Feature Request: Make `--latest` Select the Latest Compatible Xcode

[williamkey123]

Problem

Currently, xcodes install --latest selects the newest available Xcode release regardless of whether it is compatible with the current macOS version.

For example, on macOS Sequoia 15.7.4:

xcodes install --latest

may select Xcode 26.5, then fail because that version requires a newer version of macOS.

From a user perspective, this is surprising. Most users invoking --latest are trying to install the newest version of Xcode they can actually run, not the newest version that exists.

Proposed Solution

Change the behavior of:

xcodes install --latest

to resolve to the newest Xcode version compatible with the current macOS version.

For example:

Current macOS	Available Xcodes	Result
Sequoia 15.7.4	26.2, 26.3, 26.4, 26.5	26.3
Tahoe 26.2	26.2, 26.3, 26.4, 26.5	26.5

This would align with the principle of least surprise and eliminate a common failure mode.

Optional Explicit Flag

For users who intentionally want the newest available version regardless of compatibility, an explicit flag could be provided:

xcodes install --latest-available

or

xcodes install --latest --ignore-compatibility

This would preserve access to the current behavior while making the default behavior more useful.

Why This Helps

• Matches user expectations.
• Reduces installation failures.
• Eliminates the need to manually consult Apple's compatibility matrix.
• Provides a smoother experience when Apple drops support for older macOS versions.
• Still allows power users to explicitly request incompatible versions if desired.

Alternative

If changing the behavior of --latest would be considered a breaking change, consider introducing:

xcodes install --latest-compatible

and deprecating the current behavior over time.