NOTE! You are browsing legacy documentation. For latest visit docs.nativescript.org.

NativeScript Core

tns run ios

Description

Runs your project on a connected iOS device or in the iOS Simulator, if configured. This is shorthand for prepare, build and deploy. While your app is running, prints the output from the application in the console and watches for changes in your code. Once a change is detected, it synchronizes the change with all selected devices and restarts/refreshes the application.

WARNING: You can run this command only on macOS systems. To view the complete help for this command, run $ tns help run ios

IMPORTANT: Before building for iOS device, verify that you have configured a valid pair of certificate and provisioning profile on your macOS system. For more information, see the Code Signing and Maintain Signing Assets sections from the Apple Developer documentation.

When running this command without passing --release flag, the HMR (Hot Module Replacement) is enabled by default. In case you want to disable HMR, you can pass --no-hmr flag. When --release is passed, CLI disables HMR.

Commands

Usage Synopsis
Run on all connected devices $ tns run ios [--release] [--justlaunch] [--env.*]]
Run on a selected connected device. Will start simulator with specified Device Identifier, if not already running. $ tns run ios [--device <Device ID>] [--release] [--justlaunch] [--env.*]]
Start an emulator and run the app inside it $ tns run ios --emulator [--release] [--env.*]]
Start an emulator with specified device name and sdk $ tns run ios [--device <Device Name>] [--sdk <sdk>]
Start an emulator with specified device identifier and sdk $ tns run ios [--device <Device Identifier>] [--sdk <sdk>]

Options

  • --device - Specifies a connected device/simulator to start and run the app. <Device ID> is the index or Device Identifier of the target device as listed by the $ tns device ios --available-devices command.
  • --emulator - If set, runs the app in all available and configured ios simulators. It will start a simulator if none are already running.
  • --sdk - Specifies the target simulator's sdk.
  • --justlaunch - If set, does not print the application output in the console.
  • --clean - If set, forces the complete rebuild of the native application.
  • --no-watch - If set, changes in your code will not be reflected during the execution of this command.
  • --release - If set, produces a release build by running webpack in production mode and native build in release mode. Otherwise, produces a debug build.
  • --no-hmr - Disables Hot Module Replacement (HMR). In this case, when a change in the code is applied, CLI will transfer the modified files and restart the application.
  • --env.* - Specifies additional flags that the bundler may process. Can be passed multiple times.
    • --env.aot - creates Ahead-Of-Time build (Angular only).
    • --env.uglify - provides basic obfuscation and smaller app size.
    • --env.report - creates a Webpack report inside a report folder in the root folder.
    • --env.sourceMap - creates inline source maps.
    • --env.hiddenSourceMap - creates sources maps in the root folder (useful for Crashlytics usage with bundled app in release).
  • --force - If set, skips the application compatibility checks and forces npm i to ensure all dependencies are installed. Otherwise, the command will check the application compatibility with the current CLI version and could fail requiring tns migrate.

Prerequisites

Before running the iOS Simulator, verify that your system meets the following requirements.

Command Limitations

  • You can run $ tns run ios only on macOS systems.
  • You cannot use --device and --emulator simultaneously.
Command Description
appstore Lists applications registered in iTunes Connect.
appstore upload Uploads project to iTunes Connect.
build android Builds the project for Android and produces an APK that you can manually deploy on device or in the native emulator.
build ios Builds the project for iOS and produces an APP or IPA that you can manually deploy in the iOS Simulator or on device, respectively.
build Builds the project for the selected target platform and produces an application package that you can manually deploy on device or in the native emulator.
debug android Debugs your project on a connected Android device or in a native emulator.
debug ios Debugs your project on a connected iOS device or in a native emulator.
debug Debugs your project on a connected device or in a native emulator.
deploy Builds and deploys the project to a connected physical or virtual device.
run android Runs your project on a connected Android device or in a native Android emulator, if configured.
run Runs your project on a connected device or in the native emulator for the selected platform.
test init Configures your project for unit testing with a selected framework.
test android Runs the tests in your project on Android devices or native emulators.
test ios Runs the tests in your project on iOS devices or the iOS Simulator.
Ask the community