Comparisons

How idevice compares to libimobiledevice, pymobiledevice3, and go-ios.

The projects

These are the main projects worth comparing against:

libimobiledevice: C library, mature API, distro packages, legacy services.
pymobiledevice3: Python tooling for scripting, research, WebInspector, and tunneling.
go-ios: Go CLI for automation, XCTest/WDA, WebInspector/CDP, and tunnel workflows.

iOS 17+ tunnels

	idevice	libimobiledevice	pymobiledevice3	go-ios
RemoteXPC / RSD	✅	❌	✅	✅
CoreDevice tunnel	✅	❌	✅	✅
Userspace tunnel (no root)	✅	❌	✅	✅
rppairing	✅	❌	✅	✅

Feature parity

Core services

Service	idevice	libimobiledevice	pymobiledevice3	go-ios
Remote pairing (rppairing)	✅	❌	✅	✅
Heartbeat	✅	✅	✅	❌
Install coordination proxy	✅	❌	❌	❌
Preboard service	✅	✅	✅	❌

Developer tools (DVT / Instruments)

Service	idevice	libimobiledevice	pymobiledevice3	go-ios
DVT / Instruments	✅	❌	✅	✅
Process control	✅	❌	✅	✅
Sysmontap	✅	❌	✅	✅
Graphics (OpenGL)	✅	❌	✅	✅
Network monitor	✅	❌	✅	✅
Condition inducer	✅	❌	✅	✅
Energy monitor	✅	❌	✅	❌
Screenshot	✅	✅	✅	✅

CoreDevice services (iOS 17+)

Service	idevice	libimobiledevice	pymobiledevice3	go-ios
CoreDevice proxy	✅	❌	✅	✅
App service	✅	❌	✅	✅
HID (input injection)	✅	❌	✅	❌
Screen capture / display stream	✅	❌	✅	❌
Pasteboard (clipboard)	✅	❌	✅	❌
Orientation	✅	❌	✅	❌
Location service	✅	❌	✅	❌

Debugging and capture

Service	idevice	libimobiledevice	pymobiledevice3	go-ios
Syslog relay	✅	✅	✅	✅
OS trace relay	✅	✅	✅	✅
Debug proxy	✅	✅	✅	✅
Crash report copy	✅	✅	✅	✅
PCAP (network capture)	✅	❌	✅	✅
Bluetooth packet logger	✅	✅	❌	❌

Backup and restore

Service	idevice	libimobiledevice	pymobiledevice3	go-ios
MobileBackup2	✅	✅	✅	❌
Restore service	✅	✅	✅	❌
TSS (Apple signing)	⚠️	✅	✅	✅

Automation

Service	idevice	libimobiledevice	pymobiledevice3	go-ios
XCTest	✅	❌	✅	✅
WebDriverAgent bootstrap	✅	❌	✅	✅
WebInspector	🔜	✅	✅	✅

Other

Service	idevice	libimobiledevice	pymobiledevice3	go-ios
Companion proxy (Apple Watch)	✅	✅	✅	❌
File relay	🔜	✅	✅	❌
Mobile sync (contacts/calendars)	❌	✅	❌	❌
mDNS / Bonjour discovery	✅	❌	✅	✅
Tunneld (pymobiledevice3 interop)	✅	❌	✅	❌

WASM

Compile idevice for wasm32-unknown-unknown.

Overview

Guides for understanding how idevice connects to devices and services.

On this page

The projects iOS 17+ tunnels Feature parity Core services Developer tools (DVT / Instruments)CoreDevice services (iOS 17+)Debugging and capture Backup and restore Automation Other