whatisgithub

What is quick?

mrackwitz/quick — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-07-18 · repo last pushed 2015-08-02

SwiftAudience · developerComplexity · 2/5DormantSetup · easy

In one sentence

A Swift and Objective-C testing framework that lets you write tests as readable plain-English narratives using describe/it blocks, instead of cryptic assertion-heavy test methods.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((quick))
    What it does
      Readable test syntax
      describe and it blocks
      Pairs with Nimble
    Tech Stack
      Swift
      Objective-C
      CocoaPods
    Use Cases
      Write readable iOS tests
      Share tests with PMs
      Organize test narratives
    Audience
      iOS developers
      macOS developers

Code map

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Write iOS or macOS tests as readable describe/it narratives instead of cryptic test method names.

USE CASE 2

Pair Quick with Nimble to write human-friendly assertions like 'expect this value to contain that string.'

USE CASE 3

Make test suites understandable to product managers or designers who aren't developers.

USE CASE 4

Migrate a team familiar with RSpec or Ginkgo to a similar readable testing style in Swift.

What is it built with?

SwiftObjective-CCocoaPods

How does it compare?

mrackwitz/quickaiduckman/claudeusage_latest_may2026arnabau/thermalpulse
Stars00
LanguageSwiftSwiftSwift
Last pushed2015-08-02
MaintenanceDormant
Setup difficultyeasyeasymoderate
Complexity2/52/53/5
Audiencedevelopervibe coderdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 30min
License is not stated in the available content.

So what is it?

Quick is a testing framework that makes it easier to write and organize tests for Swift and Objective-C apps. Instead of writing tests in a technical, assertion-heavy way, Quick lets you write tests that read more like plain-English descriptions of what your code should do. This makes tests easier to understand, maintain, and share with non-technical team members. Here's how it works in practice. Rather than writing isolated test methods with cryptic names, you use Quick's describe and it blocks to organize your tests into a readable narrative. For example, you might write "describe the 'Documentation' directory" and then nest tests inside that say "it has everything you need to get started." This structure mirrors how you'd actually talk about your app's behavior, making it clearer what each test is checking and why it matters. Quick pairs with a companion tool called Nimble that provides human-friendly assertions, things like "expect this value to contain that string" instead of cryptic comparison operators. If you're building an iOS or macOS app and want your tests to be more readable and maintainable, Quick is for you. It's especially valuable for teams where product managers or designers might want to understand what the tests are verifying, or for developers who find the standard test syntax confusing. The framework is inspired by similar tools from other programming languages like RSpec (used in Ruby) and Ginkgo (used in Go), so if you've used those, Quick will feel familiar. The project provides detailed installation guides for different dependency managers, so whether you're using CocoaPods or other tools, there's a straightforward path to getting Quick set up in your project.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Show me how to install Quick and Nimble in my iOS project using CocoaPods.
Prompt 2
Write a Quick describe/it test block for a Swift function that validates a user's email format.
Prompt 3
Explain how Quick's describe and it blocks compare to RSpec syntax I already know from Ruby.
Prompt 4
Help me convert an existing XCTest test case in my project into Quick's readable test syntax.
Prompt 5
Walk me through pairing Quick with Nimble assertions to test a Swift networking class.

Frequently asked questions

What is quick?

A Swift and Objective-C testing framework that lets you write tests as readable plain-English narratives using describe/it blocks, instead of cryptic assertion-heavy test methods.

What language is quick written in?

Mainly Swift. The stack also includes Swift, Objective-C, CocoaPods.

Is quick actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2015-08-02).

What license does quick use?

License is not stated in the available content.

How hard is quick to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is quick for?

Mainly developer.

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