Marcus
Prove - Write simple tests shorter
Prove is a little and experimental lib that provides the macros prove and batch to use in ExUnit.Case.
A prove is just helpful for elementary tests. Prove generates one test with one assert for every prove.
Example:
defmodule NumTest do
use ExUnit.Case
import Prove
defmodule Num do
def check(0), do: :zero
def check(x) when is_integer(x) do
case rem(x, 2) do
0 -> :even
1 -> :odd
end
end
def check(_), do: :error
end
describe "check/1" do
prove Num.check(0) == :zero
batch "returns :odd or :even" do
prove Num.check(1) == :odd
prove Num.check(2) == :even
prove "for big num", Num.check(2_000) == :even
end
batch "returns :error" do
prove Num.check("1") == :error
prove Num.check(nil) == :error
end
end
end
The example above generates the following tests:
$> mix test test/num_test.exs --trace --seed 0
NumTest [test/num_test.exs]
* prove check/1 (1) (0.00ms) [L#20]
* prove check/1 returns :odd or :even (1) (0.00ms) [L#23]
* prove check/1 returns :odd or :even (2) (0.00ms) [L#24]
* prove check/1 returns :odd or :even for big num (1) (0.00ms) [L#25]
* prove check/1 returns :error (1) (0.00ms) [L#29]
* prove check/1 returns :error (2) (0.00ms) [L#30]
Finished in 0.08 seconds (0.00s async, 0.08s sync)
6 proves, 0 failures
Randomized with seed 0
The benefit of prove is that tests with multiple asserts can be avoided.
The example above with regular tests:
...
describe "check/1" do
test "returns :zero" do
assert Num.check(0) == :zero
end
test "returns :odd or :even" do
assert Num.check(1) == :odd
assert Num.check(2) == :even
assert Num.check(2_000) == :even
end
test "returns :error" do
assert Num.check("1") == :error
assert Num.check(nil) == :error
end
end
...
$> mix test test/num_test.exs --trace --seed 0
NumTest [test/num_test.exs]
* test check/1 returns :zero (0.00ms) [L#36]
* test check/1 returns :odd or :even (0.00ms) [L#40]
* test check/1 returns :error (0.00ms) [L#46]
Finished in 0.03 seconds (0.00s async, 0.03s sync)
3 tests, 0 failures
Randomized with seed 0
You can find another example in datix.
The disadvantage of these macros is that the tests are containing fewer descriptions. For this reason and also if a prove looks too complicated, a regular test is to prefer.
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thojanssens1
When using batch/prove there’s no more value using prove rather than test/assert?
batch "returns :error" do
prove Num.check("1") == :error
prove Num.check(nil) == :error
end
test "returns :error" do
assert Num.check("1") == :error
assert Num.check(nil) == :error
end
You don’t save any code here while saving code is the purpose of prove, if I understood correctly. It’s a little weird, at least to have introduced batch. Or maybe I missed something.
Marcus
@thojanssens1 it works as @IloSophiep describes. But you’re right @thojanssens1, the documentation doesn’t explain it well and neither does my post. I will update the docs. @thojanssens1, @IloSophiep thanks for your posts.
IloSophiep
I think the advantage of prove in these situations is, that it converts each prove to its own test case.
In your example with test you end up with one test case and it has two asserts in it. You need to check on failure which assert failed and the ones after the failed one are not executed / evaluated while the first one fails.
The prove example though creates two test cases, each with one assert. Both test cases are independent and on failure you instantly know which assert / prove is the problem.
And then batch just allows one to group multiple proves so they all start with the same “prefix”, so you get a bit more context.
At least that’s how I understood everything.
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