Top Testing and Debugging Tools for iOS Development

The answer to pretty much any phone-related question these days may well be, “There’s an app for that,” given how often we rely on them. From fitness routines to finding out how we sleep at night, apps drive our lives, and great developers drive them to us. 

If you’re developing for the iOS platform, knowing all the best iOS app testing services and debugging tools is good. Guess what? We’ve put them together for you in our handy guide! There’s no time to lose (especially if you’re launching an app soon…) 

What is iOS application testing?

What do we mean when we mention iOS app testing? It’s a way of testing apps to make sure they work properly on all Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and iOS Simulators. They’re a crucial pip in the core of the tech fruit, ensuring that apps meet user expectations, the functional specification is top-notch, and legal compliance is assured.

iOS is specifically for Apple devices; its apps can only be installed on Apple hardware. Therefore, specific tools and techniques are needed to ensure everything runs smoothly. Even the best-planned apps get bugs or run into problems, so dealing with them swiftly and with the right tools is key. 

Considering all this, we’ll now deeply dive into the plus points of iOS app testing. 

What are the positives of iOS App testing services?

You’ve developed an app you’re really proud of and launched it; wait, don’t walk away now! It still needs regular monitoring and there’s lots of reasons why, so let’s look at the benefits:  

• Gives users the best experience: Optimal user experience is crucial, so it's essential to test iOS apps extensively to meet Apple users' high expectations, whether that’s making in-app purchases or browsing securely. Propers testing means that apps stay user-friendly and glitch-free. 
• Brand reputation improves: Launching an app that’s not properly tested can cause users to shy away from your brand. Testing an app regularly will help preserve a brand's reputation by detecting and rectifying defects before they cause real issues. 
• Enhanced compatibility: There are so many Apple devices on the market now, and apps need to function seamlessly across all devices. This means compatibility testing is critical to iOS app testing and debugging. 
• Security issues can be resolved swiftly. Security is paramount—we’ve all had that sinking feeling when receiving an email about a potential data breach. Regular testing ensures that apps are secure from threats and vulnerabilities—crucial for iOS apps, given how strict Apple's security guidelines are.

Great, we’re well on the way now. You know what it is and why developers need it, so let’s review some of the best iOS tools currently on the market to find your best fit. 

Which iOS testing tool services offer the most to developers? 

We’ve put together a list of the best iOS app testing services and tools, so you’ve got a variety to choose from. 

XCUITest

Apple developed XCUITest as an integral automation framework and an extension of XCTest. It’s designed to validate the functionality of specific code units in an iOS app. With this tool, developers can write UI tests that verify the behavior of iOS app elements like buttons, text fields, and menus. 

It’ll integrate seamlessly with Xcode, iOS frameworks, third-party tools, and Apple’s IDE for iOS app development. Plus, it supports integration with Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipelines. This allows you to automate the iOS app testing workflow and ensure its functionality before its release in the Apple App Store. One drawback that’s been mentioned is that it suffers from slow UI testing when running lots of test suites. 

EarlGrey

This Google-driven native iOS UI automation framework allows you to write test cases in Swift or Objective-C, the key programming language used for iOS app development. As with XCUI, it’ll seamlessly integrate with Xcode and other third-party tools. 

EarlGrey supports integration with those all important CI/CD pipelines, allowing you to automate the iOS app testing workflow and ensure its functionality before releasing it in the Apple App Store. 

It’s handy to note that it supports black box testing, meaning you can test the functionality of the iOS application even if you don’t know its internal structure and implementation.

Katalon

Katalon is a test automation platform that provides a comprehensive set of functionalities for iOS app testing. If you’re already familiar with Appium, then it’s great to know Katalon uses its framework for app testing, which supports a wide range of iOS devices and versions. 

The tool supports third-party tools and frameworks like Jira, Jenkins, and Git and will easily integrate with CI/CD systems like Azure DevOps, Bamboo, CircleCI, and Travis CI. 

Good to know that it also supports test execution on real iOS devices, which helps developers check whether iOS apps are compatible with various devices and versions.

fastlane

This open-source platform facilitates the automation of the iOS app development and deployment process. It simplifies common tasks associated with mobile app development and launching. 

In the beginning, it was purely focused on iOS. However, it now supports iOS and Android app development, which is superb for developers who need to create apps in both environments. It’ll integrate with CI tools like Jenkins, Travis CI, and others, allowing seamless CI/CD pipeline automation.

KIF (Keep It Functional)

This is a great objective C-based integration testing framework that’s already well-integrated with XCTest. It allows developers to create tests without additional dependencies.

KIF is a great tool for simulating user interactions with the application, such as tapping, swiping, and entering text, so you can see how apps behave. 

Keep It Functional also allows testing app workflows end-to-end without needing external test case editors. 

TestFlight

TestFlight is Apple's platform for distributing iOS app betas to testers, thereby facilitating feedback and bug identification before an official Apple App Store release. 

This is superb, as it’s almost like a double-check test to ensure the app is 100% ready to go. 

It's good to know that it’s easy to invite testers and gather feedback through Apple’s ecosystem. There’s also simple integration with Xcode. 

Lastly, real-world testing means that beta testers can experience the app on actual devices before it goes live properly. 

Work with Tapptitude on your next iOS product

Knowing how to test and debug Apple Apps for iOS is key to keeping everything running smoothly. Supposing you want to do all that and more - wouldn’t it be great to know there was a company out there to assist you with launching a range of cutting-edge digital products? 

Whatever you want to develop, we’ll be with you from the first kernel of an idea to the final sign-off. Tapptitude can partner with you on a whole host of strategies, so let us help you build the best product possible. 

Reach out to our team today, and we'll deliver the goods. 

FAQs on iOS App testing services and debugging tools

Why do we need debugging tools for iOS?

Rome wasn’t built in a day! 

Once an app is launched, it needs monitoring and continuous improvement to tick over nicely and run smoothly. Keeping on top of security and data issues is key, too. Not only that, but Apple’s rules and regulations are stringent, so it’s always best to be ahead of the curve there. 

Which debugging tool will suit developers best?

More often than not, it’s down to personal preference, and what works best for the needs of a dev team and the app they’re creating. Take some time to try a few out, and you’ll find the best fit. 

What are the fundamentals of iOS testing?

There are a couple of important points. 

The first is unit testing, which ensures that each part of the app works the way it should when used alone. Second is interface testing, which tests the app's user interface to ensure it looks and works correctly on different phones, tablets, and computer systems.