ios-simulator
Automate iOS Simulator workflows (simctl + idb): create/boot/erase devices, install/launch apps, push notifications, privacy grants, screenshots, and accessibility-based UI navigation. Use when working with iOS apps, Xcode, Simulator, simctl, idb, UI automation, or iOS testing.
Best use case
ios-simulator is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Automate iOS Simulator workflows (simctl + idb): create/boot/erase devices, install/launch apps, push notifications, privacy grants, screenshots, and accessibility-based UI navigation. Use when working with iOS apps, Xcode, Simulator, simctl, idb, UI automation, or iOS testing.
Teams using ios-simulator should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/ios-simulator/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How ios-simulator Compares
| Feature / Agent | ios-simulator | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Automate iOS Simulator workflows (simctl + idb): create/boot/erase devices, install/launch apps, push notifications, privacy grants, screenshots, and accessibility-based UI navigation. Use when working with iOS apps, Xcode, Simulator, simctl, idb, UI automation, or iOS testing.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
Related Guides
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SKILL.md Source
# iOS Simulator Automation
This skill provides a **Node-only** CLI wrapper around:
- `xcrun simctl` for simulator/device/app management
- `idb` for **accessibility-tree** inspection + synthesised UI input (tap/text/button)
It is designed for **AI agents**: minimal, structured output by default, with opt-in detail.
## Important constraints
- **Must run on macOS** with Xcode Command Line Tools (or Xcode) available.
- If the ClawdBot gateway is not macOS, run these commands on a connected **macOS node** (see “Remote macOS node” below).
- `idb` is optional, but required for UI tree / semantic tapping. (Install steps below.)
## Quick start
```bash
# 1) Sanity check
node {baseDir}/scripts/ios-sim.mjs health
# 2) List simulators (compact)
node {baseDir}/scripts/ios-sim.mjs list
# 3) Select a default simulator (writes .ios-sim-state.json in the current dir)
node {baseDir}/scripts/ios-sim.mjs select --name "iPhone" --runtime "iOS" --boot
# 4) Install + launch an .app
node {baseDir}/scripts/ios-sim.mjs app install --app path/to/MyApp.app
node {baseDir}/scripts/ios-sim.mjs app launch --bundle-id com.example.MyApp
# 5) Inspect current UI (requires idb)
node {baseDir}/scripts/ios-sim.mjs ui summary
node {baseDir}/scripts/ios-sim.mjs ui tap --query "Log in"
node {baseDir}/scripts/ios-sim.mjs ui type --text "hello world"
# 6) Screenshot
node {baseDir}/scripts/ios-sim.mjs screenshot --out artifacts/screen.png
```
## Remote macOS node
If you are not on macOS, run the same commands on the macOS node using ClawdBot’s node execution (e.g. `exec` with `host: node` / node tools). Ensure the skill folder exists on that node, or copy it there.
## Output conventions (token-efficient)
- Default output: **single-line JSON** (small summary object).
- Add `--pretty` to pretty-print JSON.
- Add `--text` for a short human-readable summary (when provided by the command).
- Commands that can be huge (`ui tree`, `list --full`) are **opt-in**.
## State / default UDID
`select` writes a state file (default: `./.ios-sim-state.json`) that stores the chosen UDID.
All commands accept `--udid <UUID>` and otherwise fall back to the state file.
Override location with:
- `IOS_SIM_STATE_FILE=/path/to/state.json`
## Dependency notes
### Xcode / simctl availability
If `xcrun` cannot find `simctl`, ensure Xcode CLI tools are selected (via Xcode settings or `xcode-select`) and run the first-launch setup:
- `xcodebuild -runFirstLaunch`
### idb (for accessibility automation)
Install `idb_companion` and the `idb` CLI:
```bash
brew tap facebook/fb
brew install idb-companion
python3 -m pip install --upgrade fb-idb
```
## Safety tiers
| Tier | Commands | Notes |
|------|----------|------|
| SAFE | `list`, `health`, `boot`, `shutdown`, `screenshot`, `ui *` | No data loss |
| CAUTION | `privacy *`, `push`, `clipboard *`, `openurl` | Alters simulator/app state |
| DANGEROUS | `erase`, `delete` | Requires `--yes` |
## Command index
All commands live under:
```bash
node {baseDir}/scripts/ios-sim.mjs <command> [subcommand] [flags]
```
### Core simulator lifecycle
- `list [--full]`
- `select --name <substr> [--runtime <substr>] [--boot]`
- `boot [--udid <uuid>] [--wait]`
- `shutdown [--udid <uuid>|--all]`
- `erase --yes [--udid <uuid>|--all]`
- `delete --yes [--udid <uuid>]`
- `create --name <name> --device-type <substr> --runtime <substr>`
### App management
- `app install --app <path/to/App.app> [--udid ...]`
- `app uninstall --bundle-id <id> [--udid ...]`
- `app launch --bundle-id <id> [--udid ...] [-- <args...>]`
- `app terminate --bundle-id <id> [--udid ...]`
- `app container --bundle-id <id> [--type data|app] [--udid ...]`
### Screenshots & video
- `screenshot --out <file.png> [--udid ...]`
- `record-video --out <file.mp4> [--udid ...]` (runs until Ctrl+C)
### Clipboard / URL
- `clipboard get [--udid ...]`
- `clipboard set --text <text> [--udid ...]`
- `openurl --url <url> [--udid ...]`
### Simulator permissions & push notifications
- `privacy grant --bundle-id <id> --service <svc[,svc...]> [--udid ...]`
- `privacy revoke --bundle-id <id> --service <svc[,svc...]> [--udid ...]`
- `privacy reset --bundle-id <id> --service <svc[,svc...]> [--udid ...]`
- `push --bundle-id <id> --payload <json-string> [--udid ...]`
### Logs
- `logs show [--last 5m] [--predicate <expr>] [--udid ...]`
### Accessibility-driven UI automation (requires idb)
- `ui summary [--limit 12]`
- `ui tree` (full UI JSON array)
- `ui find --query <text> [--limit 20]`
- `ui tap --query <text>` (find + tap best match)
- `ui tap --x <num> --y <num>` (raw coordinate tap)
- `ui type --text <text>`
- `ui button --name HOME|LOCK|SIRI|SIDE_BUTTON|APPLE_PAY`
## Troubleshooting
See: [references/TROUBLESHOOTING.md](references/TROUBLESHOOTING.md)Related Skills
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