Xcode Testing Workflow

Xcode Testing Workflow

Purpose

Use this skill as the primary execution workflow for test-focused work in or around Xcode-managed projects and workspaces. Keep it focused on Swift Testing, XCTest, XCUITest, XCUIAutomation-oriented mechanics, code coverage, .xctestplan, destinations, launch arguments, interruption handling, attachments, accessibility-verification follow-through, Instruments profiling, xctrace trace capture, filters, retries, diagnostics, and test-specific Debug/Release validation instead of broad build/run or toolchain work. scripts/run-workflow.fsx is the runtime entrypoint for MCP-first test execution, official CLI fallback planning, and the remaining .pbxproj warning boundary when mutation enters project-file territory.

When To Use

• Use this skill for Xcode test execution, test diagnosis, test filtering, retries, destination selection, and test-plan work.
• Use this skill for Swift Testing, XCTest, XCUITest, XCUIAutomation-oriented mechanics, .xctestplan, flaky-test diagnosis, accessibility-verification follow-through, and test-only configuration validation.
• Use this skill for Instruments and xctrace follow-through when performance-sensitive tests need Time Profiler, Metal System Trace, Allocations, VM Tracker, Points of Interest, signpost-aligned traces, or .trace artifact interpretation.
• Use this skill for Xcode MCP operations and official Apple CLI fallback when the work is primarily about tests rather than build/run.
• Use this skill when direct filesystem mutation around tests or test plans may be required.
• Recommend xcode-coding-intelligence-workflow when the request is primarily about Xcode Intelligence setup, Xcode-hosted agents, external-agent access through xcrun mcpbridge, command/tool permissions, or Xcode-only agent configuration homes.
• Do not use this skill as the default path for ordinary build, run, preview, archive, or general project-integrity work.
• Recommend xcode-build-run-workflow when the task is primarily about build, run, previews, file membership, archives, toolchains, or guarded non-test mutation work.
• Recommend explore-apple-swift-docs when the user needs Apple or Swift documentation lookup rather than execution work.
• Recommend swift-package-testing-workflow when the task is package-first testing outside Xcode-managed execution.
• Recommend bootstrap-xcode-workspace --operation align when an existing Apple product workspace needs managed guidance alignment rather than active engineering work.

Single-Path Workflow

1. Classify the request into one operation type:
   • read, search, or diagnostics
   • test
   • mutation
2. Apply the Apple docs gate before any Apple design, architecture, implementation, or refactor guidance:
   • use explore-apple-swift-docs to gather the relevant Apple documentation first
   • state the documented API behavior, lifecycle rule, or workflow requirement being relied on before proposing changes
   • do not rely on memory as the primary source when Apple docs exist
   • if the docs and the current code conflict, stop and report that conflict
   • if no relevant Apple docs can be found, say that explicitly before proceeding
3. Apply the shared Swift policy before giving implementation guidance:
   • apply the detailed local policy in references/snippets/apple-xcode-project-core.md
   • preserve its simplicity-first, shape-preserving, and anti-ceremony Swift guidance
   • preserve its project-appropriate logging, telemetry, and SwiftUI architecture guidance
4. Run scripts/run-workflow.fsx to apply runtime configuration, .pbxproj warning safeguards, and CLI fallback planning.
5. Use the focused references for the right testing surface:
   • references/code-coverage.md for Xcode coverage collection, .xcresult artifacts, xccov reporting, comparison, and the Xcode 27 MCP boundary
   • references/xctestplan-configurations-and-matrix.md for .xctestplan, launch-argument matrices, named configurations, and Debug/Release test coverage
   • references/xcuitest-and-xcuiautomation.md for UI automation mechanics, waits, interruption handling, activities, and attachments
   • references/ios-ui-automation-destinations.md for iOS simulator-versus-physical-device XCUITest decisions, destination evidence, and physical-device debugging handoffs
   • references/ui-accessibility-verification.md for accessibility-specific runtime verification expectations and coordination with apple-ui-accessibility-workflow
   • references/macos-ui-test-permission-ownership.md for macOS prompt attribution, test-host ownership, app launch/restore boundaries, and opt-in prompt-heavy test plans
   • references/instruments-performance-profiling.md for Instruments, xctrace, Time Profiler, Metal System Trace, Allocations, VM Tracker, Points of Interest, and signpost-aligned trace evidence
   • references/testing-plans-file-membership-and-configurations.md for the condensed cross-cutting summary and file-membership reminder
6. Use references/xcodegen-project-maintenance.md when the repo is XcodeGen-backed and the task touches generated test targets, scheme test actions, test-plan references, launch arguments, environment variables, or test bundle membership.
7. If MCP fails, use the structured fallback output from scripts/run-workflow.fsx together with references/cli-fallback-matrix.md.
8. Report which parts were agent-executed, which parts were locally enforced by script, the Apple docs relied on, any tracked .pbxproj diff that must be staged and committed with the branch, and any required next step.

Inputs

• operation_type: one of the operation types listed above.
• request: optional short natural-language request text used to infer operation_type when the explicit operation is omitted.
• workspace_path: optional absolute path for the target Xcode or Swift workspace.
• tab_identifier: optional MCP tab identifier when already known.
• mcp_failure_reason: optional input when continuing from an earlier MCP failure.
• direct_pbxproj_edit: optional flag when the requested mutation would directly edit a .pbxproj file.
• direct_pbxproj_edit_opt_in: optional explicit opt-in after the user has been warned about direct .pbxproj edit risks.
• Defaults:
  • runtime entrypoint: executable scripts/run-workflow.fsx
  • the runtime may infer operation_type from --request text when the request wording is clear enough
  • agent-side MCP retries once for transient failures
  • direct edits are allowed by default when they do not directly edit .pbxproj

Outputs

• status
  • success: the workflow completed on its primary or fallback path
  • handoff: the workflow is handing off to another skill because the request is actually build/run-focused
  • blocked: prerequisites, policy, or mutation safeguards prevented completion
• path_type
  • primary: the guided agent-side MCP path completed successfully
  • fallback: the official CLI fallback path completed successfully
• output
  • operation type
  • guard_result
  • fallback_commands
  • one next step payload when needed

Guards and Stop Conditions

• Apply the mutation safeguard from references/mutation-risk-policy.md only when the operation type is mutation.
• Do not skip the explicit warning path for direct .pbxproj edits.
• In XcodeGen-backed repos, edit the XcodeGen spec set and regenerate the project instead of hand-editing generated .pbxproj files.
• Stop with handoff when the request is really build/run or toolchain work.
• Stop with blocked when the required workspace context cannot be resolved and the operation cannot safely continue.
• Stop with blocked when allowlist or sandbox rules prevent the official CLI fallback and no safe alternative exists.

Fallbacks and Handoffs

• Official CLI execution is the only fallback path when the primary agent-side MCP path cannot complete.
• Use references/mcp-failure-handoff.md for the canonical fallback and handoff payload.
• Use references/allowlist-guidance.md when a safe official CLI fallback is blocked by local rules.
• Recommend xcode-coding-intelligence-workflow when the request becomes Xcode Intelligence setup, Xcode-hosted agent setup, external-agent MCP configuration, or command/tool permission work.
• Hand off to xcode-build-run-workflow when the request becomes primarily about build, run, previews, archives, file membership, or toolchains.
• Recommend explore-apple-swift-docs directly when the task becomes Apple or Swift docs exploration work.
• Recommend swift-package-testing-workflow directly when the task becomes package-first test execution, package workload design, signpost placement, or SwiftPM-first profiling harness work.
• Recommend apple-ui-accessibility-workflow directly when the task is primarily about accessibility semantics or review rather than runtime test execution.
• Recommend format-swift-sources directly when the task becomes SwiftLint or SwiftFormat setup, config export, or style-tooling maintenance work.
• Recommend structure-swift-sources directly when the task becomes structural source cleanup work.
• Recommend bootstrap-xcode-workspace --operation align directly when the repo needs Xcode-specific guidance alignment rather than execution.
• scripts/run-workflow.fsx plans fallback commands; MCP execution itself remains agent-side tool usage guided by this skill.
• When maintaining this repository itself, refresh repo-guidance consumers after substantial Xcode-testing-policy changes and keep the top-level export-surface docs aligned. Do not tell users to rely on repo-local installer workflows; this repository does not ship them.

Fixed Policy

• scripts/run-workflow.fsx enforces the fixed MCP-first execution policy.
• MCP tool execution itself remains agent-side and is not performed by the local runtime entrypoint or by the skill as a direct runtime.

References

Workflow References

• references/workflow-policy.md
• references/mcp-tool-matrix.md
• references/cli-fallback-matrix.md
• references/code-coverage.md
• references/xctestplan-configurations-and-matrix.md
• references/xcuitest-and-xcuiautomation.md
• references/ios-ui-automation-destinations.md
• references/ui-accessibility-verification.md
• references/macos-ui-test-permission-ownership.md
• references/instruments-performance-profiling.md
• references/testing-plans-file-membership-and-configurations.md
• references/xcodegen-project-maintenance.md
• references/mutation-risk-policy.md
• references/mutation-via-mcp.md

Contract References

• references/mcp-failure-handoff.md

Support References

• Recommend explore-apple-swift-docs when the user needs Apple or Swift docs exploration or Dash-compatible docs access.
• Recommend format-swift-sources when the user needs SwiftLint or SwiftFormat setup rather than active Xcode testing work.
• Recommend structure-swift-sources when the user needs structural Swift source cleanup rather than active Xcode testing work.
• Recommend bootstrap-xcode-workspace --operation align when the user needs repo guidance aligned inside an existing Apple product workspace.
• Recommend references/snippets/apple-xcode-project-core.md when the user needs to add or merge the shared Xcode-project guidance into an end-user repo.
• references/allowlist-guidance.md
• references/skills-installation.md
• references/skills-discovery.md
• references/snippets/apple-xcode-project-core.md

Script Inventory

• scripts/run-workflow.fsx
• scripts/detect-xcode-managed-scope.fsx