command lineinstallmacossoftware-updatexcode
After the MacOS 10.14.4 Update, softwareupdate also shows me the following as a further update/ download:
Command Line Tools (macOS Mojave version 10.14) for Xcode 10.2
Now if I need it, I am fine installing it. I am wondering why I need it though, since I don't have Xcode installed, and am not developing software in any sense.
So why does softwareupdate show me this, and should I download it?
Maybe things have changed since this question was originally asked but I had no trouble downloading command-line tools from here:
https://developer.apple.com/download/more/
(I did this after deleting XCode to save about 13 GB of disk space).
Apple has also now fixed the same issue which occurred with macOS 10.14 Mojave offering CLTools for macOS 10.15 Catalina. For a short time, the 10.14 catalog included 10.15's tools, but this has since been removed from this catalog and only included in the beta catalog.
A removal package has not been provided for removing the 10.15 tools specifically this year. You can try removing the tools using the removal package for 10.14 or removing them completely, then reinstall them:
Apple fixed the issue for macOS 10.13 High Sierra. Refresh the updates with ⌘R and the update should disappear.
This was a bug on Apple's part. Apple has incorrectly released this update to everyone, not just those on a beta upgrade path.
If the update is still shown, you can hide it by right-clicking and choosing Hide Update.
If you've installed the update and realised your tools are broken, you can remove these tools using CLTools_macOS_SDK_Remove_1014.pkg from Apple:
The update was incorrectly provided in the default software update catalog on High Sierra: https://swscan.apple.com/content/catalogs/others/index-10.13-10.12-10.11-10.10-10.9-mountainlion-lion-snowleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog.gz.
The update is provided for beta and developers in their associated catalogs:
<dict>
<key>Digest</key>
<string>82bddd90f3152da26424d8c6fb7264763a3eee78</string>
<key>Size</key>
<integer>26082625</integer>
<key>MetadataURL</key>
<string>https://swdist.apple.com/content/downloads/01/53/091-65367/h0b7b20hoylsqj7pih1htv5b9oa9y4z4gq/CLTools_SDK_macOS1014.pkm</string>
<key>URL</key>
<string>http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/01/53/091-65367/h0b7b20hoylsqj7pih1htv5b9oa9y4z4gq/CLTools_SDK_macOS1014.pkg</string>
</dict>
Best Answer
With macOS it is possible to install the command line tools for Xcode seperately from Xcode.
If you did have Xcode installed, the command line tools would be updated with Xcode updates. As you haven't got Xcode installed, these tools are updated from Software Update alongside macOS updates instead.
Installation of the command line tools is triggered by running one of the included programs from the Terminal or via a third party app. The first time that is done, you're asked if you want to install the command line tools, and then everything in that package will be installed.
This is commonly done when installing for example Homebrew, MacPorts, or similar software. It is also used together with lots of open source and other third party software. The command line tools are not only for developing software, but contain many utilities that are of value generally.