Xcode is the IDE for developing iOS apps for Apple’s platforms and it is ideal for Mac computers. Thus you need to complete Xcode download on your Mac devices to develop the apps. But it not only helps you in development but also helps you with debugging, testing, and deployment. Here, you will learn about download, install and update procedures for Xcode.
Table of ContentsWhat is Xcode?
Xcode is an IDE developed by Apple. You can use Xcode for developing iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, MacOS, and Apple TV. It includes a set of tools for developing, debugging, and testing your iOS apps. The latest version of Xcode is 14.3. Some of its important features are –
- It supports multiple programming languages like – Swift, C, C++, Java, Apple Script, Python, and more.
- It provides a Swift package and Swift UI. You can find Interactive UI previews with light and dark modes. There are plug-ins for building your apps. Also, developers can create reusable codes and collaborate with other developers.
- The Xcode simulators allow you to test your iOS apps in a simulated environment. You will get all types of iOS environments like – iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. These simulators come with different configurations and OS versions.
- Xcode has a set of instruments for profiling and analyzing your apps. These instruments also improve performance and memory issues for your apps.
- It creates 3D textures, augmented reality (AR), and Machine Learning models as well.
How to Download and Install Xcode on Mac?
Pre-requisites
You need to arrange the following resources to download Xcode for Mac:
Your Xcode download Mac can be possible in two different ways. They are:
Method 1 Download and install from the App Store
It’s a simple process.
Method 2 Download and install from the Apple developer’s site
Method 3 Install the Command Line Tools (CLT)
You will get Xcode and CLTs after the completion of the installation process.
How to update Xcode on Mac?
You can update your Xcode for Mac with these processes:
You need to check developer.apple.com to know about the new version releases. Again, you can get notifications on your Mac, check the Xcodereleases.com, or follow the Twitter account @XcodeReleases.
How to test your Xcode apps?
You can test your Xcode apps with the XCTest framework. With this framework, you can conduct unit, integration, UI, and performance testing for your apps.
You have to choose a class or function to conduct your unit test. Then you have to create the subclass of XCTestCase. This subclass will contain your actual unit test cases. Then you have to create a method to get the result of your test. The method will work in three steps – Arrange, Act, and Assert. The first and second steps indicate creating an object/data structure and calling the method, respectively. The assert step compares the behavior of your code as per the expectation, and you will get the test result.
The integration testing for your Xcode app follows the same approach as the unit testing. But here, you have to cover a large part of the application. So, you need to work on more components or classes and function combinations.
The Xcode UI test happens by executing the UI controls. The UI Test Case Class template contains new files to start the UI testing. These files handle your UI controls with the perspective of real-world conditions. It determines whether the users can perform the tasks in the real environment through this app. This also assures the bug-free behavior of the UI control.
The performance test happens based on different metrics – memory usage, data written on disk, and more. Your code will run for multiple times through the XCTest and measure the required metrics. You need to call different methods to gather information about different metrics.
How to test your iOS app on XCode?
You can test your iOS app on XCode by following the below steps:
While you can test your iOS Apps on XCode, to get more accurate results it is essential to test under real user conditions. BrowserStack App Live allows you to run your iOS app tests on iPhones and iPads as opposed to running on Simulators.
Run iOS Tests on iPads and iPhones
- With the App Live, you will access BrowserStack real device cloud for a wide range of iOS (iPhones and iPads) and Androids.
- You can test your iOS and Android apps from different resources – direct upload, build tools integrations, App Store, or Play Store.
- After accessing the real devices, you can conduct performance testing like – Geolocation testing, push notifications, network simulation, pre-loaded images, etc.
- Mainly, it helps in manual testing. But also has integrations with Selenium, Cypress, and Jenkins to support automation testing.
- It binds with Gradle and Fastlane plug-ins for the build and deployment of your apps.
- Again, it provides you with integrations of project management tools like – Jira, Trello, Slack, and GitHub. They give nice solutions for your project planning, work progress, bug finding, reporting, and more.
Testing iOS app on iPad using BrowserStack App Live
Testing iOS App on iPhone using BrowserStack App Live
Conclusion
You can test your Xcode apps with App Live easily. You can avail of it through any of its subscription plans. The Team plan comes with the best offers. It includes team access for 3000+ iOS and Android devices, IP Geolocation testing, access to the 19 data centers throughout the world, and more. Also, you can purchase App Live through other plans – Individual, Team Pro, or Enterprise.
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