How to Run Tests in Palmier Pro: A Complete Swift Testing Guide

Run swift test from the repository root after resolving dependencies and building the project to execute the full Swift Testing suite on macOS 26.

Palmier Pro uses the modern Swift Testing framework for its unit tests, defined in the PalmierProTests target within Package.swift. Running these tests locally ensures your development environment matches the GitHub Actions CI pipeline, which automatically validates every push against the macOS 26 SDK. This guide covers the exact commands and architecture you need to execute tests reliably on any Apple Silicon Mac.

Prerequisites

Before you can run tests in Palmier Pro, verify your development environment meets the following requirements:

• Swift 6.2: The test suite requires the Swift 6.2 toolchain shipped with macOS 26.
• macOS 26 SDK: Tests must run on macOS 26 (Sequoia) or later to match the CI environment.
• Git: Required for cloning the repository.

Check your Swift version:

swift --version

The output should report Swift 6.2. The CI workflow in .github/workflows/ci.yml also prints this version before building to ensure consistency.

Step-by-Step: How to Run Tests in Palmier Pro

Follow these commands to clone, build, and test the project from source.

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/palmier-io/palmier-pro.git
cd palmier-pro

2. Resolve Package Dependencies

The project uses Swift Package Manager to fetch third-party libraries like DSWaveformImage, Sparkle, and Lottie.

swift package resolve

This command reads Package.swift and downloads all required dependencies.

3. Build the Project

Compile the main executable target before running tests:

swift build

This step mirrors the CI pipeline, which runs swift build before testing to ensure the target compiles cleanly.

4. Execute the Test Suite

Run the full test suite using Swift Testing:

swift test

This command discovers and executes all tests in Tests/PalmierProTests, including SmokeTests.swift and TimeFormattingTests.swift. A successful run ends with Test Succeeded, while failures provide file and line numbers for debugging.

Running Specific Tests

For faster iteration during development, you can filter tests by name rather than running the entire suite:

swift test --filter SmokeTests

This executes only the tests defined in Tests/PalmierProTests/SmokeTests.swift, which contains a simple sanity check confirming basic timeline logic. Use this approach when debugging individual components like the TimeFormatting utility.

Understanding the Test Architecture

Palmier Pro's testing setup follows Swift Package Manager conventions with modern Swift Testing APIs.

Test Target Configuration

In Package.swift (lines 49-55), the manifest declares a dedicated test target:

// Simplified representation based on Package.swift structure
.testTarget(
    name: "PalmierProTests",
    dependencies: ["PalmierPro"]
)

This configuration allows test files to use @testable import PalmierPro to access internal application code.

Swift Testing Framework

Unlike older XCTest-based projects, Palmier Pro uses the Swift Testing API introduced with Swift 6. Tests are structured as:

• @Suite structs: Group related test cases
• @Test methods: Define individual test functions
• #expect macros: Provide type-safe assertions

For example, Tests/PalmierProTests/TimeFormattingTests.swift exercises Sources/PalmierPro/Utilities/TimeFormatting.swift using these modern constructs.

CI Integration

The .github/workflows/ci.yml workflow automates testing on every push:

1. Runs on a macOS 26 runner
2. Executes swift --version to verify the toolchain
3. Runs swift build to compile the project
4. Executes swift test to validate functionality

This ensures that local test runs using the same commands produce identical results to the CI environment.

Summary

Running tests in Palmier Pro requires only standard Swift Package Manager commands, but depends on specific macOS and Swift versions:

• Use Swift 6.2 on macOS 26 to match the CI environment
• Execute swift package resolve and swift build before testing
• Run swift test to execute the full PalmierProTests suite
• Filter specific tests with swift test --filter <TestName>
• Test code resides in Tests/PalmierProTests/ and uses modern Swift Testing (@Suite, @Test, #expect)

Frequently Asked Questions

What Swift version is required to run tests in Palmier Pro?

Palmier Pro requires Swift 6.2, which ships with the macOS 26 SDK. Running swift --version in your terminal should report version 6.2 before you attempt to build or test. The CI workflow explicitly checks this version to prevent mismatches between local and automated test runs.

How do I run only one test file instead of the full suite?

Use the --filter flag with the swift test command. For example, swift test --filter SmokeTests runs only the tests defined in Tests/PalmierProTests/SmokeTests.swift. This approach saves time when debugging specific functionality like timeline rendering or time formatting utilities.

Where are the test targets defined in the Palmier Pro repository?

The test target PalmierProTests is declared in Package.swift at lines 49-55. This manifest entry specifies the test target's dependencies on the main PalmierPro executable target, enabling access to internal modules via @testable import statements in the test code.

Does Palmier Pro use XCTest or Swift Testing?

Palmier Pro uses the modern Swift Testing framework (not XCTest). Tests are written using @Suite and @Test decorators with #expect macros for assertions, as seen in Tests/PalmierProTests/TimeFormattingTests.swift. This requires Swift 6.2 and provides type-safe, expressive test definitions compared to the older XCTest API.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}