Skip to content

LoopDocs Overview

Take a deep breath

It is totally understandable if the thought of building and operating your own Loop app feels intimidating.

As you learn the information explained in LoopDocs, this will start feeling more comfortable.

LoopDocs Contents

The LoopDocs website is organized as follows

  • Home: What is Loop?
  • Intro: Introduction to LoopDocs
  • There are two ways to build - you get the same app either way
  • Set Up: How to set up the Loop app
  • Operate: How to use the Loop app
  • Troubleshoot: What to do if you're having trouble with the Loop app
  • Version: Information about Loop versions, code customization and development
  • Nightscout: Loop-specific Nightscout details; Nightscout is an open-source cloud application used by people with diabetes and their caregivers
    • Remote Overview: Overview on issuing commands remotely to a Loop app using Nightscout and Apple Push Notifications
    • LoopCaregiver: Companion app useful for remote commands
  • FAQs: Pages with safety tips, frequently asked questions and the Glossary
  • Translation: Links to Google Translate provided as a convenience, no guarantees about the quality of the translation

You will notice many links in the LoopDocs pages pointing to detailed information.

  • If you notice an arrow pointing up and to the right beside the link:

    • This means a new tab or window (depending on your browser configuration) is opened when you click on the link
    • For example, the What is Loop? video is found on YouTube

  • This link format is used anytime the link will take you to a different website

  • In some cases, it is also used when referring to a different LoopDocs page

Using Tooltips

The LoopDocs pages contain words that may be unfamiliar. For a definition of any word with a dashed underline, simply hover your mouse over the word, or tap on the word on a mobile device, to view the definition. For example, Omnipod has a tooltip.

Every tooltip definition is also found in the Glossary - so head over there if you have trouble reading a tooltip.

Building Loop

The process for building the Loop app is divided into short segments (sections or pages) in the Build tabs of LoopDocs.

  • Build with Browser
    • Build with a browser on any computer or tablet
    • App is installed on the iPhone using TestFlight
  • Build with Mac
    • App is built on a Mac with Xcode connected to the iPhone
    • The operating system on the Mac and the version of Xcode must be kept up-to-date

Best Practice: Learn to Build

You are strongly encouraged to build Loop for yourself.

  • No links to providers who build Loop as a service are found in LoopDocs
  • If you choose to use such a service, before you begin, you should:
    • Read LoopDocs
    • Know how to Set up and Operate Loop
    • Ask what features, if any, available with DIY loop are not available with their service
    • These steps are important for your safety

Use a Simulator

You can build Loop and practice with a simulated phone, CGM and/or pump. You can "dose" the simulated pump and your real pump at the same time and watch the glucose predictions.

Starting with a simulator can help you decide if you want to move forward with purchasing additional items required to use the app. You can:

  • Learn the interface
  • Explore glucose predictions and dosing recommendations

Locked Phone or App in Background

Do not expect the simulator to work when the phone is locked or the app is in the background. The app relies on a real insulin pump or a real CGM to wake up the app when the phone is locked or the app is in the background. The simulator cannot do this.

Please review Simulator Build for more information.

Operating Loop

A significant amount of content is provided on this website and via link to other sources.

Please review these pages when initially setting up and learning to use Loop.

Some techniques are specific to Loop, but the general concepts of how man-made insulin works and strategies to test basal, carb ratios and insulin sensitivity apply to all the hybrid closed-loop systems, commercial and open source.

Development History

Loop is an open-source, shared project. The entire project has been, and continues to be, done by volunteers. From the code to the website, you're getting all this because dozens of volunteers have given their time, so please add your time by reading this website thoroughly before embarking on your Loop journey.

Here are development history links to other resources for you to explore.