axiom-ios-testing
Use when writing ANY test, debugging flaky tests, making tests faster, or asking about Swift Testing vs XCTest. Covers unit tests, UI tests, fast tests without simulator, async testing, test architecture.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/charleswiltgen/axiom --skill axiom-ios-testing- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads axiom-ios-testing automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
iOS Testing Router
You MUST use this skill for ANY testing-related question, including writing tests, debugging test failures, making tests faster, or choosing between testing approaches.
When to Use
Use this router when you encounter:
- Writing new unit tests or UI tests
- Swift Testing framework (@Test, #expect, @Suite)
- XCTest or XCUITest questions
- Making tests run faster (without simulator)
- Flaky tests (pass sometimes, fail sometimes)
- Testing async code reliably
- Migrating from XCTest to Swift Testing
- Test architecture decisions
- Condition-based waiting patterns
Routing Logic
This router invokes specialized skills based on the specific testing need:
1. Unit Tests / Fast Tests → swift-testing
Triggers:
- Writing new unit tests
- Swift Testing framework (
@Test,#expect,#require,@Suite) - Making tests run without simulator
- Testing async code reliably
withMainSerialExecutor,TestClock- Migrating from XCTest
- Parameterized tests
- Tags and traits
- Host Application: None configuration
- Swift Package tests (
swift test) - Tests take >5 seconds for pure logic
- Want TDD with fast feedback loop
Why swift-testing: Modern Swift Testing framework with parallel execution, better async support, and the ability to run without launching simulator.
Invoke: Read the axiom-swift-testing skill
2. UI Tests / XCUITest → ui-testing
Triggers:
- Recording UI Automation (Xcode 26)
- XCUIApplication, XCUIElement
- Flaky UI tests
- Tests pass locally, fail in CI
sleep()or arbitrary timeouts- Condition-based waiting
- Cross-device testing
- Accessibility-first testing
Why ui-testing: XCUITest requires simulator and has unique patterns for reliability.
Invoke: Read the axiom-ui-testing skill
3. Flaky Tests / Race Conditions → test-failure-analyzer (Agent)
Triggers:
- Tests fail randomly in CI
- Tests pass locally but fail in CI
- Flaky tests (pass sometimes, fail sometimes)
- Race conditions in Swift Testing
- Missing
await confirmationfor async callbacks - Missing
@MainActoron UI tests - Shared mutable state in
@Suite - Tests pass individually, fail when run together
Why test-failure-analyzer: Specialized agent that scans for patterns causing intermittent failures in Swift Testing.
Invoke: Launch test-failure-analyzer agent
4. Async Testing Patterns → testing-async
Triggers:
- Testing async/await functions
confirmationfor callbacks (Swift Testing)expectedCountfor multiple callbacks- Testing MainActor code with
@MainActor @Test - Migrating XCTestExpectation → confirmation
- Parallel test execution concerns
- Test timeout configuration
Why testing-async: Dedicated patterns for async code in Swift Testing framework.
Invoke: Read the axiom-testing-async skill
5. Test Crashes / Environment Issues → xcode-debugging
Triggers:
- Tests crash before assertions run
- Simulator won't boot for tests
- Tests hang indefinitely
- "Unable to boot simulator" errors
- Clean test run differs from incremental
Why xcode-debugging: Test failures from environment issues, not test logic.
Invoke: Read the axiom-xcode-debugging skill
6. Running XCUITests from Command Line → test-runner (Agent)
Triggers:
- Run tests with xcodebuild
- Parse xcresult bundles
- Export failure screenshots/videos
- Code coverage reports
- CI/CD test execution
Why test-runner: Specialized agent for command-line test execution with xcresulttool parsing.
Invoke: Launch test-runner agent
7. Closed-Loop Test Debugging → test-debugger (Agent)
Triggers:
- Fix failing tests automatically
- Debug persistent test failures
- Run → analyze → fix → verify cycle
- Need to iterate until tests pass
- Analyze failure screenshots
Why test-debugger: Automated cycle of running tests, analyzing failures, suggesting fixes, and re-running.
Invoke: Launch test-debugger agent
8. Recording UI Automation (Xcode 26) → ui-recording
Triggers:
- Record user interactions in Xcode
- Test plans for multi-config replay
- Video review of test runs
- Xcode 26 recording workflow
- Enhancing recorded test code
Why ui-recording: Focused guide for Xcode 26's Record/Replay/Review workflow.
Invoke: Read the axiom-ui-recording skill
9. Test Quality Audit → testing-auditor (Agent)
Triggers:
- Want to audit test quality
- Find flaky test patterns (sleep calls, shared mutable state)
- Speed up test execution
- Migrate from XCTest to Swift Testing
- Check tests for Swift 6 concurrency issues
Why testing-auditor: Maps test coverage shape against production code, detects flaky patterns and speed issues, identifies untested critical paths (auth, payments, persistence), and scores overall test health.
Invoke: Launch testing-auditor agent or /axiom:audit testing
10. UI Automation Without XCUITest → simulator-tester + axe-ref
Triggers:
- Automate app without test target
- AXe CLI usage (tap, swipe, type)
- describe-ui for accessibility tree
- Quick automation outside XCUITest
- Scripted simulator interactions
Why simulator-tester + axe-ref: AXe provides accessibility-based UI automation when XCUITest isn't available.
Invoke: Launch simulator-tester agent (uses axiom-axe-ref)
Decision Tree
- Writing unit tests / Swift Testing? → swift-testing
- Writing UI tests / XCUITest? → ui-testing
- Testing async/await code? → testing-async
- Flaky tests / race conditions (XCUITest)? → ui-testing
- Flaky tests / race conditions (Swift Testing)? → test-failure-analyzer (Agent)
- Tests crash / environment wrong? → xcode-debugging (via ios-build)
- Tests are slow / want swift test? → swift-testing (Strategy 1: Package extraction)
- Run tests from CLI / parse results? → test-runner (Agent)
- Fix failing tests automatically? → test-debugger (Agent)
- Want test quality audit (flaky patterns, migration)? → testing-auditor (Agent)
- Record UI interactions (Xcode 26)? → ui-recording
- Automate without XCUITest / AXe CLI? → simulator-tester + axe-ref
Swift Testing vs XCTest Quick Guide
| Need | Use |
|---|---|
| Unit tests (logic, models) | Swift Testing |
| UI tests (tap, swipe, assert screens) | XCUITest (XCTest) |
| Tests without simulator | Swift Testing + Package/Framework |
| Parameterized tests | Swift Testing |
| Performance measurements | XCTest (XCTMetric) |
| Objective-C tests | XCTest |
Anti-Rationalization
| Thought | Reality |
|---|---|
| "Simple test question, I don't need the skill" | Proper patterns prevent test debt. swift-testing has copy-paste solutions. |
| "I know XCTest well enough" | Swift Testing is significantly better for unit tests. swift-testing covers migration. |
| "Tests are slow but it's fine" | Fast tests enable TDD. swift-testing shows how to run without simulator. |
| "I'll fix the flaky test with a sleep()" | sleep() makes tests slower AND flakier. ui-testing has condition-based waiting patterns. |
| "I'll add tests later" | Tests written after implementation miss edge cases. swift-testing makes writing tests first easy. |
Example Invocations
User: "How do I write a unit test in Swift?" → Invoke: axiom-swift-testing
User: "My UI tests are flaky in CI" → Check codebase: XCUIApplication/XCUIElement patterns? → ui-testing → Check codebase: @Test/#expect patterns? → test-failure-analyzer
User: "Tests fail randomly, pass sometimes fail sometimes" → Invoke: test-failure-analyzer (Agent)
User: "Tests pass locally but fail in CI" → Invoke: test-failure-analyzer (Agent)
User: "How do I test async code without flakiness?" → Invoke: testing-async
User: "How do I test callback-based APIs with Swift Testing?" → Invoke: testing-async
User: "What's the Swift Testing equivalent of XCTestExpectation?" → Invoke: testing-async
User: "How do I use confirmation with expectedCount?" → Invoke: testing-async
User: "I want my tests to run faster" → Invoke: axiom-swift-testing (Strategy 1: Package extraction)
User: "My unit tests take 25 seconds to run" → Invoke: axiom-swift-testing (Strategy 1: Package extraction)
User: "How do I use swift test instead of xcodebuild test?" → Invoke: axiom-swift-testing (Fast Tests section)
User: "Should I use Swift Testing or XCTest?" → Invoke: axiom-swift-testing (Migration section) + this decision tree
User: "Tests crash before any assertions" → Invoke: axiom-xcode-debugging
User: "Run my tests and show me what failed" → Invoke: test-runner (Agent)
User: "Help me fix these failing tests" → Invoke: test-debugger (Agent)
User: "Parse the xcresult from my last test run" → Invoke: test-runner (Agent)
User: "Export failure screenshots from my tests" → Invoke: test-runner (Agent)
User: "How do I record UI automation in Xcode 26?" → Invoke: axiom-ui-recording
User: "How do I use test plans for multi-language testing?" → Invoke: axiom-ui-recording
User: "Can I automate my app without writing XCUITests?" → Invoke: simulator-tester (Agent) + axiom-axe-ref
User: "How do I tap a button using AXe?" → Invoke: axiom-axe-ref (via simulator-tester)
User: "Audit my tests for quality issues"
→ Invoke: testing-auditor agent
User: "Should I migrate to Swift Testing?"
→ Invoke: testing-auditor agent
FAQ
What does the axiom-ios-testing skill do?
Use when writing ANY test, debugging flaky tests, making tests faster, or asking about Swift Testing vs XCTest. Covers unit tests, UI tests, fast tests without simulator, async testing, test architecture.
How do I install axiom-ios-testing?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/charleswiltgen/axiom --skill axiom-ios-testing in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/axiom-ios-testing/ (personal) or .claude/skills/axiom-ios-testing/ (project).
Which AI agents can use axiom-ios-testing?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is axiom-ios-testing safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains axiom-ios-testing?
It is published by charleswiltgen in charleswiltgen/axiom. It has 238 recorded installs.
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