---
source: ~/DuckDuckGo/apple-browsers.git/main/.github/workflows/
confidence: 1.0
namespace: work
last_updated: 2026-04-28
tags: [ci, github-actions, xcodebuild, testing, build]
---

# CI Pipeline — macOS Browser

Reference for the GH Actions CI setup and how to run equivalent checks locally.

**Xcode version**: `26.4` (from `.xcode-version`)  
**Working directory for all macOS jobs**: `macOS/` inside the repo

---

## Workflows Overview

| Workflow file | Trigger | What it does |
|---------------|---------|--------------|
| `macos_pr_checks.yml` | PR + push to main/release/hotfix | Unit tests, integration tests, release build, translations |
| `macos_ui_tests.yml` | PR (BSK changes) + push + schedule (3AM UTC) | Full UITest suite across macOS 14/15/26 |
| `macos_performance_tests.yml` | PR + push + daily 5AM UTC | Performance benchmarks (notarized build required) |
| `macos_pir_end_to_end_tests.yml` | PR + push + schedule | PIR feature E2E tests |
| `macos_build_notarized.yml` | Called by other workflows | Builds notarized Review .app + optional DMG |
| `macos_release.yml` | Manual + release process | Full release build and publish |
| `macos_check_sparkle_update.yml` | Post-release | Validates Sparkle update feed |

---

## PR Checks (`macos_pr_checks.yml`)

Runs on every PR. Three parallel tracks:

### Track 1: Unit + Integration Tests

Two matrix flavors run simultaneously:

| Flavor | Scheme | Runner | active-arch |
|--------|--------|--------|-------------|
| Non-Sandbox | `macOS Browser` | `macos-26` | YES |
| Sandbox | `macOS Browser App Store` | `macos-26-xlarge` | NO |

**Unit tests command:**
```bash
cd macOS
set -o pipefail && xcodebuild test \
  -scheme "macOS Browser" \
  -derivedDataPath "DerivedData" \
  -configuration "CI" \
  -skipPackagePluginValidation -skipMacroValidation \
  -test-timeouts-enabled YES \
  -default-test-execution-time-allowance 60 \
  -maximum-test-execution-time-allowance 120 \
  ENABLE_TESTABILITY=true \
  ONLY_ACTIVE_ARCH=YES \
  COMPILATION_CACHE_ENABLE_CACHING=YES \
  "-skip-testing:Integration Tests" \
  2>&1 | xcbeautify
```

**Integration tests command** (same flags, opposite -testing: flag):
```bash
  "-only-testing:Integration Tests" \
  -retry-tests-on-failure \
```

### Track 2: Release Build

```bash
cd macOS
set -o pipefail && xcodebuild \
  -scheme "macOS Browser" \
  -derivedDataPath "DerivedData" \
  -configuration "Release" \
  -skipPackagePluginValidation -skipMacroValidation \
  COMPILATION_CACHE_ENABLE_CACHING=YES \
  2>&1 | xcbeautify
```

### Track 3: ShellCheck + Bats (shell scripts)

```bash
# Bats shell tests
brew install bats-core
cd macOS && bats --formatter junit scripts/tests/*
```

---

## UI Tests (`macos_ui_tests.yml`)

### How it works in CI

1. **Build notarized app first** (`macos_build_notarized.yml`) — runs as a dependency
2. **Setup**: lists all `UITestCase`-derived classes from `UITests/` directory
3. **Matrix**: each test class × each macOS version runs as a separate job
4. **Retry**: `-test-iterations 2 -retry-tests-on-failure -test-repetition-relaunch-enabled YES`

### Running locally (two approaches)

**Option A — Direct xcodebuild (host only, no VM):**
```bash
cd ~/DuckDuckGo/apple-browsers.git/main/macOS

# Build for testing first
set -o pipefail && xcodebuild build-for-testing \
  -scheme "macOS UI Tests CI" \
  -derivedDataPath DerivedData \
  -skipPackagePluginValidation -skipMacroValidation \
  2>&1 | xcbeautify

# Run a specific test class
defaults write com.duckduckgo.macos.browser.review moveToApplicationsFolderAlertSuppress 1
set -o pipefail && xcodebuild test-without-building \
  -scheme "macOS UI Tests CI" \
  -derivedDataPath DerivedData \
  -skipPackagePluginValidation -skipMacroValidation \
  '-only-testing:UI Tests/AutocompleteTests' \
  2>&1 | xcbeautify
```

**Option B — Via VM (virfield/ddg-vm MCP, matches CI environment):**
```
# 1. Build on host first (DerivedData must exist)
xcodebuild build-for-testing -scheme "macOS UI Tests CI" -derivedDataPath DerivedData ...

# 2. Start VM session
vm_prepare_session()  → { vmName, ip }

# 3. Run tests in VM
run_tests(vm_id: vmName, scheme: "DuckDuckGo macOS", workspace: "<VMShare path>")

# 4. Poll
get_test_run_status(vm_id: vmName, run_id: run_id)
get_test_results(vm_id: vmName, run_id: run_id)

# 5. On failure: inspect
peekaboo_image(vm_id: vmName)
get_crash_reports(vm_id: vmName)

# 6. Always clean up
vm_stop(vm_id: vmName)
vm_delete(vm_id: vmName)
```

See `vm-ui-testing.md` for full ddg-vm MCP reference.

### Key notes

- All UI test classes **must** inherit from `UITestCase`, not `XCTestCase` — CI enforces this
- CI uses a notarized **Review** build (`DuckDuckGo Review.app`), not Debug
- Screen resolution is set to 1920×1080 in CI (macOS 15+) — VM does the same
- Build on host before running in VM — `run_tests` uses the pre-built xctestrun from `DerivedData`

---

## Executor Build Command (for Executor agent)

The Executor uses Debug configuration without code signing or notarization:

```bash
cd ~/DuckDuckGo/apple-browsers.git/.claude/worktrees/executor-{gid}-{slug}/macOS
set -e -o pipefail && xcodebuild \
  -workspace DuckDuckGo-macOS.xcworkspace \
  -scheme "DuckDuckGo macOS" \
  -configuration Debug \
  build \
  2>&1 | xcbeautify
```

Key differences from CI:
- **No** `-derivedDataPath` override — uses default `DerivedData` in worktree
- **No** `ONLY_ACTIVE_ARCH` — defaults to YES for Debug, faster
- **No** `COMPILATION_CACHE_ENABLE_CACHING=YES` — not needed for single-run
- **No** `-skipPackagePluginValidation` unless you hit plugin errors (add if needed)

---

## Xcode Scheme Reference

| Scheme | Purpose | Used for |
|--------|---------|---------|
| `macOS Browser` | Non-Sandbox (direct distribution) | Unit tests, release build |
| `macOS Browser App Store` | Sandbox variant | Unit tests (sandbox) |
| `macOS UI Tests CI` | UI test runner | UI tests (requires notarized Review app) |
| `DuckDuckGo macOS` | Development scheme | Executor Debug build |

---

## CI Runner Reference

| Runner | Used for |
|--------|---------|
| `macos-26` | Unit tests (Non-Sandbox), release build |
| `macos-26-xlarge` | Unit tests (Sandbox), UI tests (latest macOS) |
| `macos-15-xlarge` | UI tests on macOS 15 |
| `macos-14-xlarge` | UI tests on macOS 14 |
| `ubuntu-latest` | ShellCheck, translation checks, Asana tasks |

---

## Common Local Equivalents

| CI step | Local command |
|---------|--------------|
| Select Xcode version | `sudo xcode-select -s /Applications/Xcode_26.4.app` (check `.xcode-version`) |
| Sync code signing | `cd macOS && bundle exec fastlane sync_signing_ci` |
| Build + unit test | See "Unit tests command" above |
| Build for UI test | `xcodebuild build-for-testing -scheme "macOS UI Tests CI" ...` |
| Run one UI test class | `xcodebuild test-without-building ... '-only-testing:UI Tests/ClassName'` |
| Check private API usage | `cd macOS && ./scripts/find_private_symbols.sh "DerivedData/Build/Products/..."` |
| Verify npm bundles | `npm run rebuild-autoconsent --workspace=macOS` |

---

## Cross-Reference

- `vm-ui-testing.md` — full virfield/ddg-vm MCP reference for VM-based UI tests
- `testing.mdc` → `testing.md` — UITestCase patterns, feature flag setup in tests
- `development-commands.mdc` → `development-commands.md` — team-approved xcodebuild flags