An in-app debugging and exploration toolset for iOS development, enabling real-time inspection and modification of app state.
FLEX is an in-app debugging and exploration toolset for iOS development. It provides a toolbar that allows developers to inspect and modify nearly every piece of state in a running application, including views, objects, network requests, and file systems, all without needing an external debugger.
iOS developers and engineers who need real-time debugging capabilities directly on devices or simulators, particularly those working on complex applications requiring deep runtime inspection.
Developers choose FLEX because it runs entirely inside the app, eliminating the need for LLDB/Xcode connections or remote servers, and offers a comprehensive set of exploration tools that work on both simulators and physical devices.
An in-app debugging and exploration tool for iOS
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FLEX consolidates view hierarchy inspection, network monitoring, heap scanning, and file system browsing into a single toolbar, eliminating the need for external tools like LLDB or remote servers.
It adds custom keyboard shortcuts, 3D touch simulation, and easy activation (e.g., 'f' key) in the iOS simulator, streamlining the development workflow directly on the device.
Developers can dynamically modify properties, call methods, and edit NSUserDefaults via JSON parsing, allowing instant experimentation with live app state.
Supports CocoaPods, Carthage, Swift Package Manager, and manual installation, with detailed guides for excluding it from release builds to meet App Store guidelines.
The README explicitly states FLEX does not support tvOS out of the box, forcing developers to rely on unofficial forks, and it offers no debugging for macOS or other Apple platforms.
Ensuring FLEX is omitted from App Store builds requires careful configuration across different installation methods, which can be error-prone and add maintenance overhead.
The TODO list admits missing Swift runtime introspection for classes and heap objects, limiting full functionality in modern Swift-based projects.