Unit Test fatalError in Swift

Question

How to implement unit test for a fatalError code path in Swift?

For example, I\'ve the following swift code

func divide(x: Float, by y:          


        

Answer 1

Swift 4 and Swift 3

Based on Ken's answer.

In your App Target add the following:

import Foundation

// overrides Swift global `fatalError`
public func fatalError(_ message: @autoclosure () -> String = "", file: StaticString = #file, line: UInt = #line) -> Never {
    FatalErrorUtil.fatalErrorClosure(message(), file, line)
    unreachable()
}

/// This is a `noreturn` function that pauses forever
public func unreachable() -> Never {
    repeat {
        RunLoop.current.run()
    } while (true)
}

/// Utility functions that can replace and restore the `fatalError` global function.
public struct FatalErrorUtil {

    // Called by the custom implementation of `fatalError`.
    static var fatalErrorClosure: (String, StaticString, UInt) -> Never = defaultFatalErrorClosure

    // backup of the original Swift `fatalError`
    private static let defaultFatalErrorClosure = { Swift.fatalError($0, file: $1, line: $2) }

    /// Replace the `fatalError` global function with something else.
    public static func replaceFatalError(closure: @escaping (String, StaticString, UInt) -> Never) {
        fatalErrorClosure = closure
    }

    /// Restore the `fatalError` global function back to the original Swift implementation
    public static func restoreFatalError() {
        fatalErrorClosure = defaultFatalErrorClosure
    }
}

In your test target add the following:

import Foundation
import XCTest

extension XCTestCase {
    func expectFatalError(expectedMessage: String, testcase: @escaping () -> Void) {

        // arrange
        let expectation = self.expectation(description: "expectingFatalError")
        var assertionMessage: String? = nil

        // override fatalError. This will pause forever when fatalError is called.
        FatalErrorUtil.replaceFatalError { message, _, _ in
            assertionMessage = message
            expectation.fulfill()
            unreachable()
        }

        // act, perform on separate thead because a call to fatalError pauses forever
        DispatchQueue.global(qos: .userInitiated).async(execute: testcase)

        waitForExpectations(timeout: 0.1) { _ in
            // assert
            XCTAssertEqual(assertionMessage, expectedMessage)

            // clean up
            FatalErrorUtil.restoreFatalError()
        }
    }
}

Test case:

class TestCase: XCTestCase {
    func testExpectPreconditionFailure() {
        expectFatalError(expectedMessage: "boom!") {
            doSomethingThatCallsFatalError()
        }
    }
}