sfdk-emulator-list

View documentation for sfdk emulator install

$ tldr sfdk emulator install

sfdk-emulator-list

The sfdk-emulator-list command is a utility within the Sailfish OS Software Development Kit (SDK) specifically designed to interact with and display information about available emulator targets. These emulators are crucial for developing and testing applications for Sailfish OS on a desktop environment without requiring physical hardware. The command lists the names of configured emulators, which might include those managed by Android Emulator Manager (AEM) integrated with the SDK, or other virtual machine instances set up for development. Developers use this command to quickly ascertain which emulator targets are accessible for deploying, debugging, and running their applications. It helps in verifying the SDK setup and identifying the correct target name for subsequent commands like sfdk-build or sfdk-deploy. The output typically provides a simple list of emulator identifiers, facilitating streamlined development workflows.

This command requires the Sailfish OS SDK to be installed and properly configured on the host system. Emulators must be set up within the SDK environment (e.g., via sfdk-config) for them to be listed. The output is dependent on the currently configured SDK targets and any installed Android SDK components for Android Emulator Manager (AEM) instances. The command itself does not create, modify, or manage emulators; its sole purpose is to list those that are already known to the SDK.

The command typically prints a simple list of names or identifiers of the currently configured emulator targets, one per line. For example:
Sailfish_OS_Emulator_4.5.0_EA
Android_Emulator_Nexus_5X
These names are then used as arguments to other sfdk commands that require a specific target, such as sfdk-deploy or sfdk-build.

The sfdk toolchain, including sfdk-emulator-list, is an integral part of the Sailfish OS SDK, developed by Jolla. It emerged as a dedicated set of command-line tools to support cross-platform development for the Sailfish OS, providing a robust alternative to purely GUI-driven development environments. The emphasis has always been on providing a consistent development experience across different host operating systems (Linux, macOS, Windows) and simplifying interaction with build engines, SDK targets, and emulators. sfdk-emulator-list specifically addresses the need for developers to quickly identify and manage their virtual testing environments, evolving alongside the SDK's capabilities to support various emulator types, primarily Android Emulator Manager (AEM) instances used for compatibility layers.

sfdk(1), sfdk-config(1), sfdk-deploy(1), sfdk-build(1)