Boost C++ Libraries

libs/test/doc/test_organization/test_organization.qbk

[/
 / Copyright (c) 2003 Boost.Test contributors 
 /
 / Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
 / file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
 /]

[section:tests_organization Declaring and organizing tests]

If you look at many legacy test modules, big chance is that it's implemented as one big test function that
consists of a mixture of check and output statements. Is there anything wrong with it? Yes. There are various
disadvantages in single test function approach:

* One big function tends to become really difficult to manage if the number of checks exceeds a reasonable limit
  (true for any large function). What is tested and where - who knows?
* Many checks require similar preparations. This results in code repetitions within the test function.
* If a fatal error or an exception is caused by any checks within the test function the rest of tests are
  skipped and there is no way to prevent this.
* No way to perform only checks for a particular subsystem of the tested unit.
* No summary of how different subsystems of the tested unit performed under in the test.

The above points should make it clear that it's preferable to split a [link ref_test_module test module] into smaller *units*.
These units are the *test cases*, the *test suites* and the *fixtures*.

[variablelist Subjects covered by this section
  [
    [Declaration]
    [The __UTF__ supports several methods for declaring a [link boost_test.tests_organization.test_cases test case].
    Test cases can be implemented using free function like syntax or based on actual free function, function object,
    that can be defined with or without parameters/data, or as template functions to be run against various types. ]
  ]
  [
    [Organization]
    [The __UTF__ provides facilities to group several test cases into [link boost_test.tests_organization.test_suite test suites].
    The test suites can be nested, and the set of test suites and test cases defines the /test tree/, where the leaves are the test cases.
    Besides hierarchical structure the __UTF__ allows you to organize the test tree using /logical grouping/ and /dependencies/
    and provides you with controls to utilize the defined test tree organization the way you want.
    ]
  ]
  [
    [Attributes]
    [It is possible to specify test unit /attributes/ by using [link boost_test.tests_organization.decorators decorators].
     Attributes are used for a fine grained control over various aspects of test module execution, such as /logical grouping/,
    /dependencies/, /expected failures/, etc.]
  ]
  [
    [Setup/teardown test unit actions]
    [When several tests shares the same set-up (environment, test data preparation, etc.), the preparation and cleanup code
     may be factorized in [link boost_test.tests_organization.fixtures fixtures].
     In the __UTF__, fixtures can be associated to test cases, test suites or globally to the test module.
    ]
  ]
]

[include test_cases.qbk]
[include test_suites.qbk]
[include test_naming.qbk]
[include decorators.qbk]
[include fixtures.qbk]
[include managing_tests_dependencies.qbk]
[include logical_grouping.qbk]
[include test_enabling_disabling.qbk]
[include semantic.qbk]
[include testorg_summary.qbk]


[endsect] [/ test organization]

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