Pairing to Mac for Windows-based iOS developers

@beam-codegrind commented on Thu Oct 18 2018

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Life is hard for Windows-based iOS developers who want to develop app using NativeScript, since we must rely on Sidekick or other Mac-based teammates to build it because building native iOS applications requires access to Apple's build tools, which only run on a Mac.

Describe the solution you'd like

NativeScript should be able to discover, connect to, authenticate with, and remember Mac build hosts so that Windows-based iOS developers can work productively.
Based on this Xamarin's feature, NativeScript should have these similar workflows:

• Developers can write NativeScript iOS code in Windows.
• NativeScript opens a network connection to a Mac build host and uses the build tools on that machine to compile and sign the iOS app.
• There is no need to run a separate application on the Mac – NativeScript invokes Mac builds securely over SSH.
• Multiple instances of NativeScript can connect to the Mac simultaneously.
• It's possible to use the Windows command-line to build iOS applications.

Describe alternatives you've considered

Not much of an alternative, but can we reuse Sidekick's code and application ? Just point it to other Mac in the network.

Additional context

This feature request is based on this Xamarin's feature

The issue names no files or tests. Start by reviewing the CLI's existing iOS build workflow, the proposed Sidekick reuse, and the linked Xamarin SSH workflow; done means Windows users can discover, authenticate with, remember, and concurrently use Mac build hosts from both the CLI and NativeScript.