Hig Project Context
raintree-technology/hig-doctor
Create or update a shared Apple design context document that other HIG skills use to tailor guidance.
Build, install, launch, and screenshot an iOS app in the Simulator to verify a change visually.
Install Run Simulator
$ npx skills add rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills --skill run-simulator -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills run-simulator --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/ios/run-simulator .claude/skills/run-simulator && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.
Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/
Install the "run-simulator" agent skill from https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills/tree/main/skills/ios/run-simulator into .claude/skills/run-simulator/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "run-simulator", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills/tree/main/skills/ios/run-simulatorType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills --skill run-simulator -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills run-simulator --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/ios/run-simulator .agents/skills/run-simulator && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "run-simulator" agent skill from https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills/tree/main/skills/ios/run-simulator into .agents/skills/run-simulator/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "run-simulator", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills --skill run-simulator -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills run-simulator --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/ios/run-simulator .cursor/skills/run-simulator && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "run-simulator" agent skill from https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills/tree/main/skills/ios/run-simulator into .cursor/skills/run-simulator/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "run-simulator", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills.git --path skills/ios/run-simulator--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills --skill run-simulator -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills run-simulator --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/ios/run-simulator .gemini/skills/run-simulator && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "run-simulator" agent skill from https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills/tree/main/skills/ios/run-simulator into .gemini/skills/run-simulator/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "run-simulator", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills run-simulatorInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills --skill run-simulator -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/ios/run-simulator .github/skills/run-simulator && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "run-simulator" agent skill from https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills/tree/main/skills/ios/run-simulator into .github/skills/run-simulator/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "run-simulator", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills --skill run-simulator -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills run-simulator --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/ios/run-simulator .opencode/skills/run-simulator && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "run-simulator" agent skill from https://github.com/rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills/tree/main/skills/ios/run-simulator into .opencode/skills/run-simulator/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "run-simulator", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
run-simulator- GitHub stars
- 783
- Token cost
- ~1.7k tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 710 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 41
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
Build, install, launch, and screenshot an iOS app in the Simulator to verify a change visually.
- Works in 6 steps: Discover the project and scheme → Pick a simulator destination → Build for the simulator → …
- The user wants to run the app
- SKILL.md covers When This Skill Activates, Process, Output Format and Reliability Notes (common…, plus 1 more section
- Calls xcrun and xcodebuild
What it does
Run Simulator is an agent skill from rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills. Build, install, launch, and screenshot an iOS app in the Simulator to verify a change visually. Use when the user wants to run the app, see a change live, screenshot the running app, or confirm a UI fix actually works (not just that it compiles).
Its SKILL.md is about 1.7k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.
It sits in Mobile, covering iOS development. It works with iOS. The repository describes itself as: Claude Code skills for Apple platform development (iOS, macOS, iPadOS) — product validation, code generation, App Store optimization, and more. The licence is MIT.
When your agent uses it
- The user wants to run the app
- See a change live
- Screenshot the running app
- Confirm a UI fix actually works (not just that it compiles)
Example prompts
- “/run-simulator”
Requirements
- Pre-approved tools (allowed-tools): Bash, Read, Glob
Workflow steps
6 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 9ffb831. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
Tool permissions
Pre-approves these tools, so the agent can use them without asking each time:
BashReadGlob
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
Shell commands in SKILL.md call:
xcrunxcodebuild
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
Links to these hosts (documentation or services it may open):
developer.apple.com
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Context cost
Run Simulator loads about 1.7k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 65 tokens; SKILL.md has 710 words of instructions outside code blocks.
Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.
Safety
Auto-check: notes
The automated check noted patterns worth knowing about, such as sudo or a known installer.
- NotePre-approves every shell command (allowed-tools: Bash)SKILL.md
allowed-tools: Bash, Read, Glob
Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
The full file from rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills at commit 9ffb831, republished under its MIT licence (© rshankras). 710 words, ~1,694 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/run-simulator/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).- name
- run-simulator
- description
- Build, install, launch, and screenshot an iOS app in the Simulator to verify a change visually. Use when the user wants to run the app, see a change live, screenshot the running app, or confirm a UI fix actually works (not just that it compiles).
- allowed-tools
- Bash, Read, Glob
- last_verified
- 2026-07-16
- review_by
- 2027-06-22
Run in Simulator
Launches the actual app in the iOS Simulator and drives it far enough to see what a user would see. Building proves the code compiles; this skill proves it runs. The payoff is a screenshot of the live app that you read back to confirm the change — a blank or crashed frame is a failure, not a pass.
This skill is generic. Nothing about a specific app is hardcoded — the scheme, simulator, product path, and bundle id are all discovered at runtime.
When This Skill Activates
Use this skill when the user:
- Asks to "run", "launch", or "open" the app in the simulator
- Wants to see a change working, not just compile it
- Asks for a screenshot of the running app
- Wants to verify a UI fix visually before committing or pushing
- Says "does this actually work?" about a view/flow they just changed
Do not use it for unit/UI test runs (xcodebuild test) — that's a different
goal. This is about meeting the app as a user would.
Process
Run the steps in order. Each step's output feeds the next, so don't hardcode values a previous step can discover.
1. Discover the project and scheme
Prefer a workspace over a bare project when both exist (CocoaPods/SPM setups often require the workspace):
# Find the container
ls *.xcworkspace 2>/dev/null || ls *.xcodeproj 2>/dev/null
# List schemes (use -workspace X.xcworkspace OR -project X.xcodeproj)
xcodebuild -list -project <App>.xcodeproj 2>/dev/nullPick the app scheme (usually matches the app name). If several schemes look plausible and none clearly matches, ask the user which to run rather than guessing.
2. Pick a simulator destination
Never hardcode a device name — the named device may not exist on this Mac (e.g. assuming "iPhone 16" when only "iPhone 17 Pro" is installed fails with "Unable to find a device matching the provided destination specifier"). List what's actually available and prefer one already booted:
# Already-booted sim, if any (fastest — skip the boot wait)
xcrun simctl list devices booted
# Otherwise, available iPhones to choose from
xcrun simctl list devices available | grep -i iphoneChoose a booted device if present; otherwise pick a recent iPhone from the available list and remember its name for the destination string.
3. Build for the simulator
xcodebuild build \
-project <App>.xcodeproj \
-scheme <Scheme> \
-destination 'platform=iOS Simulator,name=<SimName>' \
2>&1 | tail -5- Read the tail for
** BUILD SUCCEEDED **. Note that-quietsuppresses that success line, so either drop-quietfor the confirming run or grep forerror:explicitly. - On failure, surface the
error:lines — don't proceed to install a stale or nonexistent build.
4. Resolve the built .app and its bundle id
Don't guess the DerivedData path — ask the build system for it:
# Product directory + name from the resolved build settings
eval $(xcodebuild -project <App>.xcodeproj -scheme <Scheme> \
-destination 'platform=iOS Simulator,name=<SimName>' \
-showBuildSettings 2>/dev/null \
| awk -F' = ' '/ TARGET_BUILD_DIR =/{print "DIR=\""$2"\""} / FULL_PRODUCT_NAME =/{print "NAME=\""$2"\""}')
APP="$DIR/$NAME"
echo "APP: $APP"
# Bundle id straight from the built Info.plist
BID=$(/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Print :CFBundleIdentifier" "$APP/Info.plist")
echo "Bundle id: $BID"5. Boot, install, launch
SIM="<SimName>"
xcrun simctl boot "$SIM" 2>/dev/null # no-op if already booted
open -a Simulator # bring the window forward
xcrun simctl bootstatus "$SIM" -b # block until fully booted
xcrun simctl install "$SIM" "$APP"
xcrun simctl launch "$SIM" "$BID"simctl launch prints <bundleid>: <pid> on success. A non-zero exit or an
error string here means the app failed to start — investigate before
screenshotting.
Show full SKILL.md (302 more words)Show less
6. Screenshot and verify (and drive if needed)
xcrun simctl io "$SIM" screenshot /tmp/sim-shot.pngThen Read /tmp/sim-shot.png and actually look at it:
- Blank/white frame, a crash dialog, or the launch screen stuck → failure.
- The expected screen → success; describe what confirms the change.
If the change lives behind navigation, drive there before judging. Tap by point or describe to the user what to navigate to:
# Tap a point (x y in points) — useful for hitting a known tab/button
xcrun simctl io "$SIM" tap <x> <y> # (where supported)
# Re-screenshot after each interaction
xcrun simctl io "$SIM" screenshot /tmp/sim-shot-2.pngFor deep links, xcrun simctl openurl "$SIM" "<scheme>://<path>". If precise
tapping isn't available, take the screenshot at the landing screen and tell the
user the exact taps to reach the target view.
Output Format
Report, concisely:
- What ran — scheme, simulator name/OS, bundle id.
- Build result — succeeded / failed (with the error tail if failed).
- Launch result — pid on success, or the failure reason.
- What the screenshot shows — the screen reached and whether it confirms the change. Embed/Read the screenshot so the user sees it too.
- Anything the user must do — e.g. taps needed to reach a gated screen.
Reliability Notes (common failure modes)
- Wrong device name → "Unable to find a device matching the destination." Always list available sims (step 2) instead of assuming a model number.
- Stale install → if behavior looks unchanged,
xcrun simctl uninstall "$SIM" "$BID"then reinstall; orxcrun simctl shutdown "$SIM" && xcrun simctl erase "$SIM"for a clean slate (destroys sim data — confirm first). - Workspace vs project → if the build complains about missing packages/pods,
re-run with
-workspace <App>.xcworkspaceinstead of-project. - First boot is slow →
simctl bootstatus -bblocks correctly; a fixedsleepdoes not and races the install. - Launch screen "stuck" → on a cold sim the app may still be initializing; re-screenshot after a short wait before declaring failure.
References
xcrun simctl help— full simulator control surface (boot, install, launch, io, openurl, spawn).man xcodebuild—build,-list,-showBuildSettings,-destination.- Apple: Running your app in Simulator — https://developer.apple.com/documentation/xcode/running-your-app-in-the-simulator-or-on-a-device
© rshankras, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
Just SKILL.md in skills/ios/run-simulator of rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 9ffb831
Compare with similar skills
Run Simulator next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Run Simulator this skillrshankras/claude-code-apple-skills | 783 | — | ~1.7k | Automated safety check: Notes | MIT | |
| Hig Project Contextraintree-technology/hig-doctor | 143 | 5 repos | ~1.2k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Hig Components Contentraintree-technology/hig-doctor | 143 | 5 repos | ~1.3k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| iOS Simulator Skilln0an/VivaDicta | 131 | 1 repos | ~2.5k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Inspector Implementationipedro/Inspector | 170 | — | ~729 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Run iOS SimulatoriPlug2/iPlug2OOS | 158 | — | ~711 | Automated safety check: Pass | None |
Similar skills
Hig Components Content
raintree-technology/hig-doctor
Apple Human Interface Guidelines for content display components.
iOS Simulator Skill
n0an/VivaDicta
21 production-ready scripts for iOS app testing, building, and automation.
Inspector Implementation
ipedro/Inspector
A skill your agent uses when an agent needs to implement or modify the Inspector library itself — panel UI, hierarchy/runtime behavior, custom property models, macros, or Example-app dogfooding.
Run iOS Simulator
iPlug2/iPlug2OOS
Build and run an iPlug2 iOS app in the iOS Simulator. An agent skill from iPlug2/iPlug2OOS.
- Official
Evaluating SDK Internal Updates
bitwarden/ios
Evaluates a bitwarden/ios "Update SDK to" PR against the sdk-swift commit range for compile-time, runtime and serialization breaking changes, maps affected symbols to iOS call sites, and applies…
More from rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills
All 41 skills in this repoAccessibility Generator
rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills
Generate accessibility infrastructure for VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, and accessibility features.
Animation Patterns
rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills
SwiftUI animation patterns including springs, transitions, PhaseAnimator, KeyframeAnimator, SF Symbol effects, scroll-driven effects, mesh gradients, text renderers, and shader effects.
App Description Writer
rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills
Generate compelling App Store descriptions that convert browsers into users.
App Icon Generator
rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills
Generates an app icon for macOS or iOS — a fast CoreGraphics placeholder and/or flat layered source art to finish in Icon Composer (the Liquid Glass / iOS 26+ standard).
App Namer
rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills
Turn an app idea into validated, App-Store-ready name candidates.
Bundles And Licensing
rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills
Revenue beyond the single-app price tag — own-app bundles, Family Sharing as a conversion lever, cross-developer bundles & suites, and institutional licensing via Group Purchases / Apple School &…
Related
Works with
Categories
Questions about Run Simulator
What does Run Simulator do?
Build, install, launch, and screenshot an iOS app in the Simulator to verify a change visually. Run Simulator is an agent skill from rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills. Build, install, launch, and screenshot an iOS app in the Simulator to verify a change visually.
When should I use Run Simulator?
Run Simulator fits situations like: the user wants to run the app; see a change live; screenshot the running app; confirm a UI fix actually works (not just that it compiles).
How do I install Run Simulator in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills --skill run-simulator -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/ios/run-simulator in rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills) into .claude/skills/run-simulator in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Run Simulator in Codex?
Run `npx skills add rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills --skill run-simulator -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/ios/run-simulator in rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills) into .agents/skills/run-simulator in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Run Simulator in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills --skill run-simulator -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/run-simulator, .gemini/skills/run-simulator, .github/skills/run-simulator and .opencode/skills/run-simulator in your project.
What does Run Simulator need to run?
Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Run Simulator needs the command-line tools its instructions call (xcrun and xcodebuild). Its frontmatter pre-approves these tools: Bash, Read, Glob.
Does Run Simulator access the network?
SKILL.md names 1 domain. As links in the text: developer.apple.com. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is Run Simulator safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found notes only (pre-approves every shell command (allowed-tools: bash)), nothing it rates as a warning. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Run Simulator use?
Run Simulator is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does Run Simulator use?
About 1.7k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 6.8k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to Run Simulator?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Run Simulator: Hig Project Context (raintree-technology/hig-doctor, 143 stars), Hig Components Content (raintree-technology/hig-doctor, 143 stars), iOS Simulator Skill (n0an/VivaDicta, 131 stars) and Inspector Implementation (ipedro/Inspector, 170 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Run Simulator?
rshankras (a GitHub user) maintains it in rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills, which has 783 GitHub stars. The repository holds 41 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on July 24, 2026.
Source: rshankras/claude-code-apple-skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.