Alex Sidebar extends Xcode with powerful AI capabilities. This guide covers installation and initial setup.

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Installation

1

Download

Download AlexSideBar.dmg from the official releases page.
2

Install

Open the downloaded DMG file and drag Alex Sidebar to your Applications folder.
Installation: Move to ApplicationsInstallation: Move to Applications
3

Launch

Open Alex Sidebar from Applications. The Xcode integration will initialize automatically.
You may see a popup indicating that “AlexSideBar” is an app downloaded from the Internet. It is safe to proceed. Click “Open” to continue.
Security popup: Click OpenSecurity popup: Click Open
4

Grant Accessibility Permissions

After launching, Alex Sidebar will request accessibility permissions. These permissions are required to:
  • Make changes to files
  • Handle Apple events
  • Integrate with Xcode effectively
Click “Open System Settings” when prompted, then enable Alex Sidebar in the Accessibility permissions list.
Accessibility permissions alert

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Folder Access Permissions

When you first use Alex Sidebar, you will need to grant access to folders where your projects are stored. This permission helps to analyze your project files and provide relevant context to the AI assistant when working with code across different files and folders.
1

Initial Permission Request

When opening a project, Alex Sidebar will request permission to access the folder where your Xcode project/workspace is located. This typically includes:
  • Desktop
  • Downloads
  • Documents folders
Click “Allow” when the system permission dialog appears to grant access.
2

Manual Permission Settings

If you need to update permissions later:
  1. Open System Settings
  2. Navigate to Privacy & Security → Files and Folders
  3. Find “Alex Sidebar” in the list
  4. Enable access for required folders
Folder permissions settingsFolder permissions settings

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Sign Up & Authentication

1

Create Account

After launching Alex Sidebar, you’ll be presented with sign up options:
  • Enter your email and password
  • Click “Sign Up”, or
  • Use “Sign up with Google” for faster authentication
Sign up page
2

Google Authentication

If you choose Google sign-in, you’ll see a system prompt to authorize the connection:
Google authentication promptGoogle authentication prompt
Click “Continue” to allow Alex Sidebar to authenticate with your Google account.