ios-deploy

Install and debug iOS apps without using Xcode. Designed to work on un-jailbroken devices.

Requirements

• Mac OS X. Tested on 10.11 El Capitan and iOS 9.0
• You need to have a valid iOS Development certificate installed.
• Xcode 6.4 or greater should be installed

Roadmap

See our milestones.

Significant changes:

1.8.0 will use an Xcode project instead of a Makefile (to prepare for 2.0.0)
2.0.0 will break out the commands into their own files, and create ios-deploy-lib for node.js use

Installation

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ios-deploy installation is made simple using the node.js package manager. If you use Homebrew, install node.js:

brew install node

Now install ios-deploy with the node.js package manager:

npm install -g ios-deploy

To build from source:

xcodebuild

This will build ios-deploy into the build/Release folder.

OS X 10.11 El Capitan

If you are not using a node version manager like nvm or n, you may have to do either of these three things below when under El Capitan:

1. Add the --unsafe-perm=true flag when installing ios-deploy
2. Add the --allow-root flag when installing ios-deploy
3. Ensure the nobody user has write access to /usr/local/lib/node_modules/ios-deploy/ios-deploy

Usage

Usage: ios-deploy [OPTION]...
    -d, --debug                  launch the app in lldb after installation
    -i, --id <device_id>         the id of the device to connect to
    -c, --detect                 only detect if the device is connected
    -b, --bundle <bundle.app>    the path to the app bundle to be installed
    -a, --args <args>            command line arguments to pass to the app when launching it
    -t, --timeout <timeout>      number of seconds to wait for a device to be connected
    -u, --unbuffered             don't buffer stdout
    -n, --nostart                do not start the app when debugging
    -I, --noninteractive         start in non interactive mode (quit when app crashes or exits)
    -L, --justlaunch             just launch the app and exit lldb
    -v, --verbose                enable verbose output
    -m, --noinstall              directly start debugging without app install (-d not required)
    -p, --port <number>          port used for device, default: dynamic
    -r, --uninstall              uninstall the app before install (do not use with -m; app cache and data are cleared) 
    -9, --uninstall_only         uninstall the app ONLY. Use only with -1 <bundle_id> 
    -1, --bundle_id <bundle id>  specify bundle id for list and upload
    -l, --list                   list files
    -o, --upload <file>          upload file
    -w, --download               download app tree
    -2, --to <target pathname>   use together with up/download file/tree. specify target
    -D, --mkdir <dir>            make directory on device
    -R, --rm <path>              remove file or directory on device (directories must be empty)
    -V, --version                print the executable version 
    -e, --exists                 check if the app with given bundle_id is installed or not 
    -B, --list_bundle_id         list bundle_id 
    -W, --no-wifi                ignore wifi devices

Examples

The commands below assume that you have an app called my.app with bundle id bundle.id. Substitute where necessary.

// deploy and debug your app to a connected device
ios-deploy --debug --bundle my.app

// deploy and debug your app to a connected device, skipping any wi-fi connection (use USB)
ios-deploy --debug --bundle my.app --no-wifi

// deploy and launch your app to a connected device, but quit the debugger after
ios-deploy --justlaunch --debug --bundle my.app

// deploy and launch your app to a connected device, quit when app crashes or exits
ios-deploy --noninteractive --debug --bundle my.app

// Upload a file to your app's Documents folder
ios-deploy --bundle_id 'bundle.id' --upload test.txt --to Documents/test.txt

// Download your app's Documents, Library and tmp folders
ios-deploy --bundle_id 'bundle.id' --download --to MyDestinationFolder

// List the contents of your app's Documents, Library and tmp folders
ios-deploy --bundle_id 'bundle.id' --list

// deploy and debug your app to a connected device, uninstall the app first
ios-deploy --uninstall --debug --bundle my.app

// check whether an app by bundle id exists on the device (check return code `echo $?`)
ios-deploy --exists --bundle_id com.apple.mobilemail

// Download the Documents directory of the app *only*
ios-deploy --download=/Documents --bundle_id my.app.id --to ./my_download_location

// List ids and names of connected devices
ios-deploy -c

// Uninstall an app
ios-deploy --uninstall_only --bundle_id my.bundle.id

// list all bundle ids of all apps on your device
ios-deploy --list_bundle_id

Demo

The included demo.app represents the minimum required to get code running on iOS.

• make demo.app will generate the demo.app executable. If it doesn't compile, modify IOS_SDK_VERSION in the Makefile.
• make debug will install demo.app and launch a LLDB session.

Notes

• With some modifications, it may be possible to use this without Xcode installed; however, you would need a copy of the relevant DeveloperDiskImage.dmg (included with Xcode). lldb would also run slower as symbols would be downloaded from the device on-the-fly.