XCTest

Write and run unit, performance and UI tests for your Xcode projects.

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Introduced

2013

Xcode 5

Kind

Framework

Runs on

Xcode 5 or later

Get it from

Included with Xcode

iOS

iPadOS

Mac Catalyst

macOS

tvOS

visionOS

watchOS

Overview

XCTest is Apple's original testing framework for Xcode projects. Tests are methods on XCTestCase subclasses that check conditions with assertions such as XCTAssertEqual and record a failure when a condition isn't met. Test methods can be marked async to test Swift concurrency code, and performance tests measure a block of code against a baseline. UI tests use XCUIApplication and related classes, now part of the XCUIAutomation framework that XCTest imports, to launch an app and drive its interface.

Swift Testing, added in Xcode 16, is now recommended for new unit tests. The two frameworks can share a test target, and Apple still recommends XCTest for UI and performance tests.

Unit tests

XCTestCase subclasses with assertions, setup, teardown and async test methods.

UI automation

Launch the app with XCUIApplication, find elements and simulate user input.

Performance tests

measure(metrics:block:) records metrics and compares them to a baseline.

Accessibility audits

performAccessibilityAudit checks an app's UI for accessibility issues in a test.

RecipeTests.swift

import XCTest
@testable import BrewKit

final class RecipeTests: XCTestCase {
    func testWaterForDose() {
        XCTAssertEqual(Recipe(ratio: 16).water(forDose: 15), 240)
    }

    func testParsesBundledRecipes() async throws {
        let recipes = try await RecipeLoader().loadBundled()
        XCTAssertFalse(recipes.isEmpty)
    }
}

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