When to use this skill
Use this skill whenever the user wants to:
- Write end-to-end tests for React Native applications using Detox
- Configure Detox for iOS simulators and Android emulators
- Use element matchers, actions, and assertions in Detox tests
- Integrate Detox tests into CI/CD pipelines
- Debug synchronization and timing issues in mobile tests
How to use this skill
Workflow
- Set up the environment: install Detox CLI, configure
.detoxrc.js, ensure Xcode/Android SDK are ready - Write test cases: use
element(by.id(...)),tap(),typeText(), andexpect() - Build and test:
detox buildthendetox test - Run in CI: save artifacts (logs, screenshots) on failure
1. Configuration (.detoxrc.js)
module.exports = {
testRunner: { args: { config: 'e2e/jest.config.js' } },
apps: {
'ios.debug': {
type: 'ios.app',
binaryPath: 'ios/build/MyApp.app',
build: 'xcodebuild -workspace ios/MyApp.xcworkspace -scheme MyApp -configuration Debug -sdk iphonesimulator',
},
'android.debug': {
type: 'android.apk',
binaryPath: 'android/app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk',
build: 'cd android && ./gradlew assembleDebug',
},
},
devices: {
simulator: { type: 'ios.simulator', device: { type: 'iPhone 15' } },
emulator: { type: 'android.emulator', device: { avdName: 'Pixel_6' } },
},
configurations: {
'ios.sim.debug': { device: 'simulator', app: 'ios.debug' },
'android.emu.debug': { device: 'emulator', app: 'android.debug' },
},
};
2. Test Example
describe('Login Flow', () => {
beforeAll(async () => {
await device.launchApp();
});
it('should login successfully', async () => {
await element(by.id('username-input')).typeText('testuser');
await element(by.id('password-input')).typeText('secret');
await element(by.id('login-button')).tap();
await expect(element(by.id('welcome-message'))).toBeVisible();
});
});
3. Running Tests
# Build the app
detox build --configuration ios.sim.debug
# Run tests
detox test --configuration ios.sim.debug
# With artifacts on failure
detox test --configuration ios.sim.debug --artifacts-location ./artifacts
Best Practices
- Use
testIDprops for stable element identification; avoid matching on text or animations - Keep build and device configurations consistent between local development and CI
- Save artifacts (logs, screenshots, videos) on failure for debugging
- Use environment variables for sensitive operations; configure retry and parallelization strategies
- Disable animations in test builds to avoid synchronization issues
Resources
- Official documentation: https://wix.github.io/Detox/
- GitHub: https://github.com/wix/Detox
Keywords
detox, React Native, E2E, end-to-end testing, mobile testing, iOS simulator, Android emulator, testID, synchronization, Wix Detox