Mobile Automation with agent-device

For exploration, use snapshot refs. For deterministic replay, use selectors.

Start Here (Read This First)

Use this skill as a router, not a full manual.

1. Pick one mode:
• Normal interaction flow
• Debug/crash flow
• Replay maintenance flow
2. Run one canonical flow below.
3. Open references only if blocked.

Decision Map

• No target context yet: devices -> pick target -> open.
• Normal UI task: open -> snapshot -i -> press/fill -> diff snapshot -i -> close
• Debug/crash: open -> logs clear --restart -> reproduce -> logs path -> targeted grep
• Replay drift: replay -u -> verify updated selectors

Canonical Flows

1) Normal Interaction Flow

agent-device open Settings --platform ios
agent-device snapshot -i
agent-device press @e3
agent-device diff snapshot -i
agent-device fill @e5 "test"
agent-device close

2) Debug/Crash Flow

agent-device open MyApp --platform ios
agent-device logs clear --restart
agent-device logs path

Logging is off by default. Enable only for debugging windows.

logs clear --restart requires an active app session (open first).

3) Replay Maintenance Flow

agent-device replay -u ./session.ad

Command Skeleton (Minimal)

Session and navigation

agent-device devices
agent-device open [app|url] [url]
agent-device open [app] --relaunch
agent-device close [app]
agent-device session list

Use boot only as fallback when open cannot find/connect to a ready target.

Snapshot and targeting

agent-device snapshot -i
agent-device diff snapshot -i
agent-device find "Sign In" click
agent-device press @e1
agent-device fill @e2 "text"
agent-device is visible 'id="anchor"'

press is canonical tap command; click is an alias.

Utilities

agent-device appstate
agent-device get text @e1
agent-device screenshot out.png
agent-device trace start
agent-device trace stop ./trace.log

Batch (when sequence is already known)

agent-device batch --steps-file /tmp/batch-steps.json --json

Guardrails (High Value Only)

• Re-snapshot after UI mutations (navigation/modal/list changes).
• Prefer snapshot -i; scope/depth only when needed.
• Use refs for discovery, selectors for replay/assertions.
• Use fill for clear-then-type semantics; use type for focused append typing.
• iOS appstate is session-scoped; Android appstate is live foreground state.
• iOS settings helpers are simulator-only; use faceid match|nonmatch|enroll|unenroll.
• If using --save-script, prefer explicit path syntax (--save-script=flow.ad or ./flow.ad).

Security and Trust Notes

• Prefer a preinstalled agent-device binary over on-demand package execution.
• If install is required, pin an exact version (for example: npx --yes agent-device@ --help).
• Signing/provisioning environment variables are optional, sensitive, and only for iOS physical-device setup.
• Logs/artifacts are written under ~/.agent-device; replay scripts write to explicit paths you provide.
• Keep logging off unless debugging and use least-privilege/isolated environments for autonomous runs.

Common Mistakes

• Mixing debug flow into normal runs (keep logs off unless debugging).
• Continuing to use stale refs after screen transitions.
• Using URL opens with Android --activity (unsupported combination).
• Treating boot as default first step instead of fallback.

References

• references/snapshot-refs.md
• references/logs-and-debug.md
• references/session-management.md
• references/permissions.md
• references/video-recording.md
• references/coordinate-system.md
• references/batching.md