everettjf

everettjf / treescope

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An open-source runtime view inspector for UIKit, AppKit and SwiftUI, viewed in your browser. A free, open alternative to Lookin — with first-class SwiftUI inspection included.

everettjf.github.iotreescope appkit swiftui uikit
19
4
100% credibility
Found May 31, 2026 at 19 stars -- GitGems finds repos before they trend. Get early access to the next one.
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AI Analysis
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AI Summary

Treescope is a free, open-source debugging tool that lets developers inspect and edit their iOS, macOS, and tvOS app interfaces directly in a web browser while the app is running, supporting UIKit, AppKit, SwiftUI, and CALayers with live property editing.

How It Works

1
💬 A colleague tells you about Treescope

Someone mentions there's a free tool that lets you see your app's interface directly in a browser while it's running.

2
📦 You add Treescope to your project

You install it through Swift Package Manager and add one line of code to your app so it starts when you run it.

3
▶️ You run your app and open your browser

Your app launches normally, and you type a simple web address to connect to the inspector.

4
🔭 Your entire app appears in the browser

You see your view hierarchy on the left, your app rendered in the center, and all properties on the right — everything updates live as your app runs.

5
🔎 You click through your interface

You expand and collapse sections, hover over views to highlight them on screen, and search for specific elements by name or label.

6
✏️ You change colors and sizes right there

You click on a color, pick a new one, and watch your app update instantly without rebuilding.

✅ You found and fixed the issue

What would have taken hours of guesswork is done in minutes — you close the browser and keep building.

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AI-Generated Review

What is treescope?

Treescope is an open-source runtime inspector for iOS, macOS, and tvOS apps that lets you explore your view hierarchy directly in a browser. You add a Swift package to your app, call `Treescope.start()` in debug builds, and then open `http://127.0.0.1:50067` in any browser to see your entire UIKit, AppKit, SwiftUI, and CALayer tree. The app being inspected hosts the viewer itself over loopback HTTP and WebSocket, so there's no separate desktop app to install. Beyond the browser viewer, you get a CLI for terminal access and an MCP server that exposes the inspector as tools for coding agents.

Why is it gaining traction?

The main draw is first-class SwiftUI inspection. Lookin, the closest open-source alternative, is UIKit-only. Treescope reflects SwiftUI views using public APIs, surfacing your declared view tree alongside the resolved render geometry. The browser viewer is zero-install and cross-platform - anyone on your team opens a URL, no Xcode required. The CLI and MCP server are unexpected extras that make this useful for scripting and AI-assisted debugging workflows.

Who should use this?

iOS and macOS developers who want better visibility into their view hierarchies, especially those working with SwiftUI and missing the introspection tools available for UIKit. Teams evaluating open-source alternatives to commercial tools like Reveal or Lookin will find this compelling for the SwiftUI support alone. Developers building automation around UI inspection - CI checks, coding agents, or custom tooling - will appreciate the CLI and MCP integration.

Verdict

Treescope solves a real problem with a clean architecture and thoughtful design. The SwiftUI inspection alone differentiates it from existing open-source options. However, with only 19 stars and a 1.0% credibility score, it's early-stage software. The documentation is solid and the test coverage exists, but production adoption warrants caution until the community grows. Worth evaluating now if SwiftUI inspection is your priority, but treat it as you would any v0.x project.

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