xcode application or the Xcode Command Line Tools. The latter is sufficient if you are building only desktop apps and not targeting iOS.

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Step 1: Install Xcode Command Line Tools

Open a terminal and run the following command:

xcode-select --install

A dialog box will appear asking if you want to install the command line developer tools. Click Install and accept the license agreement. The download might take a few minutes depending on your internet connection.

Full Xcode for iOS:

If you plan to compile your Tauri application for iOS, you must install the full Xcode application from the Mac App Store or the Apple Developer website instead of just the Command Line Tools.

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Step 2: Verify the installation

Once the installation finishes, you can verify that the C compiler is available by running:

clang --version

You should see output similar to Apple clang version 15.0.0 or newer.

To verify that the tools path is correctly configured, run:

xcode-select -p

This should output /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools or /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer if you installed the full Xcode application.

Common Pitfalls

Missing Command Line Tools after a macOS update
Sometimes a major macOS upgrade (e.g., from macOS 13 to 14) will remove or invalidate the Xcode Command Line Tools. If you suddenly start getting cc not found or linker errors when compiling Rust code, re-run xcode-select --install.

License Agreement Not Accepted
If you installed the full Xcode application, the command line tools will not work until the Xcode license is explicitly accepted. Open the Xcode app once to accept the prompt, or run sudo xcodebuild -license accept in your terminal.

Next Steps

Once the C compiler toolchain is verified, proceed to Installing Rust via rustup and Installing Node.js. You can also review general platform prerequisites in the System Dependencies Overview.