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Microsoft Contributes to Uno Platform: Dramatically Reducing Testing Time

Testing should be a developer’s safety net, not a bottleneck. Yet, we’ve all been there—waiting forever for test runs to complete, only to find out that some failures were quietly slipping through the cracks.

So, we reached out to our friends at Microsoft—and they delivered.

With their help, we transitioned our test infrastructure to Microsoft.Testing.Platform (MTP). The result? Dramatically faster test execution, more accurate failure detection, and a more efficient testing pipeline.

How Microsoft Helped Us Improve Testing

Our test suite wasn’t slow without reason—it was a mix of factors. We used batched execution in VSTest, assuming it would speed things up. Instead, it slowed performance and caused hidden failures that didn’t trigger job failures.

But slow tests kill developer momentum, and undetected failures are a disaster waiting to happen.

By switching from VSTest to MSTest runner with MTP, we saw immediate, measurable improvements:

First job: 6 minutes → 2 minutes 30 seconds
Second job: 3 minutes 50 seconds → 30 seconds

That’s not just a slight improvement—it’s a huge productivity boost.

Hidden Failures: The Silent Productivity Killer

One of the discoveries we made during this transition was how some test failures were being recorded in .trx logs but weren’t actually failing the job. This meant we were unknowingly shipping code with potential issues lurking beneath the surface.

MTP gave us the visibility we needed. Now, if a test fails, we see it. No more false confidence. No more hidden regressions.

What This Means for .NET Developers

If you’re serious about fast, reliable, and accurate testing, this shift is worth considering. Moving to MTP isn’t just about shaving off minutes—it’s about building a more predictable and trustworthy test suite.

MSTest 3.8 has introduced several improvements that benefit .NET developers, including better filtering, improved iterating, retrying flaky tests, and support for modern .NET applications.

For those who want to dig into the specifics, here are the key PRs:

PR #19165

PR #19172

PR #19240

Final Thoughts

Testing isn’t just a phase in the pipeline—it’s a fundamental part of delivering quality software. Thanks to Microsoft’s contributions, we’re ensuring that our tests aren’t only faster but also more reliable.

If you’re working with automated testing in .NET, it’s worth noting that Microsoft.Testing.Platform (MTP) works with all major .NET test frameworks. Whether you use NUnit, xUnit, or something else, you can still take advantage of MTP’s speed and reliability improvements.

Faster feedback loops, better visibility, and fewer surprises in production—what’s not to love?

Next Steps

Ready to boost your productivity and simplify cross-platform .NET development? Try Uno Platform today by downloading our extension for your preferred IDE and joining our developer community.