Long iOS build times are one of the biggest productivity drains for mobile teams. Developers lose hours waiting for builds to finish while CI pipelines burn resources recompiling code that hasn’t changed.
With Xcode 26, Apple introduced Compilation Caching, a major leap forward that reuses compiled outputs instead of rebuilding them from scratch. Today, Bitrise is proud to be the first CI/CD platform to support Xcode Compilation Caching in Bitrise Build Cache, bringing faster builds to iOS teams everywhere.
What is Xcode Compilation Cache
Xcode Compilation Cache, introduced in Xcode 26, speeds up builds by caching outputs such as object files and module artifacts. When Xcode detects the same set of source inputs and compiler settings, it retrieves results from the cache instead of recompiling unchanged code.
This capability is similar to the remote build caching long used in Gradle and Bazel, where developers routinely shorten build times by reusing previously compiled outputs.
Xcode Compilation Caching is particularly powerful when:
- Switching between branches
- Performing clean builds that would normally recompile unchanged code
Read more in Apple’s official Xcode 26 release notes here.
How Bitrise Makes It Seamless
Xcode’s new caching capability is a breakthrough, but unlocking its full potential requires the right infrastructure.
Bitrise Build Cache, a fully managed cross-platform caching solution already trusted by teams running Gradle and Bazel, provides that foundation.
Building on proven technology, Bitrise now brings the power of Xcode Compilation Caching to iOS developers, delivering:
- Unmatched performance - lightning-fast remote caching that can significantly reduce build times
- Deep visibility and control - detailed invocation tracking, searchable build history, and analytics through Bitrise Insights to validate setup and monitor performance
- Effortless setup - a fully managed service with quick configuration and no infrastructure to maintain, so teams can focus on shipping apps instead of managing caching
Our CTO Viktor Benei explains, “When Apple announced Xcode Compilation Cache, we knew it would be a breakthrough for iOS teams. At Bitrise, we are proud to be the first to support it in our Remote Build Cache, just as we are consistently the first to support new Xcode versions with our stacks. Our goal is to give mobile teams every possible advantage in speed and efficiency, and this release is a big step in that direction.”
Real-World Impact
To understand how Xcode 26 Compilation Caching performs in practice, we tested several open-source iOS projects on Bitrise Build Cache. The results show clear reductions in build time, ranging from 19% to 55% once the cache is active.
Our benchmarking is borne out by real-world customer results. In private beta testing, one customer reported a 30% reduction in build time, resulting in roughly 50 to 100 developer hours saved every week.
Xcode Compilation Cache is still early in its lifecycle, performance is expected to improve as the feature matures.
See Xcode 26 Compilation Caching in Action
Join our upcoming webinar to learn how Xcode 26 Compilation Caching works and hear adoption tips from the Bitrise team.
Xcode Compilation Cache support is available now for all customers and trial users of Bitrise Build Cache.
If your team is already running Xcode 26, you can begin using it right away. You can find out more in our setup documentation.
