diff --git a/nix/ios-shell.nix b/nix/ios-shell.nix
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nix/ios-shell.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+{ mkShellNoCC
+, stdenv
+, lib
+, arcanist
+, better-prompt
+, c-ares_cmake-config
+, cmake
+, cmake-format
+, cocoapods
+, corrosion
+, cryptopp
+, darwin
+, libiconv
+, mariadb
+, mariadb-up
+, nodejs-16_x-openssl_1_1
+, protobuf_3_15_cmake
+, redis
+, redis-up
+, rustup
+, shellcheck
+, sqlite
+, terraform
+, watchman
+, rustfmt
+, yarn
+}:
+
+mkShellNoCC {
+
+  # programs which are meant to be executed should go here
+  nativeBuildInputs = [
+    # generic development or tools
+    arcanist
+    shellcheck
+    terraform
+
+    # node development
+    mariadb
+    nodejs-16_x-openssl_1_1
+    yarn
+    watchman # react native
+    redis
+
+    # native dependencies
+    # C/CXX toolchains are already brought in with mkShell
+    # Identity Service
+    rustfmt
+    rustup
+
+    # Tunnelbroker + CMake
+    cmake
+    cmake-format # linting
+
+    protobuf_3_15_cmake
+  ] ++ lib.optionals stdenv.isDarwin [
+    cocoapods # needed for ios
+  ];
+
+  # include any libraries buildInputs
+  buildInputs = [
+    # protobuf exposes both a library and a command
+    # thus should appear in both inputs
+    protobuf_3_15_cmake
+    sqlite # needed for sqlite_orm
+  ] ++ lib.optionals stdenv.isDarwin (with darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks; [
+    CoreFoundation
+    CoreServices
+    Security
+    libiconv  # identity service
+  ]);
+
+  # shell commands to be ran upon entering shell
+  shellHook = ''
+    PRJ_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
+
+    # Set development environment variable defaults
+    source "${../scripts/source_development_defaults.sh}"
+
+    # Cache development path for some use cases such as XCode
+    "$PRJ_ROOT/scripts/save_path.sh"
+
+  ''
+  # Darwin condition can be removed once linux services are supported
+  + lib.optionalString stdenv.isDarwin ''
+    # Start MariaDB development services
+    "${mariadb-up}"/bin/mariadb-up &
+    mariadb_pid=$!
+
+    "${redis-up}"/bin/redis-up &
+    redis_pid=$!
+
+    wait "$mariadb_pid" "$redis_pid"
+  '' + ''
+
+    # Provide decent bash prompt
+    source "${better-prompt}/bin/better-prompt"
+
+    # Restore BSD versions of common commands
+    export PATH=/usr/bin:$PATH
+
+    echo "Welcome to Comm dev environment! :)"
+  '';
+}
diff --git a/nix/overlay.nix b/nix/overlay.nix
--- a/nix/overlay.nix
+++ b/nix/overlay.nix
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
   protobuf_3_15_cmake = prev.callPackage ./protobuf_3_15.nix { };
 
   devShells.default = final.callPackage ./dev-shell.nix { };
+  devShells.ios = final.callPackage ./ios-shell.nix { };
   devShell = final.devShells.default;
 
   localstack-down = prev.callPackage ./localstack-down.nix { };