Introduction

I always wondered how I could automate testing the push notification process. Even when Apple introduced the possibility of dragging a configured file to the simulator to display a notification, it is still a manual process. I’ll skip testing via the terminal because I think it takes more time than using an APNS file or the RocketSim app.

Before I was first introduced to the RocketSim app, I used an APNS file for testing push notifications. It worked for me and my teammates, but I knew it could be better. It looks something like this:

Testing Using an APNS File

To test push notifications using an APNS file, you need to create a file with a .apns extension and put JSON into it.

{
  "Simulator Target Bundle": "dev.mt.Demo",
  "aps": {
    "alert": {
      "title": "Title",
      "body": "Body"
    }
  }
}

You also need to specify the Simulator Target Bundle; without it, you will receive an error.

After that, you can drag this file to the simulator.

When I found the RocketSim app and learned about its ability to send push notifications from the simulator side menu, it was a game changer for me. No more dragging files or terminal commands—it’s all in one place. The only thing you need to do is create the payload.

Testing Using the RocketSim App

To test push notifications using the RocketSim app, all you need to do is:

  1. Open the RocketSim app.
  2. Go to the simulator side menu.
  3. Click on the bell button.
  4. Click on the “Configure Push Notifications” button.

The last step is to add groups, set the bundle identifier, switch to push notifications, and add a push notification.

Now you have configured the push notification, and from now on, you can send it with just a tap in the RocketSim app’s simulator side menu.

Summary

Using the RocketSim app saved me a lot of time and effort. Without it, I would still be testing manually and spending time on work that could be automated. I would recommend this tool to anyone.

Thank you for reading! 😊