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Reference for the experimental EAS CLI commands that create, inspect, monitor, control, list, and stop remote simulator sessions.

The simulator:* commands are experimental and hidden. Install or update EAS CLI before running them:

The --help flag displays the available options for simulator:start.

The start command is also available as eas simulator, eas sim, and eas sim:start. The other commands have matching eas sim:* aliases, such as eas sim:list and eas sim:stop.

To manage sessions without EAS CLI, use the REST API.

Commands

simulator:availability

The --json flag is optional. It prints a stable, machine-readable result for agents and automation; omit it for human-readable output. The JSON object contains available and accountName. This command does not create a session or consume simulator usage.

simulator:start

The session type determines which interface EAS provisions with the remote device. On iOS, every type includes a web preview. Choose agent-device, Argent, or Appium to add programmatic control, or choose web-preview-only for the web preview only:

Important flags:

--build-id, --application-archive-url, and --expo-go are mutually exclusive application sources. --launch-arg and --open-url require one of those sources because the start command needs an installed application to launch.

The default dotenv output writes configuration even when --json is used. Use --out-config-type env when you explicitly do not want the file.

Common JSON output fields have this shape. The fields inside remoteConfig depend on the selected controller:

{
  "id": "<session-id>",
  "name": "Checkout flow screenshots",
  "type": "<controller-type>",
  "deviceRunSessionUrl": "https://expo.dev/accounts/<account>/projects/<project>/simulator-sessions/<session-id>",
  "remoteConfig": {
    "<controller-specific-key>": "<value>"
  }
}

Treat remoteConfig as secret because it includes controller credentials.

Interactive and non-interactive behavior

Without --non-interactive, the start command stays attached and polls the session. Press Ctrl+C once to stop it. EAS CLI resets .env.eas-simulator after it confirms the session ended.

With --non-interactive or --json, the command returns after the controller is ready. You must stop the session separately.

simulator:exec

simulator:exec is controller-agnostic. It loads the connection variables for the active session from .env.eas-simulator, then spawns the command and arguments that follow.

Use the command pattern for the controller selected when the session started:

simulator:exec does not implement device actions. It only supplies the active session's connection environment and runs the command that follows. The available actions and argument syntax come from agent-device or Argent.

simulator:events

Show a snapshot of the activity recorded for the session referenced by .env.eas-simulator:

Pass a session ID to inspect another session:

The default text output condenses related operations into a readable timeline. It includes the timestamp, controller, summary, and duration when available. This command shows session and controller activity from agent-device or Argent, not application runtime logs.

Follow new activity while a session is running:

The -f short flag is equivalent to --follow. The command stops following when the session ends. Press Ctrl + C to stop following earlier.

For agents and automation, request the raw event records as JSON:

The JSON object contains deviceRunSessionId and an events array. Common event fields include eventId, ts, producer, type, and summary, with operation ID, outcome, duration, and controller-specific data when available. --json cannot be combined with --follow.

simulator:get

Get the session referenced by .env.eas-simulator:

Get another session explicitly:

The response includes:

• ID, name, type, status, and platform
• Created, started, finished, and updated timestamps
• The expo.dev simulator session URL
• Controller connection configuration
• Session artifacts, when present

simulator:list

Filters can be repeated:

Use --limit to control page size and --after with the previous response's endCursor for pagination.

simulator:stop

Stop the session referenced by .env.eas-simulator:

Stop a specific session:

The stop mutation is idempotent.

Use --json for a machine-readable object containing the session id and final status.

.env.eas-simulator

The managed file always contains the session ID:

EAS_SIMULATOR_SESSION_ID="<session-id>"

Controller connection variables depend on the selected type:

Add the file to .gitignore:

.env.eas-simulator

Do not modify its values while the session is running.