Setting Up An iOS Simulator For Testing

Any product developed goes through the process of testing. With websites, a web developer makes sure to check the functionality on every web browser available. It is done to check for any bugs and offer the user a seamless experience irrespective of the device used to access the website.

But, how does a mobile application developer test their applications? Keeping a set of different devices to test will definitely be an expensive affair. Moreover, with the number of updates and changes in the hardware and software, keeping up-to-date can be tedious. But what then, does the developer do? The answer is simple: Simulation, the act of recreating a real-life process or system.

With the ever-expanding array of technology, it is now possible to simulate any physical system on a computer. Today, we specifically discuss one of the most used operating systems in the mobile industry, the iOS.

For any app developer working with iOS, it is extremely important to stay updated. With iOS 12 making its debut, developers can expect a new version every few weeks until the bugs are fixed. This makes setting up a simulator all the more important.

Xcode Simulator

So let’s have a look at the process of setting up an iOS simulator. This will enable you to test any iOS compatible app.

1. Apple does not offer a standalone simulator on the App Store. Rather, look for and download Xcode which is freely available on the store. Xcode is an integrated development environment (IDE). It enables the development of applications for all Apple operating systems including iOS, MacOS, tvOS, and WatchOS. Xcode has been developed by Apple.
2. Technically, you have downloaded the simulator, but, there are still a couple of steps. These will get you to the iOS simulator.

3. After downloading Xcode, you will need to download the iOS simulator environment. To do this, open Xcode and navigate to preferences. ( Xcode-> Preferences) Here in ‘Components’ download the iOS version as per your requirement.

4. After obtaining the desired iOS version, go to Xcode-> Open Developer Tools-> Simulator. This will open the iPhone simulator which can be used for testing.

5. You have the option to select your desired device by going into Hardware-> iOS-> ‘Desired Device’.

Benefits of using the in-built simulator

The most important feature is the ability to use multiple simulators enabling cross-testing. So, you could use an iPhone simulator and a WatchOS simulator simultaneously to test certain app features requiring both. In addition, the Xcode simulator is the best option for small teams.

It also offers accessibility to core APIs. These include development for Game Centre and Healthkit. While no amount of accessibility can match a real device, Xcode offers an extremely close experience without any associated costs.

Other simulator options

While Xcode is provided by Apple, free of cost, there are several other options in the market who have gained attention from the developers.

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Originally published at: lambdatest.com.

Originally written by Suraj Kumar.