Xcode 27.2 Beta Introduces JSON-Based Project Format
Apple has updated Xcode 27.2 beta with an optional JSON project format designed to improve version control merging and reduce configuration file sizes.
Xcode 27.2 beta introduces an optional JSON-based project format that replaces the traditional property list structure. You can enable this file format directly within the file inspector in Xcode 27.2.
Moving to a text-based JSON structure makes project configurations easier for automated coding tools and coding agents to parse and modify programmatically. This transition brings specific advantages to version control workflows by offering a more merge-friendly format that simplifies resolving conflicts when multiple developers modify project settings at the same time. Furthermore, the file size of the project configuration often drops to half the footprint of the legacy property list format.
Despite the switch to JSON, backward compatibility is maintained. If you convert projects to the new format, they continue to function in earlier versions of Xcode 27 that rely on the standard .xcproj structure.