Fix “xcode-select: error active developer directory” on Mac
Jun 06, 2025 am 10:00 AM
A few Mac command line users working with nodejs and npm might encounter an error message and command failure similar to “xcode-select: error: tool ‘xcodebuild’ requires Xcode, but active developer directory ‘/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools’ is a command line tools instance”. This error sometimes occurs after updating macOS, moving Macs, or
If you come across this error message, you’ll probably be able to resolve it quite easily.
Solution 1: Install Command Line Tools
The simplest solution is just to install command line tools on the Mac, which can be done from the command line. You can also install the complete Xcode suite from the Mac App Store if you prefer.
Launch Terminal and type the following command to start the Command Line Tools installation
xcode-select --installContinue with the installation when prompted
This alone might fix the “xcode-select error xcodebuild requires Xcode” error message.
Solution 2: Adjust Directory for Command Line Tools
Occasionally, if you installed Xcode and Command Line Tools separately, you may need to re-specify the directory in use for command line tools by entering the following command into Terminal:
sudo xcode-select --switch /Library/Developer/CommandLineTools
Solution 3: Install Xcode and Adjust Location for Command Line Tools
Another method involves the full Xcode package which you can download from Apple.
- Open Xcode on the Mac, then go to the Xcode menu and select Preferences
- Navigate to “Locations” and pick the correct Command Line Tools
Solution 4: Install Xcode into /Applications, Adjust Directory Accordingly
Lastly, another approach that worked for some users when the previous methods didn’t, is to install Xcode from the Mac App Store into the /Applications/ directory on the Mac. Once Xcode is installed on the Mac, open Terminal and input the following path:
sudo xcode-select -s /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
–
Which of these techniques successfully fixed the “xcode-select: error: tool ‘xcodebuild’ requires Xcode, but active developer directory ‘/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools’ is a command line tools instance” error message for you on your Mac? Did you discover a different solution? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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