iOS Runtime Instrumentation

elstar.

Intercept. Profile. Inject.

Everything you can't do with Xcode alone, from your terminal. Or let your AI agent do it.

$ brew install elstar-dev/elstar/elstar

7-day free trial on first run. No credit card. Requires macOS 15+ and Xcode (verified on Xcode 26 and 27).

Get a license

Command reference →

$ elstar net com.myapp.Example

POST https://api.example.com/v1/login

← 200 142ms 89 bytes

body:

{ "token": "eyJhbG...", "user_id": 4821 }

GET https://api.example.com/v1/feed

← 500 891ms 24 bytes ← agent catches this

body:

{ "error": "internal_server_error" }

$ elstar hot FeedService.swift --once

building FeedService.swift

✓ reloaded

$ elstar eval com.myapp.Example "self.cart.items.count" --swift

→ 3

Why elstar

Built different.

No SDK required

Works on any app you can launch. No framework embeds, no linker flags, no source changes. Drop a bundle ID, you're in.

Hot reload, no rebuild

Inject Swift changes into running apps in seconds via LLDB. No rebuild cycles, no relaunches, no losing app state.

HTTPS without certs

Capture network traffic without proxy setup or certificate installation. Injects at the URLSession level, sees real traffic.

XCUITest generation

Walk the app live. uitest --gen writes the XCTest code for you. Manual test writing, gone.

Run code in the live app

Evaluate Swift or Objective-C in the running process with eval. Read live instance state, call methods, change values — no rebuild.

AI-native

23 MCP tools, 4 skills, a chained post-edit hook. First-class agent support out of the box. No glue code, no shell parsing.

Commands

Everything you need, nothing you don't.

netIntercept and inspect HTTP/HTTPS traffic, export HAR

mockMock or record HTTP responses

evalEvaluate Swift or Objective-C expressions in a live app

hotHot reload a Swift/ObjC file, XIB, or asset without rebuilding

vhDump the UIKit or SwiftUI view hierarchy

ivarRead live instance variable values for a class

respondersWalk the responder chain

stateScreen snapshot: app, elements, and screenshot in one call

elementsList tappable elements with coordinates

axFull accessibility tree with hit testing

screenshotCapture the simulator screen

tapTap by label, identifier, or coordinate

swipeSwipe gestures with configurable speed

dragDrag with configurable hold time

typeType text into the focused field

buttonPress hardware buttons (home, lock, siri)

keySend keyboard key events

uitest --genGenerate complete XCUITest files

uitest --liveRecord interactions as XCUITest code

waitWait for an element to appear

assertVerify element presence

bootBoot a simulator by name

shutdownShut down the booted simulator

devicesList all simulators and their state

mcp installConfigure MCP server for Claude Code or Cursor

mcpStart MCP server (23 tools over stdio)

hook installAuto hot-reload Swift files on save (Claude Code only)

hook install --all+ accessibility audit (Claude Code only)

skills installInstall /ios-setup, /ios-test, /ios-audit, /ios-debug

MCP Server

Your agent's debugger.

23 MCP tools. 4 skills. A post-edit hook that hot-reloads your agent's edits. One install command. Give your agent full runtime access to a running iOS app.

23 MCP Tools

Every command exposed as a structured tool — tap elements, capture traffic, evaluate expressions, read runtime state. No shell, no parsing. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, or any MCP client.

4 Skills

Slash-command workflows your agent runs directly — not just tools, but the proven sequences of them. Install with elstar skills install.

2 Hooks

Runtime feedback your agent gets automatically after each edit — no need to ask.

Claude Code only.

/ios-setupBootstrap a session — detect the running app, install hooks, establish project context

/ios-testWalk a flow live in the simulator and generate the XCUITest code for it

/ios-auditAccessibility & UI quality — missing identifiers, tap-target sizes, element overlap

/ios-debugDiagnose a bug — capture screen state, network traffic, and runtime data

hot-reloadSave a Swift file → elstar live-reloads it into the running app, no rebuild

a11y-auditAfter a UI change, flags unlabeled elements so your agent can fix accessibility

Getting Started

From install to driving your app in a minute.

Install

brew install elstar-dev/elstar/elstar

Signed & notarized. Starts a 7-day trial on first run. Requires macOS 15+ and Xcode (verified on Xcode 26 and 27).

Boot a simulator

elstar boot "iPhone 16 Pro"

Or just run your app from Xcode — elstar attaches to whatever's booted.

See the screen

elstar state

App info, screen size, tappable elements, and a screenshot — in one call.

Drive it

elstar tap "Login" · elstar type "hi@example.com"

Tap, swipe, type, and assert — by label or coordinate.

Give your agent access

elstar mcp install

Wires the 23 MCP tools into Claude Code or Cursor. Add skills & hooks with skills install / hook install --all.

Unlock

elstar license activate <key>

Your key arrives by email after purchase. One license, two machines.