From af637bfe5edaefb72bd33e513712b131921dceb1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Julio Biason Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2019 11:32:17 -0300 Subject: [PATCH] Tests for APIs chapter --- content/books/things-i-learnt/_index.md | 1 + .../integration-tests/index.md | 2 +- .../books/things-i-learnt/tests-apis/index.md | 45 +++++++++++++++++++ 3 files changed, 47 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) create mode 100644 content/books/things-i-learnt/tests-apis/index.md diff --git a/content/books/things-i-learnt/_index.md b/content/books/things-i-learnt/_index.md index 2b90585..9c0d13a 100644 --- a/content/books/things-i-learnt/_index.md +++ b/content/books/things-i-learnt/_index.md @@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ template = "section-contentless.html" * [Write Steps as Comments](steps-as-comments) * [Gherkin Is Your Friend to Understand Expectations](gherkin) * [Unit Tests Are Good, Integration Tests Are Gooder](integration-tests) + * [Tests Make Better APIs](tests-apis) diff --git a/content/books/things-i-learnt/integration-tests/index.md b/content/books/things-i-learnt/integration-tests/index.md index 3d65867..77c5b50 100644 --- a/content/books/things-i-learnt/integration-tests/index.md +++ b/content/books/things-i-learnt/integration-tests/index.md @@ -66,4 +66,4 @@ parts. [^1]: There is no "unit" in "unit tests". "Unit test" means the test _is_ a unit, indivisible and dependent only on itself. -{{ chapters(prev_chapter_link="/books/things-i-learnt/gherkin", prev_chapter_title="Gherkin Is Your Friend to Understand Expectations") }} +{{ chapters(prev_chapter_link="/books/things-i-learnt/gherkin", prev_chapter_title="Gherkin Is Your Friend to Understand Expectations", next_chapter_title="Tests Make Better APIs", next_chapter_link="/books/things-i-learnt/tests-apis") }} diff --git a/content/books/things-i-learnt/tests-apis/index.md b/content/books/things-i-learnt/tests-apis/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fba4979 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/books/things-i-learnt/tests-apis/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,45 @@ ++++ +title = "Things I Learnt The Hard Way - Tests Make Better APIs" +date = 2019-06-19 + +[taxonomies] +tags = ["en-au", "book", "things i learnt", "unit tests", "layers", "apis"] ++++ + +Testing things in isolation may give a better view of your APIs. + + + +When I spoke about [integration +tests](/books/things-i-learnt/integration-tests) you may end up with the +impression that I don't like unit tests[^1]. + +Actually, I think they provide some good intrinsic values. + +For example, as mentioned before, they can provide a better look at the +adherence to the design. + +But, at the same time, they give a better view of your internal -- and even +external -- APIs. + +For example, you're writing the tests for the view layer -- 'cause, you know, +we write everything in layers; layers on top of layers -- and you're noticing +that you have to keep a lot of data (state) around to be able to make the +calls to the controller. That's a sign that you may have to take a better look +at the controller API. + +Not only that, but take, for example, the fact that you're working on a +library -- which will be called by someone else -- and you're writing tests +for the most external layer, the layer that will be exposed by the library. +And, again, you're noticing that you have to keep a lot of context around, +lots of variables, variables coming from different places and similar calls +using parameters in different ways. Your tests will look like a mess, don't +they? That's because the API _is_ a mess. + +Unit testing your layers makes you the _user_ of that layer API, and then you +can see how much one would suffer -- or, hopefully, enjoy -- using that. + +[^1]: Again, let's ignore for a second that there are no "unit" in "unit + tests"... + +{{ chapters(prev_chapter_link="/books/things-i-learnt/integration-tests", prev_chapter_title="Unit Tests Are Good, Integration Tests Are Gooder") }}