Building iOS UI with Coding Agents Is Slow (qckfx.com)

A recent discussion highlights the challenges of utilizing coding agents for UI testing in iOS applications, revealing that the traditional approach can be prohibitively slow. Currently, each interaction with the simulator requires multiple steps that involve fetching the UI accessibility tree, deciding actions, and executing gestures, leading to significant delays due to AI inference and simulator execution time. For example, testing a simple five-screen flow can take several minutes, causing developers to consider performing these checks manually instead. The solution proposed involves rethinking the role of AI in this process. Instead of using it for navigation, developers are encouraged to automate testing using tools like XCUITest or XCode's built-in test recorder, allowing for quicker UI verification by replaying pre-recorded interactions. However, common issues such as inconsistent network responses and simulator state can complicate testing. To address these challenges more efficiently, the launch of qckfx offers a streamlined alternative, providing deterministic test replay capabilities that save essential simulator state and response data, enabling users to see visual diffs of changes. This tool runs locally and requires no code modifications, making it an accessible option for developers seeking to enhance their UI testing processes.