iOS IDB Simulator
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables LLMs to interact with iOS simulators through natural language commands.
What is iOS IDB Simulator?
iOS IDB Simulator is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to model context protocol (mcp) server that enables llms to interact with ios simulators through natural language commands.
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables LLMs to interact with iOS simulators through natural language commands.
This server falls under the Browser Automation category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables LLMs to i
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx simulator-ios-idbConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use iOS IDB Simulator
iOS IDB Simulator MCP is a TypeScript MCP server built by Inditex Tech that bridges AI language models to iOS simulators on macOS using Facebook's IDB (iOS Development Bridge) framework. It lets MCP-compatible AI clients like Claude, Cline, and Cursor control simulator lifecycle (boot, shutdown, list), install and launch apps, perform UI interactions (tap, swipe, type), capture screenshots and video, retrieve logs, and manage permissions — all through natural language. Development teams and QA engineers use it to automate and accelerate iOS app testing without writing explicit test scripts.
Prerequisites
- macOS with Xcode and iOS simulator runtimes installed
- Homebrew installed for managing the idb-companion dependency
- Node.js v14.0.0 or higher
- Python 3 and pip for the fb-idb client library
- An MCP-compatible AI client such as Claude Desktop, Cline, or Cursor
Clone the repository
Clone the mcp-server-simulator-ios-idb repository from InditexTech. This is the source for both the ios-simulators-mcp and simulator-ios-idb server variants.
git clone https://github.com/InditexTech/mcp-server-simulator-ios-idb.git
cd mcp-server-simulator-ios-idbInstall Node.js dependencies and build
Install the project's npm dependencies and compile the TypeScript source into the dist/ directory.
npm install
npm run buildInstall IDB toolchain
Install idb-companion via Homebrew (the native binary that communicates with the iOS simulator) and fb-idb via pip (the Python client library the MCP server uses to call idb-companion).
brew tap facebook/fb
brew install idb-companion
pip3 install fb-idbConfigure your AI client
Add the MCP server entry to your AI client's configuration file. Use the absolute path to dist/index.js in the cloned repository directory.
{
"mcpServers": {
"ios-simulator": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/mcp-server-simulator-ios-idb/dist/index.js"],
"env": {}
}
}
}Restart your AI client and verify
Restart your AI client to load the MCP server. Ask the AI to list available iOS simulator devices to confirm the integration is working correctly.
iOS IDB Simulator Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop configuration for the iOS IDB Simulator MCP server. Ensure the path points to the built dist/index.js file.
{
"mcpServers": {
"ios-simulator": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/Users/me/mcp-server-simulator-ios-idb/dist/index.js"],
"env": {}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Use these prompts in your MCP-compatible AI client to control iOS simulators after the server is connected.
- "List all available iOS simulators on my machine"
- "Boot an iPhone 15 Pro simulator"
- "Install the IPA file at /tmp/MyApp.ipa on the booted simulator"
- "Type 'hello world' into the currently focused text field"
- "Swipe left on the simulator screen starting at 300,400 ending at 100,400"
- "Capture a screenshot of the simulator and describe what's on screen"
- "Fetch the last 50 lines of system logs from the simulator"Troubleshooting iOS IDB Simulator
fb-idb or idb-companion command not found at runtime
Ensure both 'brew install idb-companion' and 'pip3 install fb-idb' completed successfully. Run 'idb --version' and 'idb_companion --version' to verify they are on your PATH. If you use pyenv or a virtualenv, the MCP server process must inherit an environment where the fb-idb package is importable.
Build fails or dist/index.js is missing
Run 'npm install' followed by 'npm run build' from the repository root. Check that your Node.js version is at least 14.0.0 with 'node --version'. If TypeScript compilation errors appear, check for any missing type definitions and run 'npm install' again.
AI can list simulators but UI interaction commands fail
Ensure a simulator is in the Booted state before issuing tap, swipe, or text input commands. Ask the AI to boot a specific simulator first. For app-specific interactions, confirm the app is installed and launched before targeting UI elements.
Frequently Asked Questions about iOS IDB Simulator
What is iOS IDB Simulator?
iOS IDB Simulator is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that model context protocol (mcp) server that enables llms to interact with ios simulators through natural language commands. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install iOS IDB Simulator?
Follow the installation instructions on the iOS IDB Simulator GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with iOS IDB Simulator?
iOS IDB Simulator works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is iOS IDB Simulator free to use?
Yes, iOS IDB Simulator is open source and available under the Apache-2.0 license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Set Up iOS IDB Simulator in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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