RSpec Essentials

Book Description:

with the key concepts of the unit and testability, followed by hands-on exploration of key features. From the beginning, we learn how to integrate tests into the overall development process to help create high-quality code, avoiding the dangers of testing for its own sake.

We build up sample applications and their corresponding tests step by step, from simple beginnings to more sophisticated versions that include databases and external web services. We devote three chapters to web applications with rich JavaScript user interfaces, building one from the ground up using behavior-driven development (BDD) and test-driven development (TDD).

The code examples are detailed enough to be realistic while simple enough to be easily understood. Testing concepts, development methodologies, and engineering tradeoffs are discussed in detail as they arise. This approach is designed to foster the reader’s ability to make well-informed decisions on their own.

What you will learn

• Identify a unit of software for the purposes of testing
• Manage test states with hooks, fixtures, and mocks
• Handle external web services in tests using various techniques
• Configure RSpec flexibly and cleanly using support code and environment variables
• Interact with rich web apps in tests using Capybara
• Build the right feature with behavior-driven development
• Customize matchers and failure messages
• Verify correct development and production environments