# nativescript-remote-builds
> Run NativeScript apps with local LiveSync without any local Android/iOS setup.
Latest version **1.1.1** (published 2020-05-29) · SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE license · 0 weekly downloads
## Install
```sh
npm install nativescript-remote-builds
pnpm add nativescript-remote-builds
yarn add nativescript-remote-builds
bun add nativescript-remote-builds
```
## Health
**Score 15/100 (F)** — status: abandoned.
Positive: no vulnerabilities.
Warnings: low downloads; no types; no esm support.
Negative: abandoned; low maintenance score.
## Facts
| | |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.1.1 |
| Published | 2020-05-29 |
| First published | 2020-02-14 |
| Weekly downloads | 0 |
| License | SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE |
| TypeScript types | none |
| Module format | CommonJS |
| Dependencies | 5 |
| Unpacked size | 305.3 KB |
| Known vulnerabilities | 0 |
| Install scripts | yes |
| GitHub stars | 26 |
| Author | NativeScript |
| Maintainers | lini, rosen-vladimirov, stoskov, tns-bot |
| Keywords | nativescript, tns, cloud, run, livesync, circle, circleci, local, setup |
## Links
- npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/nativescript-remote-builds
- Repository: https://github.com/NativeScript/nativescript-remote-builds
- Homepage: https://github.com/NativeScript/nativescript-remote-builds#readme
- Issues: https://github.com/NativeScript/nativescript-remote-builds/issues
- npm.io page: https://npm.io/package/nativescript-remote-builds
## Dependencies (5)
- [lodash](https://npm.io/package/lodash.md) ^4.17.15
- [semver](https://npm.io/package/semver.md) ^7.1.3
- [unique-string](https://npm.io/package/unique-string.md) ^2.0.0
- [command-exists](https://npm.io/package/command-exists.md) ^1.2.8
- [nativescript-hook](https://npm.io/package/nativescript-hook.md) ^0.2.5
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## Recent versions
- 1.1.1 (latest) — 2020-05-29
- 1.1.1-next-01-08-2021-472315045 (next) — 2021-01-08
- 1.1.1-next-01-08-2021-472074189 — 2021-01-08
- 1.1.0 — 2020-03-04
- 1.0.0 — 2020-02-14
## README
# nativescript-remote-builds
[](https://travis-ci.com/NativeScript/nativescript-remote-builds)
Have you ever been wondering how to:
* build **NativeScript apps for iOS on Windows or Linux**?
* setup a **stable CI** for your NativeScript apps?
* avoid the **iOS code signing management**?
If so, the **NativeScript Remote Plugins** is just for you! :rocket:
## How does it work?
The plugin is using several **NativeScript CLI hooks** and modifying its behavior by:
* **Skipping** the local **[native tooling[1]](#tooling) requirements**.
* **Skipping the native resources** handling during the CLI **prepare phase** - they will be handled in the remote.
* **Replacing the CLI local build** with the build method of the selected remote.
The **rest of the CLI logic is working as usual**, for example, the *tns debug* command is preparing the JavaScript, uploading it to the connected devices, showing logs, opening debug sockets, showing an URL for debugging and so on.
## How does it differ from the NaticeScript CLI Cloud extension?
Comparing the cloud builds part of the [NativeScript Cloud extension](https://github.com/NativeScript/nativescript-cloud) and the [NativeScript Remote Builds plugin](https://github.com/NativeScript/nativescript-remote-builds), they look similar.
The main differences come from the fact that **the NativeScript Remote Builds plugin enables the existing NativeScript CLI commands on environments without any [native tooling[1]](#tooling) requirements** instead of providing additional commands like the `tns cloud` ones. The Remote Builds plugin is also **designed to be stable and reliable in a CI environement**.
Here's a comparison table between the NativeScript Cloud Extension and the NativeScript Remote Builds plugin:
| | Cloud Extension | Remote Builds Plugin |
| :--- | :---: | :---: |
| Build, Run and Publish without [native tooling[1]](#tooling)|  |  |
| Debug without [native tooling[1]](#tooling) | [[2]](#cloudDebug)|  |
| Run Unit Tests without [native tooling[1]](#tooling) |  |  |
| [Automatic iOS Signing Management[3]](#signing) |  |  |
| [Full CI Support[4]](#ci) |  |  |
| [Full Environment Information[5]](#envInfo) |  |  |
| [Full Environment Control[6]](#envControl) |  |  |
| Just the default NativeScript CLI commands |  |  |
| Free | [[7]](#cloudPrice)| [[8]](#pluginPrice)|
> *The comparison is based on the CircleCI remote of the NativeScript Remote Builds Plugin*
- native tooling[1]
- Any native environment requirements like Java, Android SDK, Android Studio, macOS, Xcode, Cocoapods, Docker and so on.
- cloud extension debug support[2]
- It is available only through NativeScript Sidekick.
- iOS signing management[3]
- If the end-user is responsible for passing the `--provision` flag and picking the proper certificate based on the current build configuration. In the Remote Builds plugin, this is handled out of the box by the Fastlane Match service.
- full CI support[4]
- If the user can build and run tests on pull requests or commits. In other words, if it is supported to build multiple versions of the same app in parallel.
- full environment information[5]
- If the full environment information is available to the users (e.g. the versions of the OS and the native tooling[1].
- full environment control[6]
- If the environment setup can be controlled by the user (e.g. change the versions of the os and the native tooling[1].
- cloud extension price[7]
- The NativeScript Cloud extensions is providing a limited number of free builds.
- remote builds plugin price[8]
- The Circle CI provider of the NativeScript Remote Builds plugin is just depending on the Circle CI pricing. It provides a limited number of free Android Builds for everyone and a limited number of free iOS builds for open-source projects.
## Installation
It's just a regular NativeScript plugin and could be installed from npm:
1) `cd {{yourNativeScriptAppRoot}}`
2) `npm i nativescript-remote-builds`
In addition, as the plugin is written in JavaScript, it allows a direct GitHub installation:
1) `cd {{yourNativeScriptAppRoot}}`
2) `npm i https://github.com/NativeScript/nativescript-remote-builds/tarball/master`
> IMPORTANT: The plugin depends on NativeScript CLI hooks even before the CLI installs the node packages. If you delete your `node_modules` folder, ensure that `npm i` is called before the `tns` commands, otherwise you could get unexpected exceptions.
## Setup
The plugin supports two configuration files expected in your **NativeScript app root directory**:
* `.nsremote.config.json` - the main plugin config where you have to select a `remote`, follow the [remote setup section](#remote-setup) for further details.
* `.nsremote.env.json` - an **optional file** allowing you to override the local and remote **environment variables**, most of them contain **sensitive** information and it's highly recommended to **ignore it from your source control**.
> NOTE: Both of the files are used only locally and replaced with an empty file when the plugin sends your app to the remote.
## Remote Setup
* [Circle CI Setup](docs/CIRCLECI.md)
## Usage
Just use the NativeScript CLI commands as usual. The plugin hooks to the NativeScript CLI build process and replaces it with remote builds. In addition, the `tns publish android` command is now working and publishing the app from the remote.
## Local Builds
You can always use your local machine instead of the remote builds by providing the `--env.local` argument to your CLI commands. For example:
`$ tns run android --env.local`
---
_Source: https://npm.io/package/nativescript-remote-builds · Machine-readable twin of the npm.io package page. Health data is recomputed on every publish._