An advanced CLI wrapper that enables AI agents to programmatically control iOS simulators, manage app lifecycles, and perform accessibility-based UI navigation.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install ios-simulator
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install ios-simulator using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is iOS Simulator Automation?
The iOS Simulator Automation skill is a specialized Node.js toolkit designed to bridge the gap between AI coding agents and the Apple developer ecosystem. By wrapping essential tools like xcrun simctl and Facebook's idb, this skill provides a structured interface for managing the entire lifecycle of an iOS virtual device. It is a core component of the Openclaw Skills library, offering developers the ability to automate tedious tasks such as device provisioning, app installation, and permission management directly from their workspace.
This skill is built with AI agents in mind, focusing on token-efficient communication. It defaults to single-line JSON outputs to minimize context window usage while providing high-fidelity control over the simulator. Whether you are running locally on macOS or targeting a remote macOS node, this skill empowers you to perform complex UI interactions, capture visual artifacts, and debug system logs with precision and speed.
iOS Simulator Automation Use Cases
- Automating the creation and booting of specific iOS device and runtime configurations for testing.
- Performing AI-driven UI audits using the accessibility-tree to tap elements and enter text.
- Streamlining CI/CD workflows by programmatically installing apps and granting necessary privacy permissions.
- Capturing screenshots and video recordings of app behavior for automated bug reporting.
- Testing push notification handling and deep link integration without manual device interaction.
How iOS Simulator Automation Works
- The skill interfaces with xcrun simctl to manage system-level simulator states, including booting, shutting down, and erasing devices.
- A state file, typically named .ios-sim-state.json, is maintained to persist the selected UDID across different command executions.
- For application management, the skill handles the installation, launching, and termination of .app bundles through clean CLI commands.
- When advanced UI interaction is required, it utilizes idb to inspect the semantic accessibility tree, allowing for precise element discovery and interaction.
- All data is processed and returned in a compact format designed for high-speed parsing by AI agents or developers.
iOS Simulator Automation Setup
To get started with this skill in the Openclaw Skills ecosystem, ensure you are on a macOS environment with Xcode installed.
# Install Xcode Command Line Tools
xcode-select --install
xcodebuild -runFirstLaunch
# Install idb for UI automation capabilities
brew tap facebook/fb
brew install idb-companion
python3 -m pip install --upgrade fb-idb
# Verify the installation
node scripts/ios-sim.mjs health
iOS Simulator Automation Data Schema & Taxonomy
The skill manages its environment and outputs using the following data structures:
| Component | Format | Description |
|---|---|---|
| State File | JSON | Stores the current active UDID and runtime settings in .ios-sim-state.json. |
| UI Tree | JSON Array | A detailed hierarchical map of all on-screen accessibility elements. |
| Command Output | JSON | Minified, single-line objects containing success status or error details. |
| Media | PNG/MP4 | Visual artifacts stored in user-defined artifact directories. |
| Logs | Text/JSON | System and app-specific logs filtered by predicate or time. |
iOS Simulator Automation Advanced Features
- Support for remote macOS node execution, allowing non-macOS gateways to control simulators on a connected Apple machine.
- Semantic UI navigation that enables tapping and typing based on accessibility labels rather than raw coordinates.
- Fine-grained privacy control for services like location, photos, and camera via the privacy grant and revoke commands.
- Token-efficient output modes with optional pretty-printing and human-readable text flags.
- Advanced push notification simulation using custom JSON payloads targeted at specific bundle IDs.
SKILL.md
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