Test Framework setup

In this blog we will talk about setting up a Test framework.Unit test case helps the application in many ways.For eg in finding Bugs, detecting regression, designing Software Components.

For a desktop based swing application we are pretty much clear on the classes and methods which will need to be added in the test cases.

In a multi tiered J2EE application the question comes is should we write a test case for each layer (Service/ Business /DAO layer) of the application separately?

The answer is ‘YES’ (full proof over engineering) and partly ‘NO’. We will need to write test cases for Service layer and DAO layer separately. We can test the DB system testing by writing test cases for DAO Layer. Similarly we can test the functional behaviour by writing test cases for service layer. A Business layer  is being accessed only by the services layer then we do not need to write a test case for the business layer since service layer is the only consume for which a Test case might have been already defined.

What all options we have, to set up a Testing framework?

Strategies we can go with are

• Create a Test specific DAO spring configuration
• Use different database for executing the Tests cases.
• Use in memory database for eg you can use HSQL DB.
• Write Test specific DAO implementation class: Let’s write a DAO implementation class
• Simplify testing environment by providing empty proxies instead of complex logical units. In other words replace all collaborators with mocks

 OK Now my Testing framework is UP. 

 Do we need to write test cases for all the(non private) method?

No.Test only the core functionality of a class or a method.Or all the methods which we can think of a logical or system operation.

Fine. I have my Testing framework. I have identified the behaviors and methods for which Test case need to be added. what all thing we need to keep in our mind while writing Junit Test cases?

• Write one test-condition per test method
•  When testing output of Collections (List, Set) test for Null and Emptiness
•  Use java reflections for adding new methods into test suites
•  Compare the objects after performing an operation
• Test the exceptions
•  Group logical test cases into test suites
• Check for order of execution of test cases
•  Always include a message to assertion
• Write test cases for each condition
• Write each test case to test only one thing
• The more are the number of test cases the more will get the test coverage
• Make each Test process independent to each others
• Avoid unnecessary preconditions
• Name your unit tests clearly and consistently
• Avoid the use of context with specific setup

That sounds good.We are done with the Unit test cases.After going through couple of testings(Smoke and Sanity) we will be in good shape to move into the Production.