Automated testing with a purpose
Kay Johansen and Christian Hargraves What do we, as automated test writers, offer our projects? List as many different reasons as you can think of for creating an automated test suite. How might the intended use of your automated test suite affect the kind of tests you write for it? How to write tests that stay useful Understand your test’s purpose Communicate your test’s purpose
- tests
describe a sequence of steps to carry out their purpose Pack Put luggage in my car Get in my car Verify car has enough gas Drive to the airport Find parking space Park Check my luggage Obtain boarding pass Verify boarding pass is for correct flight Present my id for security check
- (and so forth) tests
describe their purpose directly without extra information Travel to the Compare style with style
- is an automated testing framework that supports tests
Tables in the test are bound to fixture classes Where do automated acceptance tests fit in YOUR project? what are some characteristics of readable tests? Each test verifies a single, stated test objective. Tests use the project’s shared domain language. Tests are (expressing “what” is being tested) rather than (expressing “how” it’s being tested). You’ll probably think of others. PURPOSE
“We are about contribution. That’s what our job is. It’s not about impressing people. It’s not about getting the next job. It’s about contributing something.”
- Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra