Robomori

Robomori

robomori creates and starts Android emulators and changes the state of running emulators and phones. Use it to get a device ready, set it up and capture what's on it. Use adb and Gradle only for what Robomori doesn't do: installing apps, tapping, typing, adb shell and logs.

Check it's installed with robomori version. If it isn't, ask the user to install it from the Robomori app: Settings → Command Line. Get the app at https://robomori.com.

Rules

• Add --json when you read the output. Results go to standard output, progress and errors to standard error. Versions before 1.6.1 also print JVM lines starting with [ to standard output; drop them with grep -v '^\['.
• Exit code 0 means it worked, 1 that it failed, 2 that the command was typed wrong. Errors name the command to run next; follow them.
• Pass --device <name or serial> whenever more than one device is running and you haven't claimed one. With one running, leave it out.
• If other agents may be working on this computer, claim your own device first (see "Work in parallel").
• Don't stop, wipe or delete emulators you didn't create. They're the user's.
• Some commands say "Needs a license". If one fails for that reason, tell the user rather than working around it with adb.

Use robomori, not adb or the SDK tools

Instead of	Run
adb devices, emulator -list-avds	robomori device list
avdmanager create avd, sdkmanager for system images	robomori emulator create
emulator -avd …, then waiting for sys.boot_completed	robomori emulator start
adb emu kill	robomori emulator stop
emulator -wipe-data	robomori emulator wipe
adb reboot	robomori device restart
adb shell input keyevent for back, home, recents, power	robomori press
adb shell settings put system user_rotation …	robomori rotate
adb shell cmd uimode night …	robomori controls dark-mode
adb shell settings put system font_scale …	robomori controls font-scale
Changing the locale through adb shell	robomori controls locale
adb shell settings put secure enabled_accessibility_services …	robomori controls talkback
adb shell settings put global *_animation_scale …	robomori controls animations
adb emu geo fix	robomori simulate location
adb exec-out screencap	robomori screenshot
adb shell screenrecord (3-minute limit)	robomori record (no limit)

Get a device

robomori device list --json                               # what exists and what's running
robomori emulator create pixel-10 --start --json          # a new phone, booted; prints its name and serial
robomori emulator start Pixel_10                          # start an existing one, wait for boot; prints its serial
robomori emulator open Pixel_10                           # also show it in a window, so the user can watch

emulator create takes a profile from robomori profile list: phones (pixel-10, pixel-10-pro), a foldable (pixel-10-pro-fold), a tablet (pixel-tablet), watches and TV. --api 36 picks the Android version; see robomori image list --profile <profile>. Every image includes Google Play. Robomori gives each emulator 2 GB of memory, so several can run at once.

Emulators started by robomori keep running after the command returns and show up in the Robomori app. The serial, such as emulator-5554, is what adb -s takes.

Work in parallel

When several agents work on one computer, each in its own git worktree, claim a device so no other agent installs over or taps on yours:

export ANDROID_SERIAL=$(robomori device claim)            # this worktree's emulator; same one every time you ask

• claim returns the device this worktree already claimed, or else a running emulator no one claimed. It never starts one: if it says none is free, start or create an emulator, then claim again.
• With ANDROID_SERIAL exported, adb, Gradle and robomori all use your device without --device. Robomori refuses devices other worktrees claimed; never take one over with --force unless the user asks.
• The claim ends when you run robomori device release, or when the emulator stops or restarts. Claim again after restarting it.
• robomori device list shows who claimed each device.
• If device claim is an unknown command, Robomori is older: ask the user to update it, and meanwhile create an emulator for your task and pass its serial with --device.

For one-off jobs, such as trying a third-party app or signing in to an account, create a dedicated emulator rather than reusing the user's.

Set the device up

robomori controls --json                                  # current values
robomori controls dark-mode on
robomori controls font-scale 1.3                          # 0.85, 1, 1.15, 1.3, 1.5, 1.8, 2
robomori controls locale fr-FR
robomori controls talkback on
robomori controls animations off                          # steadier UI tests and screenshots
robomori controls keyboard on                             # show the on-screen keyboard
robomori simulate location set 37.4220,-122.0841
robomori simulate location clear
robomori preset apply "French, large text"                # a preset the user saved in the app

Act on it

robomori press back                                       # also home, recents, power; crown, side on watches
robomori rotate                                           # clockwise; or counterclockwise
robomori emulator fold Pixel_10_Pro_Fold                  # and unfold
robomori device restart

Install apps with adb install or Gradle, and tap or type with adb shell input.

Capture

robomori screenshot -o screen.png                         # then look at the image
robomori record --duration 30 -o flow.mp4

Never

• Enter the user's passwords or sign in to their accounts. Show the emulator with robomori emulator open and ask the user to sign in.
• Install APKs from third-party mirror sites. Get apps from Google Play on the emulator, or build them from source.

When done

Release a claimed device with robomori device release. Stop the emulators you started with robomori emulator stop <emulator>, and delete the ones you created for a task with robomori emulator delete <emulator>, unless the user wants to keep them.

More

robomori help <command> shows every option of a command. Full docs: https://robomori.com/docs/cli.md