@taromero/latte

Latte

What

Testing framework to run mocha-esque specs on Meteor apps., without the need of using Velocity.

Motivation

The aim of this project is to provide a minimal library to just run specs mocha-style, upon running a command.

How to use

1. npm install latte. For how to install it as a devDependency check below.
2. npm install chai. Latte needs an assertion library, and I've been using ChaiJS.
3. Write a spec anywhere in a server directory.
4. Somewhere in the code (before loading the test files):

  const latte = require('latte')
  Meteor.startup(() => latte.test())

5. On the command line, run: NODE_ENV=test LATTE_MODE=run meteor --once.

For examples, check sample-app/.

How to install as devDependencies

Meteor filters devDependencies when building, for either production or development modes, so using latte (and eventually chai) as npm devDependencies requires a workaround, by running the test command instead of the run one:

NODE_ENV=test LATTE_MODE=run meteor test --once --driver-package meteor-base

test makes it mandatory to set a Meteor package as a the --driver-package param. Right now it seems you can use meteor-base (or other package declared at .meteor/packages). This is just a workaround, as setting a random package on this parameter doesn't seem to have other effect than preventing the test command from failing.

Workflow

Development (watch-mode)

1. Run NODE_ENV=test LATTE_MODE=watch meteor.
2. Write your specs. You'll likely want to use ddescribe to only run that test until you get it right.
3. Watch the tests run. If you are using Meteor v1.5+ the code reload should be fast.
4. Fix your code or tests until they are ok.

CI (single-run-mode)

1. Write your specs.
2. Run NODE_ENV=test LATTE_MODE=run meteor --once.
3. Watch test report.
4. Check the exit code to mark the build state.

Highlights

• It runs inside Meteor's context (any variable that is available when running the app is available on the tests).
• It connects to a separate DB from development's one (though on the same Mongo server). You can specify which DB to use by setting T.testingDbName. The default is meteor_latte. And switches back to develop's db after running tests.
• It cleans up the database upon start, and after running each describe block. So the DB state is clean for each test block.
• Simple (yet nice?) console based report.

Run selected tests

2 selection options:

• ddescribe. This can only be used on unnested describe blocks at the moment.
• iit. This can be used on any it block.

Also, you can select specific/s suites from the command line. To do so, you must put a label for the suites you want to include/exclude. Usage example:

describe('a suite name', function() { ... })

From the command line:

• run only a list a suites: NODE_ENV=test LATTE_MODE=run LATTE_SUITES='["a suite name"]' meteor --once.
• run all but a list a suites: NODE_ENV=test LATTE_MODE=run LATTE_SUITES='["~a suite name"]' meteor --once.

Gotchas

• afterEach must be declared before it blocks in each describe or context block.
• Cannot run assertions inside before or after blocks.
• Initially designed to work only on server side.
• If the internet connection is flaky, it might take some seconds to end the Meteor process (this is due to some Meteor's internals).

Original motivation

https://slides.com/canotto90/deck