Wondering how to run Firefox OS on a desktop? Or need a tool for testing Firefox OS apps on your desktop? If yes, download Firefox OS Simulator – a free prototype test environment for Firefox OS. It will let your run the new mobile operating system right on your Windows, Mac or Linux computer. Officially released by Mozilla, the Firefox OS Simulator (aka B2G desktop client or r2d2b2g) is actually a Firefox browser add-on, which can easily show you how Gaia works and what web apps will look like on an actual Firefox OS device. In other words, you can run and test applications on an environment similar to a mobile phone. The Firefox OS simulator is free, still in development (may be buggy) and works on computers running Firefox 17 and above.
Firefox OS Desktop Client:
The Firefox OS Simulator is the easiest way to test Firefox OS on a desktop. Though it can’t emulate device hardware, the Firefox OS desktop client supports many features like ability to add apps to the test environment, update apps, home button, imitate swipe motions, launch specific apps at startup, set user-agent string, JavaScript console, remote debugging, remote web console, web API support etc. Currently Firefox OS Simulator supports following web APIs: contacts API and settings API. In brief, the Firefox OS Simulator is a handy tool for application developers as it supports adding apps to the operating system environment and is configured to meet the needs of an app developer.
How to install and run Firefox OS Simulator:
- Open the official download page (look below for link) by using Firefox browser.
- On the page, press Add to Firefox button.
- The file size is large (more than 50MB). So, wait till download and installation completes. If Firefox shows Unresponsive Script message, press Continue.
- Once installation is complete, go to Tools in Firefox Menu Bar, open Web Developer and select Firefox OS Simulator.
- When the simulator appears, look on the left pane and press the Stopped button in Simulator box. The button will appear as Running and Firefox OS will boot in it’s own windows of 320×480 pixels size.
- To close the Simulator, press the Running button or simply close the Simulator window.