Explain Mocha's testing framework - describe(), it() and before()/etc hooks

mocha-guide-to-testing.js

// # Mocha Guide to Testing
// Objective is to explain describe(), it(), and before()/etc hooks

// 1. `describe()` is merely for grouping, which you can nest as deep
// 2. `it()` is a test case
// 3. `before()`, `beforeEach()`, `after()`, `afterEach()` are hooks to run
// before/after first/each it() or describe().
//
// Which means, `before()` is run before first it()/describe()

// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

// should.js is the preferred assertion library
var should = require('should');

// **Only 1 test case (in a nameless test suite)**
it('birds should fly', function(){
  /** here.should.be.tested
    * However, as long as no error within a it(),
    * it() is considered PASSED */
})


// **Only 1 test case, but nested 3-level deep**

// describe() are:
// - commonly known as test suites, which contains test cases
// - merely groups, and you can have groups within groups
describe('galaxy', function(){
  describe('earth', function(){
    describe('singapre', function(){
      it('birds should fly', function(){ /** ... */ })
    })
  })
})


// **2 test cases in 1 test suite**

// A common scenario.
describe('singapre', function(){
  it('birds should fly', function(){ /** ... */ })
  it('horse should gallop', function(){ /** ... */ })
})


// **Run once before the first test case**
describe('singapre', function(){
  before(function(){
    console.log('see.. this function is run ONCE only')
  })
  it('birds should fly', function(){ /** ... */ })
  it('horse should gallop', function(){ /** ... */ })
})


// **Run once before each test case**
describe('singapre', function(){
  beforeEach(function(){
    console.log('see.. this function is run EACH time')
  })
  it('birds should fly', function(){ /** ... */ })
  it('horse should gallop', function(){ /** ... */ })
})

// **2 test suites in a big test suite**

// A common scenario.
describe('earth', function(){
  describe('singapre', function(){
    it('birds should fly', function(){ /** ... */ })
  })
  describe('malaysia', function(){
    it('birds should soar', function(){ /** ... */ })
  })
})


// **before() can be applied to describe() too**
describe('earth', function(){
  before(function(){
    console.log('see.. this function is run ONCE only, before first describe()')
  })
  describe('singapre', function(){
    it('birds should fly', function(){ /** ... */ })
  })
  describe('malaysia', function(){
    it('birds should soar', function(){ /** ... */ })
  })
})


// **beforeEach() can be applied to describe() too**
describe('earth', function(){
  beforeEach(function(){
    console.log('see.. this function is run EACH time, before each describe()')
  })
  describe('singapre', function(){
    it('birds should fly', function(){ /** ... */ })
  })
  describe('malaysia', function(){
    it('birds should soar', function(){ /** ... */ })
  })
})

Thanks!

great guide

I have often wondered about the name "it". I tried to find out why, but "it" is not a good search term. Finally, a friend pointed out that the first argument to 'it' was meant to complete a sentence starting with "it". Like the following:

describe('some module', function() {
it('should fail gracefully on invalid input', function() {
.
.
.
});
});

So, the test suite is testing (or, I guess, describing) "some module" and "it should fail gracefully on invalid input".

I'm not sure I like this tendency to use natural language in code, but at least I understand the word "it" now.

What I would really like to know is which testing library started this.

What if we had,

describe('earth', function(){
    beforeEach(function(){
        console.log('see.. this function is run EACH time, before each describe()')
    })
    describe('singapore', function(){
        /** ... */
    })
    describe('malaysia', function(){
        it('birds should soar', function(){ /** ... */ })
        it('birds should eat', function(){ /** ... */ })
    })
})

And I want the beforeEach function to run for every describe & it block

Really useful :)

This is a bit misleading. All hooks are run only respective to test specs (it() blocks). You can't execute hooks in respect to describe() blocks.

Which means, before() is run before first it()/describe()

Nothing runs before describe (except prior describes and code outside of callbacks). Mocha first runs all the describes to find out what all your tests and hooks are, then runs all your hooks and tests after it is done with all the describes and has found all of the tests and hooks. While it seems irrelevant in trivial cases, this is in fact important for several reasons, including variable lifetime/scope and the fact that you cannot add tests or hooks in a test or hook and reliably have Mocha do what you expect.

It would, however, be accurate to say that before runs before the first it in a given describe, as opposed to beforeEach (which in contrast runs again before every it). (In the case of before/beforeEach outside any describe, you have to imagine that all the test files together are implicitly inside one big invisible describe -- Mocha actually handles stuff like hooks outside of describe blocks using something like that.)

@ScottFreeCode thanks a lot for clear explanation!

This guide is really good, thank you very much

@samwize thanks , really helpful

Thanks 👍

Very helpful, Thanks.

Thanks a lot for taking time and writing this, it was really helpful.

@ScottFreeCode: That explains some interesting behavior that I have noticed and explains why I have been barking up the wrong tree in trying to solve a timing issue with a hook.

Nice

Nice information, Thanks :)

I know this is kinda old but I was wondering if there is way to have a before-hook before the second(third, etc) it. On the first it I'm testing for an empty result (HTTP 204) on the second it I want to have some data in the database. How would that work?

I have often wondered about the name "it". I tried to find out why, but "it" is not a good search term. Finally, a friend pointed out that the first argument to 'it' was meant to complete a sentence starting with "it". Like the following:

describe('some module', function() {
it('should fail gracefully on invalid input', function() {
.
.
.
});
});

So, the test suite is testing (or, I guess, describing) "some module" and "it should fail gracefully on invalid input".

I'm not sure I like this tendency to use natural language in code, but at least I understand the word "it" now.

What I would really like to know is which testing library started this.

I agree with your opinion.

it is really a good guide, helps a lot.Thanks!

I have often wondered about the name "it". I tried to find out why, but "it" is not a good search term. Finally, a friend pointed out that the first argument to 'it' was meant to complete a sentence starting with "it". Like the following:

describe('some module', function() {
it('should fail gracefully on invalid input', function() {
.
.
.
});
});

So, the test suite is testing (or, I guess, describing) "some module" and "it should fail gracefully on invalid input".

I'm not sure I like this tendency to use natural language in code, but at least I understand the word "it" now.

What I would really like to know is which testing library started this.

When I first encountered it I wasn't much of a fan either, but it can be really helpful when you get to reporting about your test results. Especially if you go all the way. I try to name tests so that not only does the name itself make a complete sentence (it( 'should do the thing' )) but when combined with it's parent describe blocks it should still make a complete and logical sentence that explains exactly what is being tested:

describe( 'The widget', () => {
  describe( 'when called synchronously', () => {
    it( 'should do the thing' );
  } );
  describe( 'when called asynchronously', () => {
    it( 'should do the thing' );
  } );
} );

That way, when you are generating reports, or lists of failing tests, your reporter can just concatenate the names, and they still show exactly what is being tested (in a way that even Project Managers can understand):

The widget when called synchronously should do the thing   : PASS
The widget when called asynchronously should do the thing  : FAIL

perfect bro...it's clear

I agree with @SergeyKhval

This is a bit misleading. All hooks are run only respective to test specs (it() blocks). You can't execute hooks in respect to describe() blocks.

describe('all', function(){
  beforeEach(function(){
    console.log('beforeEach()')
  })
  describe('a', function(){
    it('a1', function(){
      console.log('a1\n')
    })
  })
  describe('b', function(){
    it('b1', function(){
      console.log('b1\n')
    })
    it('b2', function(){
      console.log('b2\n')
    })

    describe('c', function(){
      it('c1', function(){
        console.log('c1\n')
      })
      it('c2', function(){
        console.log('c2\n')
      })
    })
  })
})

Output:

beforeEach()
a1
beforeEach()
b1
beforeEach()
b2
beforeEach()
c1
beforeEach()
c2

So, not before each "describe" as the author said, but before each "it", i.e. before each test.

Mocha offers a synonymous function for describe() which is called context(). It helps to keep an overview over the set of tests especially when nesting describes(). Instead you could write:

describe('feature', () => {

context('when not present', () => {
  it('throws an error', () => {

[...]

Mocha offers a synonymous function for describe() which is called context(). It helps to keep an overview over the set of tests especially when nesting describes(). Instead you could write:

describe('feature', () => {

context('when not present', () => {
  it('throws an error', () => {

[...]

https://mochajs.org/#bdd

I know this is kinda old but I was wondering if there is way to have a before-hook before the second(third, etc) it. On the first it I'm testing for an empty result (HTTP 204) on the second it I want to have some data in the database. How would that work?

You should divide that over 2 describe or context clauses, since you are testing two very different situations. This is exactly what the structure is supposed to point out to you by making it 'not fit' the way you're trying to write it now.

What this is not telling me is the scope of variables created in say the before() or describe() functions.
What I want to do is:

1. create an object
2. mess with it
3. check its state
4. mess with it some more
5. check its state
   etc.

@sanfordstaab there's nothing magic going on with variable scoping, normal JavaScript rules apply. If you create variable in an outer scope, you can modify it in an inner scope then access it in a sibling scope.

Ah, yes, I eventually figured that out but what I noticed is that each it() and apparently describe() is called sequentially by mocha in an apparently asynchronous fashion, which I imagine is necessary to support async tests. Things happen in order but the flow is not linear.
Anyway, I am now wondering how to do UI testing that requires user verification and interaction - like mouse clicks on rendered HTML. I am researching that now and considering using alert() or confirm() messages to do that. Any suggestions are welcome and thanks for your examples here!

Hi, I am new to mocha, may I know if I could put 'describe' in 'it'? Something like below:

let data: string[]

before('prepare data', ()=> {
	return new Promise((resolve: any) => {
		setTimeout(()=> {
			data = ['a', 'b'];
			resolve();
		}, 500)
	});
});

it("test", function () {
	describe("data", function () {
		data?.forEach((m) => {
			it(`${m}`, function () {
				assert(m, 'not empty');
			});
		})
	})
});