How to unit test throwing functions in Swift?

Question

How to test wether a function in Swift 2.0 throws or not? How to assert that the correct ErrorType is thrown?

Answer 1

EDIT: Updated the code for Swift 4.1 (still valid with Swift 5.2)

Here's the latest Swift version of Fyodor Volchyok's answer who used XCTAssertThrowsError:

    enum MyError: Error {
        case someExpectedError
        case someUnexpectedError
    }

    func functionThatThrows() throws {
        throw MyError.someExpectedError
    }

    func testFunctionThatThrows() {
        XCTAssertThrowsError(try functionThatThrows()) { error in
            XCTAssertEqual(error as! MyError, MyError.someExpectedError)
        }
    }

If your Error enum has associated values, you can either have your Error enum conform to Equatable, or use the if case statement:

    enum MyError: Error, Equatable {
        case someExpectedError
        case someUnexpectedError
        case associatedValueError(value: Int)
    }

    func functionThatThrows() throws {
        throw MyError.associatedValueError(value: 10)
    }

    // Equatable pattern: simplest solution if you have a simple associated value that can be tested inside 1 XCTAssertEqual
    func testFunctionThatThrows() {
        XCTAssertThrowsError(try functionThatThrows()) { error in
            XCTAssertEqual(error as! MyError, MyError.associatedValueError(value: 10))
        }
    }

    // if case pattern: useful if you have one or more associated values more or less complex (struct, classes...)
    func testFunctionThatThrows() {
        XCTAssertThrowsError(try functionThatThrows()) { error in
            guard case MyError.associatedValueError(let value) = error else {
                return XCTFail()
            }

            XCTAssertEqual(value, 10)
            // if you have several values or if they require more complex tests, you can do it here
        }
    }