---
title: "Validate your App Intents adoption with AppIntentsTesting"
description: "Use AppIntentsTesting to run out-of-process App Intents tests for intents, entities, queries, Spotlight indexing, and view annotations."
shoutout: "Unofficial, made with love by Superwall - the best way to monetize your apps."
category: "AI & Machine Learning"
---

# Validate your App Intents adoption with AppIntentsTesting


[Watch on Apple Developer](https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2026/295/)

Use AppIntentsTesting to run out-of-process App Intents tests for intents, entities, queries, Spotlight indexing, and view annotations.

## TL;DR

- AppIntentsTesting runs App Intents through the same on-device infrastructure used by Siri, Shortcuts, Spotlight, and Widgets, without importing app code into the test target.
- Tests live in a standard XCUITest bundle, address intents and entities by bundle identifier and string names, execute intents with makeIntent(...).run(), and inspect returned values with dynamic member lookup.
- The framework supports testing EntityStringQuery behavior, identifier lookups, suggested entities, chained intent workflows, Spotlight indexing, and current on-screen view annotations.
- Test-only intents, guarded with #if DEBUG and isDiscoverable = false, are recommended for seeding state, deep-linking to views, and keeping integration tests deterministic.

## What AppIntentsTesting is for

AppIntentsTesting is an integration testing framework for App Intents. It validates the actions, entities, enums, queries, and system integrations that power Siri, Shortcuts, Spotlight, and Widgets.

Tests run from a standard XCUITest bundle while the app runs in a separate process on device. The test target does not import the app module; it discovers App Intents definitions from the app bundle identifier and executes through the full App Intents stack.

- Use an existing UI testing target or create a new XCUITest bundle.
- The app and test runner must use the same development team for code signing.
- Tests use strings for intent names and parameter names, so the test target does not get app-type autocompletion.
- Because execution is out-of-process and not UI-driven, these tests are suitable for CI and release-to-release stability.

## Executing an intent and inspecting the result

The first test in the session creates a calendar in the CometCal sample app. The test creates an IntentDefinitions object from the app bundle identifier, looks up CreateCalendarIntent by name, builds a populated intent using makeIntent, and executes it with run().

AppIntentsTesting converts many parameter values automatically, including primitive values and AppEnum raw string values. For custom values, the session points to IntentValueConvertibleWrapper in the documentation. Returned entity values can be inspected through dynamic member lookup, such as result.value.title.

- IntentDefinitions exposes the app's intents, entities, and queries without importing app code.
- makeIntent accepts named parameters matching the intent definition.
- run() executes the intent in the app process and returns the intent result.
- Dynamic member lookup lets tests assert entity properties returned by the App Intents runtime.

### Execute CreateCalendarIntent

Creates and runs an App Intent on device, then asserts the returned CalendarEntity title.

```swift
import AppIntentsTesting

func testCreateCalendar() async throws {
    let definitions = IntentDefinitions(
        bundleIdentifier: "com.example.apple-samplecode.CometCal"
    )
    let createCalendar = definitions.intents["CreateCalendarIntent"]

    let result = try await createCalendar.makeIntent(
        name: "Occupy Saturn",
        color: "red"
    ).run()

    XCTAssertEqual(try result.value.title, "Occupy Saturn")
}
```

## Testing entity queries and chained workflows

Entity queries are responsible for resolving entities in Shortcuts, Siri, Spotlight, and other App Intents surfaces. AppIntentsTesting can call entity query behavior directly on the entity definition, including string queries, identifier lookups, and suggested entities.

The session demonstrates test-driven development for an EventEntity string query: write a failing test against entities(matching:), implement EntityStringQuery on EventEntityQuery, then rerun the test and verify the same behavior in Shortcuts. It also shows chaining intent results, where the EventEntity returned by CreateEventIntent is passed directly into UpdateEventIntent, mirroring how people compose Shortcuts.

- Use entities(matching:) on an entity definition to validate EntityStringQuery behavior on device.
- Use dynamic member lookup to assert properties on returned entity representations.
- When an intent parameter expects an entity, App Intents can resolve a string by calling that entity's string query and using the first matching value.
- Chained tests can cover create-update flows and other Shortcut-like automations in one test.

### Test and implement an EntityStringQuery

The test exercises the string query through AppIntentsTesting; the implementation filters events by title and returns EventEntity values.

```swift
func testEventStringQuery() async throws {
    let results = try await eventEntityDefinition
        .entities(matching: "Cosmic Ray")

    XCTAssertEqual(results.count, 1)
    XCTAssertEqual(try results[0].title, "Cosmic Ray Calibration")
}

struct EventEntityQuery: EntityStringQuery {
    func entities(matching string: String) async throws -> [EventEntity] {
        try calendarManager.fetchEvents()
            .filter { $0.title.localizedCaseInsensitiveContains(string) }
            .map(\.entity)
    }
}
```

### Chain create and update intents

Creates an event, passes the returned EventEntity into a second intent, and asserts the updated result.

```swift
func testCreateAndUpdateEvent() async throws {
    let createResult = try await createEventDefinition.makeIntent(
        title: "Asteroid Dodgeball Practice",
        startDate: Date(),
        isAllDay: false,
        calendar: "Deep Space"
    ).run()

    XCTAssertEqual(try createResult.value.title, "Asteroid Dodgeball Practice")

    let updateResult = try await updateEventDefinition.makeIntent(
        title: "Asteroid Dodgeball Rules Overview",
        event: createResult.value
    ).run()

    XCTAssertEqual(try updateResult.value.title, "Asteroid Dodgeball Rules Overview")
}
```

## Use test-only intents for deterministic setup

Reliable AppIntentsTesting tests should be self-contained. The session recommends creating focused test-only intents to seed known app data, reset state, navigate directly to a view, or wrap internal functionality that has not otherwise been exposed through App Intents.

A test-only intent should be hidden from system discovery and compiled only into debug/test builds. In CometCal, SeedSampleEventsIntent is used to create a known set of events before tests that depend on entity query behavior.

- Seed exact test data instead of relying on leftovers from prior runs.
- Jump directly to app screens without fragile UI navigation.
- Wrap internal navigation, data management, or state manipulation in a test-only App Intent when useful for testing.
- Keep these intents unavailable to users by combining isDiscoverable = false with #if DEBUG.

### Define a test-only App Intent

Hides the intent from system discovery and limits it to debug builds so tests can use it for setup.

```swift
#if DEBUG
struct SeedSampleEventsIntent: AppIntent {
    static let isDiscoverable = false

    func perform() async throws -> some IntentResult {
        // Create known list of events
        return .result()
    }
}
#endif
```

## Testing Spotlight indexing and view annotations

AppIntentsTesting can validate system-level integrations that are difficult to cover with unit tests. The session shows a regression test for Spotlight indexing: query Spotlight before creating an event, create the event with an App Intent, then query again and assert the indexed entity appears.

It also shows testing view annotations, which tell the system what entity is currently visible so Siri can act on what is on screen. The test opens an event through an intent, uses XCUI to confirm the expected page is visible, calls viewAnnotations() on the entity definition, and asserts the annotated entity is correct.

- spotlightQuery(_:) returns entity representations currently indexed in Spotlight for the query string.
- viewAnnotations() returns the entity view annotations the system reports as currently on screen.
- XCUITest and AppIntentsTesting can be combined in the same test when a screen needs to be opened and verified.
- These tests catch bugs such as forgotten indexing calls or incorrect EntityIdentifier values in annotations.

### Verify Spotlight indexing after intent execution

Asserts an entity is absent from Spotlight before creation and present after the app creates and indexes it.

```swift
func testNewEventIndexedInSpotlight() async throws {
    let before = try await eventEntityDefinition
        .spotlightQuery("Supernova Viewing Party")
    XCTAssertTrue(before.isEmpty)

    // Create "Supernova Viewing Party" with CreateEventIntent

    let after = try await eventEntityDefinition
        .spotlightQuery("Supernova Viewing Party")
    XCTAssertEqual(after.count, 1)
    XCTAssertEqual(try after[0].title, "Supernova Viewing Party")
}
```

### Verify the current view annotation

Combines an App Intent, XCUI verification, and viewAnnotations() to assert Siri would see the correct on-screen entity.

```swift
func testEventViewAnnotation() async throws {
    try await openEventDefinition
        .makeIntent(target: "Morning Launch Briefing")
        .run()

    let app = XCUIApplication()
    let title = app.staticTexts["Morning Launch Briefing"]
    XCTAssertTrue(title.waitForExistence(timeout: 5))

    let annotations = try await eventEntityDefinition.viewAnnotations()
    XCTAssertEqual(annotations.count, 1)
    XCTAssertEqual(try annotations[0].entity.title, "Morning Launch Briefing")
}
```

## Recommended testing workflow

Use AppIntentsTesting alongside, not instead of, existing App Intents development practices. Start by implementing the fundamental actions, data types, and queries, then validate them with automated tests. After that, cover deeper integrations such as view annotations, Spotlight donations, and cross-app data passing.

The session frames these as App Intents unit-style tests for foundational behavior and integration tests for system-facing behavior. Manual testing with Siri and Shortcuts remains important because it verifies the final user experience.

- Add AppIntentsTesting tests to the same CI path as XCUITest tests.
- Lift shared IntentDefinitions and entity definitions into reusable test setup code.
- Use setup or test-only intents to reset app state before each scenario.
- Still manually exercise important Siri and Shortcuts flows before shipping.

## Resources

- [Testing your App Intents code](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/testing-your-app-intents-code)
- [App Intents Testing](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/AppIntentsTesting)

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