# AppEntityDefinition A definition you use to dynamically create entity instances for testing. ``` struct AppEntityDefinition ``` ## Overview To create an app entity instance for testing, load the definition for your app entity, using [`IntentDefinitions`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/IntentDefinitions) and its [`entities`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/IntentDefinitions/entities) property, then create an entity instance as shown in the following example: ```swift let definitions = IntentDefinitions( bundleIdentifier: "com.apple.example" ) let landmarkEntity = definitions.entities[ "LandmarkEntity" ] let entity = landmarkEntity.makeReference( identifier: "yosemite-falls" ) ``` ## Topics ### Creating an app entity instance [`func makeReference(identifier: String) -> AnyAppEntity`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/makeReference(identifier:)) Creates an app entity instance of the given entity type. ### Retrieving all entities [`func allEntities() async throws -> [AnyAppEntity]`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/allEntities()) Fetches all available entities of this type. [`func allEntitiesQuery() -> AnyEntityQuery`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/allEntitiesQuery()) Creates an entity query that retrieves all available entities of this type. ### Searching matching entities [`func entities(identifiers: [Identifier]) async throws -> [AnyAppEntity]`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/entities(identifiers:)) Retrieves entities by their identifiers. [`func entityQuery(identifiers: [Identifier]) -> AnyEntityQuery`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/entityQuery(identifiers:)) Creates an entity query that searches for entities by their identifiers. [`func entities(matching: String) async throws -> [AnyAppEntity]`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/entities(matching:)) Finds app entities that match a given string query. [`func entityQuery(matching: String) -> AnyEntityQuery`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/entityQuery(matching:)) Creates an entity query that searches for entities that match a given string. [`func spotlightQuery(String?) async throws -> [AnyAppEntity]`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/spotlightQuery(_:)) Performs a Spotlight search query for entities of this type. ### Accessing suggested entities [`func suggestedEntities() async throws -> [AnyAppEntity]`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/suggestedEntities()) Fetches all suggested entities of this type. [`func suggestedEntitiesQuery() -> AnyEntityQuery`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/suggestedEntitiesQuery()) Creates an entity query that retrieves suggested entities of this type. ### Accessing onscreen entities [`func viewAnnotations() async throws -> [ViewAnnotation]`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/viewAnnotations()) Provides the currently visible onscreen entities. ### Identifying the entity [`let typeIdentifier: String`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/typeIdentifier) The entity type’s unique identifier. [`let bundleIdentifier: String`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/bundleIdentifier) The bundle identifier of the app that includes the app entity. ### Instance Methods [`func resolved(from: IntentFile) async throws -> AnyAppEntity`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/resolved(from:)-2fld0) Resolves an entity from an exported intent file through the entity type’s transferable conformance. [`func resolved(from: T) async throws -> AnyAppEntity`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/resolved(from:)-4yp5n) Resolves an entity from a system intent value type through the entity type’s transferable conformance. [`func resolved(from: T) async throws -> AnyAppEntity`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/resolved(from:)-7c04a) Resolves an entity from a transferable intent value type through the entity type’s transferable conformance. ### Default Implementations [AppIntentTypeDefinition Implementations](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppEntityDefinition/AppIntentTypeDefinition-Implementations) ## Relationships ### Conforms To [`AppIntentTypeDefinition`](/documentation/AppIntentsTesting/AppIntentTypeDefinition) [`Copyable`](/documentation/Swift/Copyable) [`Equatable`](/documentation/Swift/Equatable) [`Escapable`](/documentation/Swift/Escapable) [`SendableMetatype`](/documentation/Swift/SendableMetatype) [`Sendable`](/documentation/Swift/Sendable) --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)