Hello.
Last time I tried to install two versions (stable + beta) of Xcode on my Mac was around the Xcode 4-5 timeframe, when they switched from it being a download to an app store purchase. Having both a downloaded and an app store version on my Mac at the same time resulted in some kind of corruption that made it impossible for me to get App Store updates to Xcode ever again. I had to format my drive and start from scratch in order to get the App Store version to install again. Since that's clearly an experience I wouldn't want to repeat, I've never installed a beta version since.
Unfortunately I now need to do some work for Apple TV and need the v7.1 beta for that. I have v7.0 installed in the Applications folder already and we use that for production so I don't want to corrupt it or destroy the ability to update it to 7.1 once it's released. Or anything else bad that could happen from installing two versions of Xcode on the same Mac.
My question is has Apple fixed all these sorts of issues and is it now safe to install a beta version of Xcode on the same Mac as a released version? How do they not stomp all over each other when it comes to things like double-clicking on an Xcode project file, for example? And does the beta version install in the Applications folder as well, or off in some random directory of my own choosing? What are the gotchya's to watch out for when having two versions of Xcode on one Mac like this?
Thanks.
Hi:
I have both Xcode (v7) and Xcode-Beta (7.1) installed, no issues. And I note your concerns from v4.x, etc.
I'd suggest to not get creative - install to your boot drive, don't rename Xcode when installing and don't move it outside of /Applications without good reason.
And as always, as stuf happens, devs need to be sure to have a tested and reliable backup in place at all times.
Good luck.
Ken
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