In today’s era of swift technological progression, effective and efficient testing of iOS applications is vital to ensuring high-quality app development.

1. Understanding XCUITest Framework: Your Guide to Efficient
iOS Testing
In today’s era of swift technological progression, effective and efficient testing of iOS
applications is vital to ensuring high-quality app development. One such invaluable
tool in our testing toolkit is the XCUITest framework developed by Apple. This guide
will elucidate what the XCUITest framework is and why it is an ideal choice for iOS
testing.
What is the XCUITest Framework?
The XCUITest framework, launched by Apple in 2015, is a robust automated UI
testing tool designed for iOS automation testing. The XCUITest framework operates
in conjunction with XCTest, which is a comprehensive test environment integrated
into Xcode, Apple’s primary development environment.
This potent combination empowers developers and testers to create automated UI
tests for native iOS & macOS applications. Tests are written using either Swift or
Objective-C, which are native programming languages to Apple. The XCUITest
framework stands as one of the premier mobile app testing tools, known for its
maintainability, resistance to test flakiness, and its ability to streamline the
continuous integration (CI) process.
Why Choose XCUITest for iOS Testing?

2. The mobile market offers an array of testing frameworks, but the XCUITest
framework has unique advantages that make it particularly beneficial for iOS
application testing. Here are some of the key reasons to select XCUITest for your
iOS app testing needs:
1. Simplicity: Xcode comes pre-loaded with XCUITest, meaning there’s no additional
installation required to get started with mobile automation testing.
2. Native Testing Support: The XCUITest framework supports the native iOS
languages, Swift and Objective-C. This native support promotes confident, efficient
creation of UI tests, with faster test execution and excellent integration.
3. Promotes Collaboration: XCUITest’s compatibility with native iOS languages ensures
developers and testers can collaborate effectively, writing test code in the same
language.
4. Fast and Reliable Test Execution: Because XCUITest is specifically designed for UI
testing, it assures each unit test and UI test is thorough and error-free. The tests are
quick, reliable, and robust.
5. iOS Test Recorder: XCUITest, coupled with XCTest, allows for UI recording using the
Xcode IDE. This feature generates test code and records UI interactions, providing a
base that testers can adjust and utilize to write effective test cases.
6. Supports Continuous Integration (CI): The XCUITest framework enables seamless
integration into the CI process, enabling automated app testing. This allows for
continuous feedback under actual end-user conditions and on real devices.
Mastering XCUITest: A Deep Dive into Key Concepts and the XCUITest API
When we consider the practice of automated UI testing for mobile applications, we
essentially assess how the user interface reacts to user interactions and compare
these test outcomes with our expected results. XCUITest, a robust testing framework
developed by Apple, allows us to perform this app test automation efficiently and
effectively.

3. Unpacking the Core Concepts of XCUITest
The power and proficiency of XCUITest are grounded in two pivotal concepts –
XCTest and Accessibility.
1. XCTest: XCTest is a pre-built testing framework in Xcode that enables the creation
and execution of UI tests, unit tests, and performance tests for your Xcode projects.
Utilizing either Swift or Objective-C languages, XCTest ensures certain conditions
are fulfilled during code execution, recording any failures if these conditions aren’t
met.
2. Accessibility: Accessibility testing of mobile applications examines the app’s
functionality, particularly for people with disabilities. The core functions of the
Accessibility feature are used in UI test cases to execute and validate tests.
A Closer Look at the XCUITest API
To truly harness the power of XCUITest, we need to familiarize ourselves with its
API. The XCUITest API offers several classes packed into a single file – XCTest.
Here’s an overview of some essential classes you can employ to automate iOS
apps:
XCUIElementQuery: This class helps identify a user interface element, allowing for
certain actions to be performed on it.
1. Declaration: class XCUIElementQuery : NSObject
XCUIElement: This class signifies a UI element in an iOS app, enabling the testing of
the app through gestures such as touching, swiping, dragging, and rotating.
1. Declaration: class XCUIElement : NSObject
XCUIApplication: This proxy class represents an iOS application, providing
capabilities to launch, monitor, and terminate the app.

4. 1. Declaration: class XCUIApplication : XCUIElement
XCUIElement.ElementType: A vital part of a user interface test involves interacting
with various UI elements. This enumeration lists the types of UI elements that can be
interacted with during tests, such as .button, .image, etc.
1. Declaration: enum ElementType : UInt, @unchecked Sendable
XCUIScreen: This class represents the physical screen of the device, be it iOS,
macOS, or tvOS. This class is crucial for capturing screenshots during test
execution.
1. Declaration: class XCUIScreen : NSObject
XCUIScreenshot: As the name suggests, this class represents the screenshots of a
screen, app, or UI element.
1. Declaration: class XCUIScreenshot : NSObject
XCUIDevice: This class is a proxy that can simulate physical buttons, device
orientation, and interaction with Siri.
1. Declaration: class XCUIDevice : NSObject
XCUIRemote: This class represents the simulation of interactions with physical
remote controls.
1. Declaration: class XCUIRemote : NSObject
By delving into the core concepts of XCUITest and gaining an understanding of its
API, we can truly maximize the potential of this powerful testing framework for iOS
application testing.
XCUITest and Appium: A Comparative Study
Appium provides testing capabilities for both Android and iOS applications and
supports multiple programming languages including Java, JavaScript, Python, PHP,

5. and more, whereas XCUITest is specifically tailored for iOS applications and
supports Swift and Objective-C, which are native to Apple.
Here are a few key highlights and differences between the XCUITest and Appium
frameworks:
XCUITest Appium
Primarily used for automating UI testing for
iOS applications
Used in automating mobile app testing for
both Android and iOS applications
Supports Swift and Objective-C languages Supports multiple programming languages
such as Java, JavaScript, Python, PHP,
and more
Low test flakiness Higher test flakiness
Easy setup process Setup can be complex and time-
consuming
Rapid execution of tests Test execution tends to be slower
Limitations of the XCUITest Framework
While XCUITest is a powerful tool, it has a few limitations too:
 While XCUITest provides reliable testing on iOS Simulators and helps avoid flaky tests,
the same cannot be ensured when running tests on real devices.
 It’s not ideally suited for smoke or regression testing on real devices.
 XCUITest currently supports only Objective-C and Swift, limiting its language scope.
 It does not provide capabilities for Android automation testing.
Best Practices for XCUITest
The efficiency of your XCUITest automation script largely depends on your test
design, implementation, and analysis. Here are some best practices to make your
XCUITest automation suites more efficient and stable:

6. 1. Page Object Model (POM): Page Object Model is a widely used design pattern for
test automation that promotes the creation of an object repository to store UI
elements. It enhances the maintainability of the tests and reduces code duplication.
In the context of XCUITest, you can form Swift classes for each screen in your
application, with properties that represent the main elements on the screen.
2. Descriptive Test Names: Adopt the practice of giving descriptive names to your test
methods. The test method names should be self-explanatory and indicative of the
test’s function. This allows for easy understanding in case of test failures and better
maintainability.
3. Use Accessibility Identifiers: Employ Accessibility identifiers to locate UI elements in
your application. Accessibility identifiers are user-invisible and don’t need
localization, providing a robust way to identify elements.
4. Minimize External Dependencies: Your tests should have minimal dependency on
external factors like network conditions or database states. Changes in these
conditions may result in test failures.
5. Deal with Flaky Tests: For tests that intermittently fail, identify the cause of flakiness
and address it. If it’s not possible, consider flagging these tests as “flaky” and handle
them separately.
6. Avoid Hardcoding: Refrain from hard-coding values in your tests. Instead, use
constants, variables, or data sources which makes your tests more maintainable.
7. Independent Test Cases: Ensure that each test case is independent of others and
does not rely on the state created by other test cases. Independent test cases can be
run in isolation, making debugging easier.
8. UI Test Recorder: XCUITest’s built-in UI test recorder is a useful feature that
captures information about UI interactions and the internals of your app. Use this
feature to record a test interaction and save it as source code.
9. Test After Full Display: Since some views may take time to fully display, always wait
for the view to completely display before making any assertions.

7. 10. Specify User Interactions: XCUITest allows you to specify user interactions like tap(),
doubleTap(), and twoFingerTap(). With press(), you can specify a duration or both a
duration and a dragging target.
11. Run Web Accessibility Tests: Along with UI testing, run web accessibility tests using
the UIAccessibility protocol. This will help you to cater to a larger potential customer
base, including people with impairments.
12. Create a Framework and Guideline: It’s good practice to create a framework and
guideline to aid your team in adding more tests.
By adhering to these best practices and patterns, you can optimize the
maintainability and reliability of your XCUITest tests, thereby making your testing
process more efficient.
Troubleshooting Common XCUITest Issues
In the course of working with XCUITest, you may come across some common
issues. Here, we aim to provide solutions to these problems:
1. Test Execution Failure: At times, XCUITest may fail to execute tests due to issues
like unrecognized selectors or unexpected nil values. This can be mitigated by
ensuring that your test methods do not contain any parameters and return void.
2. Interacting with System Alerts: XCUITest may have trouble interacting with system
alerts, causing test cases to fail. To handle these alerts, use
the addUIInterruptionMonitor(withDescription:handler:) method to set up handlers for
expected system alerts.
3. Accessibility Identifiers not Set: XCUITest may fail to find elements if their
accessibility identifiers are not set. Ensure that all UI elements that need to be
interacted with have accessibility identifiers.

8. Advanced XCUITest Techniques
XCUITest not only allows for basic UI testing but also enables users to handle
complex testing scenarios. Here are a few examples:
1. Testing Asynchronous Behavior: Testing asynchronous operations like network
requests or timers can be tricky. XCUITest provides XCTestExpectation and
the wait(for:timeout:) function that allow for testing asynchronous code by pausing
the test execution until a condition is met or a timeout occurs.
2. Handling System Interruptions: XCUITest can handle system interruptions like alerts
and notifications using
the addUIInterruptionMonitor(withDescription:handler:) function. This method allows
setting up handlers that can dismiss or interact with these alerts, enabling the test to
continue.
3. Screen Interactions: Complex user interactions such as swipes, pinch, drag, or rotate
gestures can be simulated using XCUIElement‘s various functions
like swipeLeft(), swipeRight(), pinch(withScale:velocity:), and more.
By leveraging these advanced techniques, you can make your tests more robust and
simulate a wide variety of user interactions, ensuring a thorough test coverage.
Kickstarting Your Journey with XCUITest: A Primer with pCloudy
XCUITest framework, a native iOS testing utility, has emerged as an optimal choice
for automation testing. However, setting up and scaling an in-house Apple device lab
can be both challenging and costly. This is where a comprehensive real device cloud
platform like pCloudy comes into play. It effectively circumvents the difficulties of
creating an in-house device lab by providing a platform to perform XCUITest on real
iOS devices anytime, anywhere.
Introducing pCloudy

9. pCloudy is a globally recognized app testing platform empowering users to perform
both manual and automated testing across a vast array of browsers, operating
systems, and real device combinations. With pCloudy, organizations can expedite
developer feedback on code modifications, thus ensuring a quicker market launch.
Today, over a million users from more than 130 countries, including 500+
enterprises, trust pCloudy for their testing requirements.
Embarking on XCUITest Automation with pCloudy
Starting your XCUITest automation journey with pCloudy is simple and
straightforward. With pCloudy, you can overcome XCUITest infrastructure
challenges as we provide you with a cloud XCUITest Grid featuring zero
downtimeBesides, you can take advantage of an array of other testing capabilities
including cross-browser testing, manual app testing, visual UI testing, responsive
testing, and much more.
Elevate your testing game and experience the power of XCUITest with pCloudy
today!