NAME
Test::Auto
ABSTRACT
Test Automation, Docs Generation
SYNOPSIS
#!/usr/bin/env perl
use Test::Auto;
use Test::More;
my $test = Test::Auto->new(
't/Test_Auto.t'
);
# automation
# my $subtests = $test->subtests->standard;
# ...
# done_testing;
DESCRIPTION
This package aims to provide, a standard for documenting Perl 5 software projects, a framework writing tests, test automation, and documentation generation.
REASONING
This framework lets you write documentation in test files using pod-like comment blocks. By using a particular set of comment blocks (the specification) this framework can run certain kinds of tests automatically. For example, we can automatically ensure that the package the test is associated with is loadable, that the test file comment blocks meet the specification, that any super-classes or libraries are loadable, and that the functions, methods, and routines are properly documented.
LIBRARIES
This package uses type constraints from:
SCENARIOS
This package supports the following scenarios:
exports
use Test::Auto;
use Test::More;
my $subtests = testauto 't/Test_Auto.t';
# automation
# $subtests->standard;
# ...
# done_testing;
This package automatically exports the testauto
function which uses the "current file" as the automated testing source.
ATTRIBUTES
This package has the following attributes:
data
data(Data)
This attribute is read-only, accepts (Data)
values, and is optional.
file
file(Str)
This attribute is read-only, accepts (Str)
values, and is required.
FUNCTIONS
This package implements the following functions:
testauto
testauto(Str $file) : Subtests
This function is exported automatically and returns a Test::Auto::Subtests object for the test file given.
METHODS
This package implements the following methods:
document
document() : Document
This method returns a Test::Auto::Document object.
parser
parser() : Parser
This method returns a Test::Auto::Parser object.
subtests
subtests() : Subtests
This method returns a Test::Auto::Subtests object.
SPECIFICATION
# [required]
=name
=abstract
=includes
=synopsis
=description
# [optional]
=libraries
=inherits
=integrates
=attributes
# [repeatable; optional]
=scenario $name
=example $name
# [repeatable; optional]
=method $name
=signature $name
=example-$number $name # [repeatable]
# [repeatable; optional]
=function $name
=signature $name
=example-$number $name # [repeatable]
# [repeatable; optional]
=routine $name
=signature $name
=example-$number $name # [repeatable]
# [repeatable; optional]
=type $name
=type-library $name
=type-composite $name # [optional]
=type-parent $name # [optional]
=type-coercion-$number $name # [optional]
=type-example-$number $name # [repeatable]
The specification is designed to accommodate typical package declarations. It is used by the parser to provide the content used in the test automation and document generation.
name
=name
Path::Find
=cut
The name
block should contain the package name. This is tested for loadability.
abstract
=abstract
Find Paths using Heuristics
=cut
The abstract
block should contain a subtitle describing the package. This is tested for existence.
includes
=includes
function: path
method: children
method: siblings
method: new
=cut
The includes
block should contain a list of function
, method
, and/or routine
names in the format of $type: $name
. Empty lines are ignored. This is tested for existence. Each function, method, and/or routine is tested to be documented properly. Also, the package must recognize that each exists.
synopsis
=synopsis
use Path::Find 'path';
my $path = path; # get path using cwd
=cut
The synopsis
block should contain the normative usage of the package. This is tested for existence. This block should be written in a way that allows it to be evaled successfully and should return a value.
description
=description
interdum posuere lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit duis
tristique sollicitudin nibh sit amet
=cut
The description
block should contain a thorough explanation of the purpose of the package. This is tested for existence.
libraries
=libraries
Types::Standard
Types::TypeTiny
=cut
The libraries
block should contain a list of packages, each of which is itself a Type::Library. These packages are tested for loadability, and to ensure they are type library classes.
inherits
=inherits
Path::Tiny
=cut
The inherits
block should contain a list of parent packages. These packages are tested for loadability.
integrates
=integrates
Path::Find::Upable
Path::Find::Downable
=cut
The integrates
block should contain a list of packages that are involved in the behavior of the main package. These packages are not automatically tested.
scenarios
=scenario export-path-make
quisque egestas diam in arcu cursus euismod quis viverra nibh
=example export-path-make
# given: synopsis
package main;
use Path::Find 'path_make';
path_make 'relpath/to/file';
=cut
There are situation where a package can be configured in different ways, especially where it exists without functions, methods or routines for the purpose of configuring the environment. The scenario directive can be used to automate testing and documenting package usages and configurations.Describing a scenario requires two blocks, i.e. scenario $name
and example $name
. The scenario
block should contain a description of the scenario and its purpose. The example
block must exist when documenting a method and should contain valid Perl code and return a value. The block may contain a "magic" comment in the form of given: synopsis
or given: example $name
which if present will include the given code example(s) with the evaluation of the current block. Each scenario is tested and must be recognized to exist by the main package.
attributes
=attributes
cwd: ro, req, Object
=cut
The attributes
block should contain a list of package attributes in the form of $name: $is, $presence, $type
, where $is
should be ro
(read-only) or rw
(read-wire), and $presence
should be req
(required) or opt
(optional), and $type
can be any valid Type::Tiny expression. Each attribute declaration must be recognized to exist by the main package and have a type which is recognized by one of the declared type libraries.
methods
=method children
quis viverra nibh cras pulvinar mattis nunc sed blandit libero volutpat
=signature children
children() : [Object]
=example-1 children
# given: synopsis
my $children = $path->children;
=example-2 children
# given: synopsis
my $filtered = $path->children(qr/lib/);
=cut
Describing a method requires at least three blocks, i.e. method $name
, signature $name
, and example-1 $name
. The method
block should contain a description of the method and its purpose. The signature
block should contain a method signature in the form of $signature : $return_type
, where $signature
is a valid typed signature and $return_type
is any valid Type::Tiny expression. The example-$number
block is a repeatable block, and at least one block must exist when documenting a method. The example-$number
block should contain valid Perl code and return a value. The block may contain a "magic" comment in the form of given: synopsis
or given: example-$number $name
which if present will include the given code example(s) with the evaluation of the current block. Each method is tested and must be recognized to exist by the main package.
functions
=function path
lectus quam id leo in vitae turpis massa sed elementum tempus egestas
=signature children
path() : Object
=example-1 path
package Test::Path::Find;
use Path::Find;
my $path = path;
=cut
Describing a function requires at least three blocks, i.e. function $name
, signature $name
, and example-1 $name
. The function
block should contain a description of the function and its purpose. The signature
block should contain a function signature in the form of $signature : $return_type
, where $signature
is a valid typed signature and $return_type
is any valid Type::Tiny expression. The example-$number
block is a repeatable block, and at least one block must exist when documenting a function. The example-$number
block should contain valid Perl code and return a value. The block may contain a "magic" comment in the form of given: synopsis
or given: example-$number $name
which if present will include the given code example(s) with the evaluation of the current block. Each function is tested and must be recognized to exist by the main package.
routines
=routine algorithms
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=signature algorithms
algorithms() : Object
=example-1 algorithms
# given: synopsis
$path->algorithms
=example-2 algorithms
package Test::Path::Find;
use Path::Find;
Path::Find->algorithms;
=cut
Typically, a Perl subroutine is declared as a function or a method. Rarely, but sometimes necessary, you will need to describe a subroutine where the invocant is either a class or class instance. Describing a routine requires at least three blocks, i.e. routine $name
, signature $name
, and example-1 $name
. The routine
block should contain a description of the routine and its purpose. The signature
block should contain a routine signature in the form of $signature : $return_type
, where $signature
is a valid typed signature and $return_type
is any valid Type::Tiny expression. The example-$number
block is a repeatable block, and at least one block must exist when documenting a routine. The example-$number
block should contain valid Perl code and return a value. The block may contain a "magic" comment in the form of given: synopsis
or given: example-$number $name
which if present will include the given code example(s) with the evaluation of the current block. Each routine is tested and must be recognized to exist by the main package.
types
=type Path
Path
=type-parent Path
Object
=type-library Path
Path::Types
=type-composite Path
InstanceOf["Path::Find"]
=type-coercion-1 Path
# can coerce from Str
'./path/to/file'
=type-example-1 Path
require Path::Find;
Path::Find::path('./path/to/file')
=cut
When developing Perl programs, or type libraries, that use Type::Tiny based type constraints, testing and documenting custom type constraints is often overlooked. Describing a custom type constraint requires at least two blocks, i.e. type $name
and type-library $name
. While it's not strictly required, it's a good idea to also include at least one type-example-1 $name
. The optional type-parent
block should contain the name of the parent type. The type-composite
block should contain a type expression that represents the derived type. The type-coercion-$number
block is a repeatable block which is used to validate type coercion. The type-coercion-$number
block should contain valid Perl code and return the value to be coerced. The type-example-$number
block is a repeatable block, and it's a good idea to have at least one block must exist when documenting a type. The type-example-$number
block should contain valid Perl code and return a value. Each type is tested and must be recognized to exist within the package specified by the type-library
block.
AUTOMATION
$test->standard;
This is the equivalent of writing:
$test->package;
$test->document;
$test->libraries;
$test->inherits;
$test->attributes;
$test->methods;
$test->routines;
$test->functions;
$test->types;
This framework provides a set of automated subtests based on the package specification, but not everything can be automated so it also provides you with powerful hooks into the framework for manual testing.
my $subtests = $test->subtests;
$subtests->synopsis(fun($tryable) {
ok my $result = $tryable->result, 'result ok';
$result; # for automated testing after the callback
});
The code examples documented can be automatically evaluated (evaled) and returned using a callback you provide for further testing. Because the code examples are returned as Data::Object::Try objects, this makes capturing and testing exceptions simple, for example:
my $subtests = $test->subtests;
$subtests->synopsis(fun($tryable) {
# catch exception thrown by the synopsis
$tryable->catch('Path::Find::Error', sub {
return $_[0];
});
# test the exception
ok my $result = $tryable->result, 'result ok';
ok $result->isa('Path::Find::Error'), 'exception caught';
$result;
});
Additionally, another manual testing hook (with some automation) is the example
method. This hook evaluates (evals) a given example and returns the result as a Data::Object::Try object. The first argument is the example ID (or number), for example:
my $subtests = $test->subtests;
$subtests->example(-1, 'children', 'method', fun($tryable) {
ok my $result = $tryable->result, 'result ok';
$result; # for automated testing after the callback
});
Finally, the lesser-used but useful manual testing hook is the scenario
method. This hook evaluates (evals) a documented scenario and returns the result as a Data::Object::Try object, for example:
my $subtests = $test->subtests;
$subtests->scenario('export-path-make', fun($tryable) {
ok my $result = $tryable->result, 'result ok';
$result; # for automated testing after the callback
});
The test automation and document generation enabled through this framework makes it easy to maintain source/test/documentation parity. This also increases reusability and reduces the need for complicated state and test setup.
AUTHOR
Al Newkirk, awncorp@cpan.org
LICENSE
Copyright (C) 2011-2019, Al Newkirk, et al.
This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the The Apache License, Version 2.0, as elucidated in the "license file".