| name | ios-simulator |
| description | Automate iOS Simulator tasks — capture screenshots, interact with apps, generate screen flow galleries. Use when the user asks to capture app screens, screenshot the simulator, document the app UI, create a screen flow, interact with the simulator, or automate iOS testing workflows. |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| metadata | {"status":"experimental","experimental_reason":"Simulator automation remains sensitive to local device state, timing, window focus, and Xcode version differences."} |
iOS Simulator
Automate iOS Simulator workflows: build, launch, interact with apps, and capture artifacts.
Fundamentals
Build and launch
cd <project-dir>
xcodegen generate 2>&1
xcodebuild -project *.xcodeproj -scheme <scheme> \
-destination 'platform=iOS Simulator,name=<device>' build 2>&1 | tail -5
xcrun simctl boot "<device>" 2>&1 || true
open -a Simulator
APP_PATH=$(find ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/<project>-*/Build/Products/Debug-iphonesimulator/*.app -maxdepth 0 | head -1)
xcrun simctl install "<device>" "$APP_PATH"
xcrun simctl launch "<device>" <bundle-id>
sleep 3
Simulator interaction
See references/simulator-interaction.md for coordinate mapping, click patterns, and device info.
Key constraints
- Simulator clicks are unreliable for nav bar buttons and back navigation
- Always relaunch app to navigate to deep screens rather than trying back buttons
- Wait 3+ seconds after launch before clicking
- Use focus click + real click pattern for reliable interaction
- Query window position fresh each time — it shifts between sessions
Workflows
| Workflow | When to use |
|---|
| Capture Screens | Screenshot each screen in a user flow and generate an HTML gallery |
