A simple JavaScript test framework

about.md

A simple JavaScript test "framework".

Your app is complex. Testing it should be simple.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam's_razor
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worse_is_better
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KISS_principle
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_philosophy

framework.js

(function () {

  var suite, test, assert, defaultPrinter;

  defaultPrinter = function () {
    console.log(this.passed, this.name);
  };

  suite = function (description, callback, printer) {
    var context = { name: [description] };
    context.printer = printer || defaultPrinter;
    callback.call(context);
  };

  assert = function (self, description, value) {
    self.printer.call({
      name: self.name.concat([description]),
      passed: !!value
    });
  };

  test = function (self, description, callback) {
    var context = { printer: self.printer };
    context.name = self.name.concat([description]);
    callback.call(context);
  };

})();

usage.js

  // Usage Example

  suite("contrived example", function () {
    test(this, "auto", function () {
      test(this, "car", function () {
        assert(this, "has engine", true);
        assert(this, "has 4 wheels", true);
        assert(this, "can accelerate", true);
        assert(this, "can stop", true);

        test(this, "yugo", function () {
          // async example
          var yugo = this;
          setTimeout(function () {
            assert(yugo, "is slow", true);
          }, 1000);

          assert(this, "is crappy", true);
        });

        test(this, "mustang", function () {
          assert(this, "is fast", true);
          assert(this, "is fun", true);
        });
      });

      test(this, "truck", function () {
        test(this, "f150", function () {
          assert(this, "can haul", true);
          assert(this, "can tow", true);
        });
      });
    });
  });

  // want different semantics?

  var group = suite;
  var describe = test;
  var verify = assert;

  // want to change the printed output?
  var minimalPrinter = function () {
    if (!this.passed) {
      console.log("FAIL: " + this.name.join(" "));
    }
  };

You don't need the .call() in javascript.

You can just do:

var a = function() { alert('blah'); }
a();

what about testing async stuff?

I did away with call on the outer closure, but need it in the other places as I'm using it to control the this context.

See it in action: http://jsfiddle.net/7nm8Lvrx/3/

Can you test things like asyncAdd?

function asyncAdd(x, y, resultFn) {
  setTimeout(function(){
    resultFn(x+y);
  }, 0);
}

asyncAdd(1, 2, function(result){
  console.log("1 + 2 is", result);
});

also assert is a built in function in nodejs