Why I Prefer macOS for E2E Test Automation? Part B: Less Obvious Reasons
More MacOS Features Suitable for E2E Test Automation
Continuing from Part A, more reasons to go for macOS for E2E Test automation.
6. Mobile Test Automation with iOS
End-to-end test automation encompasses both web and mobile testing. For web testing, any operating system — Windows, Linux, or macOS — can handle the job effectively. However, mobile test automation introduces a key distinction: it involves two target mobile platforms, iOS and Android.
If your automation needs include iOS testing, a Mac is essential, as iOS simulators and development tools like Xcode are only available on macOS. In that case, having a Mac becomes a requirement, not just a preference.
7. Mac Computers Can Run Windows OS
While you can’t run macOS on a Windows machine, you can run Windows on a Mac. This is made possible through virtualization software like Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion. Note that VMware Fusion is not free for personal use.
In fact, a new computer nowadays has multiple CPU cores, e.g. a $599 Mac Mini M4 with 10 CPU cores. This means, if you somehow can get a large memory on a Mac computer, you can quite comfortably run 3 virtual machines (with different OS, Windows, Linux and macOS) as build agents. Essentially, a small parallel testing lab (all within one physical computer).
8. No OS Licensing Costs (macOS is free)
Unlike Windows, which typically requires separate licensing fees, macOS comes pre-installed with Apple hardware and doesn’t require activation or additional payment for updates. For teams or individuals setting up multiple virtual machines to run automated end-to-end tests, this translates to real cost savings and fewer administrative headaches.
9. Just one architecture: ARM64
Apple’s transition from Intel x86–64 processors began in late 2020 and was completed in June 2023. While Windows and Linux (with multiple distributors) are still under going, which will likely take a few years.
This adds complexity to the test automation setup and essentially doubles the effort.
Moreover, I have tried Windows 11 ARM and Linux Ubuntu 25, which work fine for most tasks, but still run into some issues. For example, there is no ChromeDriver Linux ARM64 yet.
