How long does it take to set up DeviceLab?

DeviceLab can be set up in under 5 minutes. Just run a single curl command to connect your devices and another to run your first test.

What do I need to get started with DeviceLab?

You need a macOS, Linux, or Windows machine, Android SDK or Xcode for device support, and physical devices connected via USB or emulators/simulators.

Do I need to modify my existing tests to use DeviceLab?

No code changes are required. DeviceLab works with your existing Maestro, Appium, Espresso, or XCUITest tests without modification.

Can I use both physical devices and emulators with DeviceLab?

Yes. DeviceLab supports physical Android devices, iOS devices, Android emulators, and iOS simulators. You can mix and match as needed.

Getting Started with DeviceLab

Get up and running with DeviceLab in minutes. This guide walks you through connecting your first devices and running your first automated mobile test on your private device farm. No code changes required - your existing tests work unchanged.

Prerequisites

macOS, Linux, or Windows machine
Android SDK (for Android devices) or Xcode (for iOS devices)
Physical devices connected via USB, or emulators/simulators

Quick Start

Step 1: Connect Your Devices

Run the Device Node to connect your devices to DeviceLab:

bash

curl -fsSL https://app.devicelab.dev/device-node/YOUR_ORG_KEY | sh

Replace YOUR_ORG_KEY with your organization ID from the DeviceLab dashboard.

You’ll see output like:

 ____             _            _   _           _
|  _ \  _____   _(_) ___ ___  | \ | | ___   __| | ___
| | | |/ _ \ \ / / |/ __/ _ \ |  \| |/ _ \ / _` |/ _ \
| |_| |  __/\ V /| | (_|  __/ | |\  | (_) | (_| |  __/
|____/ \___| \_/ |_|\___\___| |_| \_|\___/ \__,_|\___|

Device Node starting...
Connecting to server...
Connected! Devices available: 3
   - Pixel 8 (Android 14)
   - iPhone 15 Pro (iOS 17.1)
   - iPad Air (iOS 17.0)

Step 2: Run Your First Test

Maestro

bash

curl -fsSL https://app.devicelab.dev/test-node/YOUR_ORG_KEY | sh -s -- \
  --framework maestro \
  --platform android \
  --app ./app.apk \
  --tests ./maestro-tests

Appium

Appium requires two terminals:

Terminal 1 - Start Appium server:

bash

curl -fsSL https://app.devicelab.dev/test-node/YOUR_ORG_KEY | sh -s -- \
  --framework appium \
  --app ./app.apk

Wait for: Appium server ready on http://localhost:4723

Terminal 2 - Run your tests:

bash

# Java/Maven
mvn clean test

# Python
pytest

Note: Connect to http://localhost:4723/wd/hub in your test code. Don’t set the app capability - DeviceLab handles it automatically.

Step 3: View Results

Test results are available in:

Terminal: Real-time output as tests run
Dashboard: app.devicelab.dev for detailed reports, screenshots, and videos

Architecture Overview

DeviceLab has two main components:

┌─────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐
│   Device Node   │────▶│  DeviceLab      │◀────│   Test Node     │
│                 │     │  Server         │     │                 │
│ • Physical      │     │                 │     │ • Maestro       │
│ • Emulators     │     │ • Coordination  │     │ • Appium        │
│ • Simulators    │     │ • Streaming     │     │ • Espresso      │
│                 │     │ • Results       │     │ • XCUITest      │
└─────────────────┘     └─────────────────┘     └─────────────────┘

Device Node: Connects your devices to DeviceLab
Test Node: Executes tests on allocated devices
Server: Coordinates devices, runs tests, stores results

What’s Next?

Guide	Description
Connecting Devices	Set up Device Node with simulators, emulators, and physical devices
Running Tests	Learn Test Node options and device selection
Appium Testing	Run Appium tests on DeviceLab
Maestro Testing	Run Maestro tests on DeviceLab