A CLI tool for automating iOS Simulators using Apple's Accessibility APIs and HID functionality.
AXe is a command-line tool that automates interactions with iOS Simulators using Apple's private Accessibility APIs and HID functionality. It enables developers to programmatically control touch gestures, text input, hardware buttons, and media capture for testing and automation purposes. The tool solves the need for a lightweight, scriptable interface to simulate user interactions without complex setup or external dependencies.
iOS developers and QA engineers who need to automate UI testing, accessibility validation, or interaction workflows on iOS Simulators. It's particularly useful for those building automation scripts, integration tests, or development tools that require precise simulator control.
Developers choose AXe for its standalone CLI design, comprehensive feature set covering gestures, input, and media capture, and its simplicity compared to heavier automation frameworks. Its direct integration with Apple's APIs ensures reliable simulator control without requiring a separate server or client architecture.
AXe is a CLI tool for interacting with Simulators using Apple's Private Accessibility APIs.
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AXe is distributed as a single binary with no external dependencies, making installation and scripting straightforward, as emphasized in the 'Why AXe?' architecture section.
Includes precise tap, swipe, and preset gestures like scroll and edge swipes with configurable timing, detailed in the Touch & Gestures features and Gesture Presets Reference.
Leverages Apple's private Accessibility APIs to extract UI descriptions and enable element-based interactions, useful for accessibility testing and inspection, as shown in the Accessibility & Info commands.
Supports chaining multiple steps into ordered workflows with precise timing and error handling, demonstrated in the Batch Chaining commands and Batch Guide.
AXe does not support physical iOS devices, restricting its use to simulator-only testing scenarios and making it unsuitable for real-world device validation.
Relies on Apple's private Accessibility and HID APIs, which are unsupported and could break with iOS updates, leading to potential instability and maintenance challenges.
Building from source requires compiling XCFrameworks and Swift dependencies using scripts, which is more cumbersome compared to plug-and-play tools, as noted in the 'Build from source' instructions.