> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.run.cloud/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# CLI Quickstart

> Install run.cloud CLI, authenticate, and open your first iOS simulator

Use the run.cloud CLI to authenticate, create iOS simulator sessions, upload app
artifacts, and release sessions from your terminal or CI.

## Install

```bash theme={null}
npm install -g run-cloud
# or
npx run-cloud ios create
```

## Authenticate

run.cloud uses the same browser-authenticated CLI token format as Newly:

```bash theme={null}
run-cloud login
```

For CI, provide a CLI token:

```bash theme={null}
run-cloud login --token "$RUN_CLOUD_CLI_TOKEN"
```

## Create a simulator

```bash theme={null}
run-cloud ios create
```

The command returns a signed browser URL, device id, lease id, and session id.
For scripts, prefer JSON:

```bash theme={null}
SESSION_ID=$(run-cloud ios create --json | jq -r '.id')
run-cloud ios get "$SESSION_ID" --json
```

See [Run an iOS Simulator](/ios/run-simulator) for the full simulator command
reference.

## Upload and install an app

```bash theme={null}
run-cloud ios create --install ./MyApp.tar.gz
```

`--install` accepts `.tar.gz`, `.zip`, `.app` archives, and `.ipa` files. iOS
Simulator reliability still depends on the app being built for the simulator
runtime. Device-signed App Store IPAs are not a substitute for simulator builds.

You can also upload once and reuse the asset:

```bash theme={null}
run-cloud asset push ./MyApp.tar.gz -n my-app
run-cloud ios create --install-asset my-app
```

## Clean up

```bash theme={null}
run-cloud ios list
run-cloud ios delete <session-id>
```

Sessions are metered while active. Explicit release charges the final started
minute. If the account balance reaches zero, active sessions are closed
automatically.