spooks

spooks.js

Easily create JavaScript unit test spies and mock objects.

• Installation
• Usage
  • Loading the library
  • Calling the exported functions
    • spooks.fn (options)
      • Example
    • spooks.obj (options)
      • Example
    • spooks.ctor (options)
      • Example
    • spooks.mode (mode)
• Development
  • Dependencies
  • Unit tests
• License

Installation

If you're using npm:

npm install spooks

Or if you just want the git repo:

git clone [e-mail]:philbooth/spooks.js.git

If you're into other package managers, it is also available from Bower, Component and Jam.

Usage

Loading the library

If you are running in Node.js, Browserify or another CommonJS-style environment, you can require spooks like so:

var spooks = require('spooks');

It also the supports the AMD-style format preferred by Require.js.

If you are including spooks.js with an HTML <script> tag, or neither of the above environments are detected, it will export the interface globally as spooks.

Calling the exported functions

Four functions are exported: spooks.fn, spooks.obj, spooks.ctor and spooks.mode.

spooks.fn (options)

Returns a spy function, based on the properties of the options argument:

• options.name must be a string identifying the function, to be used when fetching the count of, arguments to or context for calls to the returned spy function. Normally you want this to match the actual name of the function, although it doesn't have to (for example, you may need to avoid name clashes with other properties on the log object).

• options.log must be an object that will be used to store the count of calls made to the spy, any arguments passed to it and the this context for each call. These are stored on the counts[name], args[name] and these[name] properties of log respectively.

• options.chain is an optional boolean which can be used to indicate that the returned spy function should support chaining (i.e. return it's own this when invoked).

• options.results is an optional array of values to be returned by the spy function. The arrays are iterated through repeatedly, allowing different values to be returned with each successive call. Result values may also be updated dynamically, after the spy has been created. It is ignored if chain is true.

• options.callback is an optional funcion that will called when the spy function is invoked. This is especially useful when testing asynchronous code.

Example

// Create the spy function.
var log = {}, originalSetTimeout = setTimeout;
setTimeout = spooks.fn({
    name: 'setTimeout',
    log: log
});
 
// Perform some test setup.
...
 
// Assert that the spy was called as expected.
assert.strictEqual(log.counts.setTimeout, 1);
assert.lengthOf(log.args.setTimeout[0], 2);
assert.isFunction(log.args.setTimeout[0][0]);
assert.strictEqual(log.args.setTimeout[0][1], 1000);
 
// Reinstate the original function.
setTimeout = originalSetTimeout;

spooks.obj (options)

Returns a mock object, containing spy methods based on the properties of the options argument:

• options.archetype must be an object that will be used as a template on which to base the mock object. Properties from this object will be mocked.

• options.mode is an optional mode constant, as returned by the function spooks.mode, that indicates precisely which properties from the archetype should be mocked. See the documentation for spooks.mode, for more information about modes.

• options.log must be an object that will be used to store counts of spy method calls, any arguments passed to those methods and the this context for each call, on the counts, args and these properties respectively.

• options.spook is an optional object that can be used as a base mock, to be augmented with spy methods. If it is not specified, a fresh mock will be returned instead.

• options.chains is an optional object containing boolean flags that indicate whether spy methods should support chaining. The flags are keyed by method name.

• options.results is an optional object containing containing arrays of result values that will be returned from spy methods. The arrays are keyed by method name and may be updated dynamically, after the mock object has been created.

• options.callbacks is an optional object containing functions that will be called when the spy methods are invoked. This is especially useful when testing asynchronous code.

Example

// Create the mock object.
var log = {},
el1 = spooks.obj({
    archetype: jQuery('body'),
    log: log
}),
el2 = spooks.obj({
    archetype: el1,
    log: log
});
$ = spooks.fn({
    name: 'jQuery',
    log: log,
    results: [ el1, el2 ]
});
spooks.obj({
    archetype: jQuery,
    log: log,
    spook: $
});
 
// Perform some test setup.
...
 
// Assert that the spies were called as expected.
assert.strictEqual(log.counts.jQuery, 2);
assert.strictEqual(log.counts.hide, 2);
assert.strictEqual(log.these.hide[0], el1);
assert.strictEqual(log.these.hide[1], el2);
assert.strictEqual(log.counts.ajax, 1);
assert.strictEqual(log.these.ajax[0], $);
assert.lengthOf(log.args.ajax[0], 2);
assert.strictEqual(log.args.ajax[0][0], '/users/1.json');
assert.isObject(log.args.ajax[0][1]);
 
// Reinstate the original object.
$ = jQuery;

spooks.ctor (options)

Returns a spy constructor, which itself returns mock instances that contain spy methods based on the properties of the options argument:

• options.name must be a string identifying the constructor, to be used when fetching the count of, arguments to or context for calls to the returned spy constructor. You probably want this to match the actual name of the constructor, although it doesn't have to (for example, you may need to avoid name clashes with other properties on the log object).

• options.log must be an object that will be used to store the count of calls made to the constructor and the methods on objects it constructs, any arguments passed in those calls and the this context for them. These are stored on the counts[name], args[name] and these[name] properties of log respectively.

• options.archetype must be an object containing properties that define how to construct the mock instances that will be returned by the constructor. It must have either the property instance, an object that will be used as the template for mock instances, or the property ctor, a function that returns the template (usually this would be the original constructor that is being mocked). If ctor is specified, the array property args may also be set to specify any arguments which must be passed to that function.

• options.mode is an optional mode constant, as returned by the function spooks.mode, that indicates precisely which properties from the archetype should be mocked. See the documentation for spooks.mode, for more information about modes.

• options.chains is an optional object containing boolean flags that indicate whether spy methods of the mock instances should support chaining. The flags are keyed by method name.

• options.results is an optional object containing containing arrays of result values that will be returned from spy methods of the mock instances. The arrays are keyed by method name and may be updated dynamically, after the mock object has been created.

• options.callbacks is an optional object containing functions that will be called when the spy methods of the mock instances are invoked. This is especially useful when testing asynchronous code.

Example

// Create the spy constructor.
var log = {}, originalTask = Task;
Task = spooks.ctor({
    name: 'Task',
    log: log,
    archetype: {
        ctor: Task
    },
    results:
        isDone: [ false ]
    }
});
 
// Perform some test setup.
...
 
// Assert that the spies were called as expected.
assert.strictEqual(log.counts.Task, 1);
assert.lengthOf(log.args.Task[0], 0);
assert.strictEqual(log.counts.isDone, 1);
 
// Reinstate the original object.
Task = originalTask;

spooks.mode (modes)

Returns a mode constant that can be used to modify the mocking behaviour of other functions in the library.

The default mode, assumed by every function in the absence of these constants, is to mock only the archetype's own function properties. That is to say, any properties of the archetype which are not functions or are inherited from the archetype's prototype chain will not be mocked.

modes must be a string containing a mode or comma-separated list of desired modes, combined in any order. Valid modes are 'wide', 'deep' and 'heavy':

• wide indicates that mock objects will be assigned copies of the archetype's value properties (strings, numbers, booleans) in addition to its functions.

• deep indicates that mock objects will be given a deep-cloned copy of any object properties on the archetype.

• heavy indicates that mock objects will be given copies of properties from the archetype's prototype chain.

All combinations of these modes are valid. Any modes not recognised will cause an exception to be thrown.

Development

Dependencies

The build environment relies on Node.js, JSHint, Mocha, Chai and UglifyJS. Assuming that you already have Node.js and NPM set up, you just need to run npm install to install all of the dependencies as listed in package.json.

Unit tests

The unit tests are in test/spooks.js. You can run them with the command npm test. To run the tests inside a web browser, open test/spooks.html.

License

MIT