Simutil: The Terminal UI Every Mobile Developer Needs
- Jean-Christophe Miler
- Developer tools , Mobile development , Open source
- March 30, 2026
Table of Contents
Mobile development often means juggling between Android Studio, Xcode, and countless terminal commands to launch emulators and simulators. What if you could manage all your virtual devices from a single, elegant terminal interface? Meet Simutil — a cross-platform utility TUI app that transforms how you work with iOS simulators and Android emulators.
What is Simutil?
Simutil is an open-source terminal user interface application designed specifically for mobile developers. Built with Nocterm, a Dart-based TUI framework with Flutter-like syntax, Simutil provides a unified way to browse, launch, and manage your iOS simulators and Android emulators — all without touching Android Studio or Xcode.
Whether you’re working on macOS, Linux, or (soon) Windows, Simutil brings consistency to your development workflow. With over 230 GitHub stars and an active community, it’s quickly becoming a go-to tool for developers who prefer living in the terminal.
Key Features
One-Key Launch — Start any device with a single keystroke. No more navigating through IDE menus or hunting for that buried emulator option. Just select and press Enter.
Android Launch Options — Customize how your Android emulators start with options like Normal boot, Cold Boot, No Audio, or Cold Boot + No Audio. Perfect for testing different device states.
ADB Tools Built-in — Connect to physical Android devices wirelessly using multiple methods:
- Connect via IP address
- Pair with a 6-digit code (required for Android 11+)
- QR code pairing (Android 11+)
Side-by-Side View — Browse all your available emulators and simulators in one unified list, making it easy to compare and select the right device for your testing needs.
Installation
Getting started with Simutil is straightforward. Choose the method that best fits your workflow:
Binary Install (All Platforms)
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dungngminh/simutil/main/install.sh | bash
Using Homebrew (macOS/Linux)
brew tap dungngminh/simutil
brew install simutil
From pub.dev
dart pub global activate simutil
From Source
git clone https://github.com/dungngminh/simutil.git
cd simutil
dart pub get
dart pub global activate --source path .
After installation, simply run simutil to launch the application.
Why Simutil?
The mobile development ecosystem is fragmented. Android developers live in Android Studio while iOS developers are tied to Xcode. Simutil bridges this gap by providing a consistent, terminal-first interface that works regardless of your platform or target OS. It’s designed for developers who appreciate efficiency, keyboard-driven workflows, and tools that stay out of their way.
Supported Platforms
- macOS — Fully supported
- Linux — Fully supported
- Windows — Coming soon
Contributing
Simutil is actively maintained and welcomes contributions. If you want to get involved:
git clone https://github.com/dungngminh/simutil.git
cd simutil
dart pub get
dart run bin/simutil.dart # Run locally
dart --enable-vm-service bin/simutil.dart # Run with hot reload
- Fork the repository
- Create a branch for your changes
- Open a Pull Request
Conclusion
Simutil represents a new breed of developer tools — focused, terminal-native, and designed with keyboard-driven workflows in mind. Whether you’re an Android developer tired of Android Studio’s slow startup, an iOS developer who prefers the terminal, or someone who works across both platforms, Simutil deserves a spot in your development toolkit.
Give it a try and experience the convenience of managing all your virtual devices from a single, beautifully designed terminal interface.
