Take a look at-Driving HTML Templates


After a decade or extra the place Single-Web page-Functions generated by
JavaScript frameworks have
change into the norm
, we see that server-side rendered HTML is changing into
common once more, additionally due to libraries resembling HTMX or Turbo. Writing a wealthy net UI in a
historically server-side language like Go or Java is not simply potential,
however a really engaging proposition.

We then face the issue of write automated assessments for the HTML
components of our net purposes. Whereas the JavaScript world has advanced highly effective and subtle methods to check the UI,
ranging in measurement from unit-level to integration to end-to-end, in different
languages we don’t have such a richness of instruments accessible.

When writing an online software in Go or Java, HTML is often generated
by way of templates, which comprise small fragments of logic. It’s definitely
potential to check them not directly by way of end-to-end assessments, however these assessments
are gradual and costly.

We will as a substitute write unit assessments that use CSS selectors to probe the
presence and proper content material of particular HTML parts inside a doc.
Parameterizing these assessments makes it simple so as to add new assessments and to obviously
point out what particulars every check is verifying. This method works with any
language that has entry to an HTML parsing library that helps CSS
selectors; examples are offered in Go and Java.

Degree 1: checking for sound HTML

The primary factor we wish to examine is that the HTML we produce is
mainly sound. I do not imply to examine that HTML is legitimate in accordance with the
W3C; it will be cool to do it, however it’s higher to begin with a lot easier and quicker checks.
As an example, we wish our assessments to
break if the template generates one thing like

<div>foo</p>

Let’s examine do it in phases: we begin with the next check that
tries to compile the template. In Go we use the usual html/template package deal.

Go

  func Test_wellFormedHtml(t *testing.T) {
    templ := template.Should(template.ParseFiles("index.tmpl"))
    _ = templ
  }

In Java, we use jmustache
as a result of it is quite simple to make use of; Freemarker or
Velocity are different widespread selections.

Java

  @Take a look at
  void indexIsSoundHtml() {
      var template = Mustache.compiler().compile(
              new InputStreamReader(
                      getClass().getResourceAsStream("/index.tmpl")));
  }

If we run this check, it can fail, as a result of the index.tmpl file does
not exist. So we create it, with the above damaged HTML. Now the check ought to cross.

Then we create a mannequin for the template to make use of. The appliance manages a todo-list, and
we will create a minimal mannequin for demonstration functions.

Go

  func Test_wellFormedHtml(t *testing.T) {
    templ := template.Should(template.ParseFiles("index.tmpl"))
    mannequin := todo.NewList()
    _ = templ
    _ = mannequin
  }

Java

  @Take a look at
  void indexIsSoundHtml() {
      var template = Mustache.compiler().compile(
              new InputStreamReader(
                      getClass().getResourceAsStream("/index.tmpl")));
      var mannequin = new TodoList();
  }

Now we render the template, saving the ends in a bytes buffer (Go) or as a String (Java).

Go

  func Test_wellFormedHtml(t *testing.T) {
    templ := template.Should(template.ParseFiles("index.tmpl"))
    mannequin := todo.NewList()
    var buf bytes.Buffer
    err := templ.Execute(&buf, mannequin)
    if err != nil {
      panic(err)
    }
  }

Java

  @Take a look at
  void indexIsSoundHtml() {
      var template = Mustache.compiler().compile(
              new InputStreamReader(
                      getClass().getResourceAsStream("/index.tmpl")));
      var mannequin = new TodoList();
  
      var html = template.execute(mannequin);
  }

At this level, we wish to parse the HTML and we count on to see an
error, as a result of in our damaged HTML there’s a div aspect that
is closed by a p aspect. There may be an HTML parser within the Go
commonplace library, however it’s too lenient: if we run it on our damaged HTML, we do not get an
error. Fortunately, the Go commonplace library additionally has an XML parser that may be
configured to parse HTML (due to this Stack Overflow reply)

Go

  func Test_wellFormedHtml(t *testing.T) {
    templ := template.Should(template.ParseFiles("index.tmpl"))
    mannequin := todo.NewList()
    
    // render the template right into a buffer
    var buf bytes.Buffer
    err := templ.Execute(&buf, mannequin)
    if err != nil {
      panic(err)
    }
  
    // examine that the template may be parsed as (lenient) XML
    decoder := xml.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(buf.Bytes()))
    decoder.Strict = false
    decoder.AutoClose = xml.HTMLAutoClose
    decoder.Entity = xml.HTMLEntity
    for {
      _, err := decoder.Token()
      swap err {
      case io.EOF:
        return // We're executed, it is legitimate!
      case nil:
        // do nothing
      default:
        t.Fatalf("Error parsing html: %s", err)
      }
    }
  }

supply

This code configures the HTML parser to have the fitting degree of leniency
for HTML, after which parses the HTML token by token. Certainly, we see the error
message we wished:

--- FAIL: Test_wellFormedHtml (0.00s)
    index_template_test.go:61: Error parsing html: XML syntax error on line 4: sudden finish aspect </p>

In Java, a flexible library to make use of is jsoup:

Java

  @Take a look at
  void indexIsSoundHtml() {
      var template = Mustache.compiler().compile(
              new InputStreamReader(
                      getClass().getResourceAsStream("/index.tmpl")));
      var mannequin = new TodoList();
  
      var html = template.execute(mannequin);
  
      var parser = Parser.htmlParser().setTrackErrors(10);
      Jsoup.parse(html, "", parser);
      assertThat(parser.getErrors()).isEmpty();
  }

supply

And we see it fail:

java.lang.AssertionError: 
Anticipating empty however was:<[<1:13>: Unexpected EndTag token [</p>] when in state [InBody],

Success! Now if we copy over the contents of the TodoMVC
template
to our index.tmpl file, the check passes.

The check, nevertheless, is just too verbose: we extract two helper capabilities, in
order to make the intention of the check clearer, and we get

Go

  func Test_wellFormedHtml(t *testing.T) {
    mannequin := todo.NewList()
  
    buf := renderTemplate("index.tmpl", mannequin)
  
    assertWellFormedHtml(t, buf)
  }

supply

Java

  @Take a look at
  void indexIsSoundHtml() {
      var mannequin = new TodoList();
  
      var html = renderTemplate("/index.tmpl", mannequin);
  
      assertSoundHtml(html);
  }

supply

Degree 2: testing HTML construction

What else ought to we check?

We all know that the appears of a web page can solely be examined, finally, by a
human how it’s rendered in a browser. Nevertheless, there may be typically
logic in templates, and we wish to have the ability to check that logic.

One is perhaps tempted to check the rendered HTML with string equality,
however this system fails in follow, as a result of templates comprise numerous
particulars that make string equality assertions impractical. The assertions
change into very verbose, and when studying the assertion, it turns into tough
to grasp what it’s that we’re attempting to show.

What we’d like
is a way to claim that some components of the rendered HTML
correspond to what we count on, and to ignore all the main points we do not
care about.
A technique to do that is by operating queries with the CSS selector language:
it’s a highly effective language that permits us to pick out the
parts that we care about from the entire HTML doc. As soon as we’ve
chosen these parts, we (1) rely that the variety of aspect returned
is what we count on, and (2) that they comprise the textual content or different content material
that we count on.

The UI that we’re presupposed to generate appears like this:

There are a number of particulars which can be rendered dynamically:

  1. The variety of gadgets and their textual content content material change, clearly
  2. The model of the todo-item adjustments when it is accomplished (e.g., the
    second)
  3. The “2 gadgets left” textual content will change with the variety of non-completed
    gadgets
  4. One of many three buttons “All”, “Lively”, “Accomplished” will likely be
    highlighted, relying on the present url; as an illustration if we resolve that the
    url that exhibits solely the “Lively” gadgets is /energetic, then when the present url
    is /energetic, the “Lively” button ought to be surrounded by a skinny crimson
    rectangle
  5. The “Clear accomplished” button ought to solely be seen if any merchandise is
    accomplished

Every of this issues may be examined with the assistance of CSS selectors.

This can be a snippet from the TodoMVC template (barely simplified). I
haven’t but added the dynamic bits, so what we see right here is static
content material, offered for instance:

index.tmpl

  <part class="todoapp">
    <ul class="todo-list">
      <!-- These are right here simply to indicate the construction of the listing gadgets -->
      <!-- Checklist gadgets ought to get the category `accomplished` when marked as accomplished -->
      <li class="accomplished">  â‘¡
        <div class="view">
          <enter class="toggle" kind="checkbox" checked>
          <label>Style JavaScript</label> â‘ 
          <button class="destroy"></button>
        </div>
      </li>
      <li>
        <div class="view">
          <enter class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
          <label>Purchase a unicorn</label> â‘ 
          <button class="destroy"></button>
        </div>
      </li>
    </ul>
    <footer class="footer">
      <!-- This ought to be `0 gadgets left` by default -->
      <span class="todo-count"><sturdy>0</sturdy> merchandise left</span> â“·
      <ul class="filters">
        <li>
          <a class="chosen" href="#/">All</a> â‘£
        </li>
        <li>
          <a href="#/energetic">Lively</a>
        </li>
        <li>
          <a href="#/accomplished">Accomplished</a>
        </li>
      </ul>
      <!-- Hidden if no accomplished gadgets are left ↓ -->
      <button class="clear-completed">Clear accomplished</button> ⑤
    </footer>
  </part>  

supply

By trying on the static model of the template, we will deduce which
CSS selectors can be utilized to establish the related parts for the 5 dynamic
options listed above:

characteristic CSS selector
â‘  All of the gadgets ul.todo-list li
â‘¡ Accomplished gadgets ul.todo-list li.accomplished
â“· Objects left span.todo-count
â‘£ Highlighted navigation hyperlink ul.filters a.chosen
⑤ Clear accomplished button button.clear-completed

We will use these selectors to focus our assessments on simply the issues we wish to check.

Testing HTML content material

The primary check will search for all of the gadgets, and show that the info
arrange by the check is rendered appropriately.

func Test_todoItemsAreShown(t *testing.T) {
  mannequin := todo.NewList()
  mannequin.Add("Foo")
  mannequin.Add("Bar")

  buf := renderTemplate(mannequin)

  // assert there are two <li> parts contained in the <ul class="todo-list"> 
  // assert the primary <li> textual content is "Foo"
  // assert the second <li> textual content is "Bar"
}

We want a strategy to question the HTML doc with our CSS selector;
library for Go is goquery, that implements an API impressed by jQuery.
In Java, we hold utilizing the identical library we used to check for sound HTML, particularly
jsoup. Our check turns into:

Go

  func Test_todoItemsAreShown(t *testing.T) {
    mannequin := todo.NewList()
    mannequin.Add("Foo")
    mannequin.Add("Bar")
  
    buf := renderTemplate("index.tmpl", mannequin)
  
    // parse the HTML with goquery
    doc, err := goquery.NewDocumentFromReader(bytes.NewReader(buf.Bytes()))
    if err != nil {
      // if parsing fails, we cease the check right here with t.FatalF
      t.Fatalf("Error rendering template %s", err)
    }
  
    // assert there are two <li> parts contained in the <ul class="todo-list">
    choice := doc.Discover("ul.todo-list li")
    assert.Equal(t, 2, choice.Size())
  
    // assert the primary <li> textual content is "Foo"
    assert.Equal(t, "Foo", textual content(choice.Nodes[0]))
  
    // assert the second <li> textual content is "Bar"
    assert.Equal(t, "Bar", textual content(choice.Nodes[1]))
  }
  
  func textual content(node *html.Node) string {
    // Somewhat mess resulting from the truth that goquery has
    // a .Textual content() technique on Choice however not on html.Node
    sel := goquery.Choice{Nodes: []*html.Node{node}}
    return strings.TrimSpace(sel.Textual content())
  }

supply

Java

  @Take a look at
  void todoItemsAreShown() throws IOException {
      var mannequin = new TodoList();
      mannequin.add("Foo");
      mannequin.add("Bar");
  
      var html = renderTemplate("/index.tmpl", mannequin);
  
      // parse the HTML with jsoup
      Doc doc = Jsoup.parse(html, "");
  
      // assert there are two <li> parts contained in the <ul class="todo-list">
      var choice = doc.choose("ul.todo-list li");
      assertThat(choice).hasSize(2);
  
      // assert the primary <li> textual content is "Foo"
      assertThat(choice.get(0).textual content()).isEqualTo("Foo");
  
      // assert the second <li> textual content is "Bar"
      assertThat(choice.get(1).textual content()).isEqualTo("Bar");
  }

supply

If we nonetheless have not modified the template to populate the listing from the
mannequin, this check will fail, as a result of the static template
todo gadgets have totally different textual content:

Go

  --- FAIL: Test_todoItemsAreShown (0.00s)
      index_template_test.go:44: First listing merchandise: need Foo, acquired Style JavaScript
      index_template_test.go:49: Second listing merchandise: need Bar, acquired Purchase a unicorn

Java

  IndexTemplateTest > todoItemsAreShown() FAILED
      org.opentest4j.AssertionFailedError:
      Anticipating:
       <"Style JavaScript">
      to be equal to:
       <"Foo">
      however was not.

We repair it by making the template use the mannequin knowledge:

Go

  <ul class="todo-list">
    {{ vary .Objects }}
      <li>
        <div class="view">
          <enter class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
          <label>{{ .Title }}</label>
          <button class="destroy"></button>
        </div>
      </li>
    {{ finish }}
  </ul>

supply

Java – jmustache

  <ul class="todo-list">
    {{ #allItems }}
    <li>
      <div class="view">
        <enter class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
        <label>{{ title }}</label>
        <button class="destroy"></button>
      </div>
    </li>
    {{ /allItems }}
  </ul>

supply

Take a look at each content material and soundness on the similar time

Our check works, however it’s a bit verbose, particularly the Go model. If we will have extra
assessments, they’ll change into repetitive and tough to learn, so we make it extra concise by extracting a helper operate for parsing the html. We additionally take away the
feedback, because the code ought to be clear sufficient

Go

  func Test_todoItemsAreShown(t *testing.T) {
    mannequin := todo.NewList()
    mannequin.Add("Foo")
    mannequin.Add("Bar")
  
    buf := renderTemplate("index.tmpl", mannequin)
  
    doc := parseHtml(t, buf)
    choice := doc.Discover("ul.todo-list li")
    assert.Equal(t, 2, choice.Size())
    assert.Equal(t, "Foo", textual content(choice.Nodes[0]))
    assert.Equal(t, "Bar", textual content(choice.Nodes[1]))
  }
  
  func parseHtml(t *testing.T, buf bytes.Buffer) *goquery.Doc {
    doc, err := goquery.NewDocumentFromReader(bytes.NewReader(buf.Bytes()))
    if err != nil {
      // if parsing fails, we cease the check right here with t.FatalF
      t.Fatalf("Error rendering template %s", err)
    }
    return doc
  }

Java

  @Take a look at
  void todoItemsAreShown() throws IOException {
      var mannequin = new TodoList();
      mannequin.add("Foo");
      mannequin.add("Bar");
  
      var html = renderTemplate("/index.tmpl", mannequin);
  
      var doc = parseHtml(html);
      var choice = doc.choose("ul.todo-list li");
      assertThat(choice).hasSize(2);
      assertThat(choice.get(0).textual content()).isEqualTo("Foo");
      assertThat(choice.get(1).textual content()).isEqualTo("Bar");
  }
  
  non-public static Doc parseHtml(String html) {
      return Jsoup.parse(html, "");
  }

A lot better! Not less than for my part. Now that we extracted the parseHtml helper, it is
a good suggestion to examine for sound HTML within the helper:

Go

  func parseHtml(t *testing.T, buf bytes.Buffer) *goquery.Doc {
    assertWellFormedHtml(t, buf)
    doc, err := goquery.NewDocumentFromReader(bytes.NewReader(buf.Bytes()))
    if err != nil {
      // if parsing fails, we cease the check right here with t.FatalF
      t.Fatalf("Error rendering template %s", err)
    }
    return doc
  }

supply

Java

  non-public static Doc parseHtml(String html) {
      var parser = Parser.htmlParser().setTrackErrors(10);
      var doc = Jsoup.parse(html, "", parser);
      assertThat(parser.getErrors()).isEmpty();
      return doc;
  }

supply

And with this, we will do away with the primary check that we wrote, as we at the moment are testing for sound HTML on a regular basis.

The second check

Now we’re in place for testing extra rendering logic. The
second dynamic characteristic in our listing is “Checklist gadgets ought to get the category
accomplished when marked as accomplished”. We will write a check for this:

Go

  func Test_completedItemsGetCompletedClass(t *testing.T) {
    mannequin := todo.NewList()
    mannequin.Add("Foo")
    mannequin.AddCompleted("Bar")
  
    buf := renderTemplate("index.tmpl", mannequin)
  
    doc := parseHtml(t, buf)
    choice := doc.Discover("ul.todo-list li.accomplished")
    assert.Equal(t, 1, choice.Dimension())
    assert.Equal(t, "Bar", textual content(choice.Nodes[0]))
  }

supply

Java

  @Take a look at
  void completedItemsGetCompletedClass() {
      var mannequin = new TodoList();
      mannequin.add("Foo");
      mannequin.addCompleted("Bar");
  
      var html = renderTemplate("/index.tmpl", mannequin);
  
      Doc doc = Jsoup.parse(html, "");
      var choice = doc.choose("ul.todo-list li.accomplished");
      assertThat(choice).hasSize(1);
      assertThat(choice.textual content()).isEqualTo("Bar");
  }

supply

And this check may be made inexperienced by including this little bit of logic to the
template:

Go

  <ul class="todo-list">
    {{ vary .Objects }}
      <li class="{{ if .IsCompleted }}accomplished{{ finish }}">
        <div class="view">
          <enter class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
          <label>{{ .Title }}</label>
          <button class="destroy"></button>
        </div>
      </li>
    {{ finish }}
  </ul>

supply

Java – jmustache

  <ul class="todo-list">
    {{ #allItems }}
    <li class="{{ #isCompleted }}accomplished{{ /isCompleted }}">
      <div class="view">
        <enter class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
        <label>{{ title }}</label>
        <button class="destroy"></button>
      </div>
    </li>
    {{ /allItems }}
  </ul>

supply

So little by little, we will check and add the assorted dynamic options
that our template ought to have.

Make it simple so as to add new assessments

The primary of the 20 suggestions from the superb speak by Russ Cox on Go
Testing
is “Make it simple so as to add new check circumstances“. Certainly, in Go there
is an inclination to make most assessments parameterized, for this very motive.
However, whereas Java has
good assist
for parameterized assessments
with JUnit 5, they aren’t used as a lot.

Since our present two assessments have the identical construction, we
may issue them right into a single parameterized check.

A check case for us will encompass:

  • A reputation (in order that we will produce clear error messages when the check
    fails)
  • A mannequin (in our case a todo.Checklist)
  • A CSS selector
  • A listing of textual content matches that we look forward to finding after we run the CSS
    selector on the rendered HTML.

So that is the info construction for our check circumstances:

Go

  var testCases = []struct {
    identify     string
    mannequin    *todo.Checklist
    selector string
    matches  []string
  }{
    {
      identify: "all todo gadgets are proven",
      mannequin: todo.NewList().
        Add("Foo").
        Add("Bar"),
      selector: "ul.todo-list li",
      matches:  []string{"Foo", "Bar"},
    },
    {
      identify: "accomplished gadgets get the 'accomplished' class",
      mannequin: todo.NewList().
        Add("Foo").
        AddCompleted("Bar"),
      selector: "ul.todo-list li.accomplished",
      matches:  []string{"Bar"},
    },
  }

supply

Java

  document TestCase(String identify,
                  TodoList mannequin,
                  String selector,
                  Checklist<String> matches) {
      @Override
      public String toString() {
          return identify;
      }
  }
  
  public static TestCase[] indexTestCases() {
      return new TestCase[]{
              new TestCase(
                      "all todo gadgets are proven",
                      new TodoList()
                              .add("Foo")
                              .add("Bar"),
                      "ul.todo-list li",
                      Checklist.of("Foo", "Bar")),
              new TestCase(
                      "accomplished gadgets get the 'accomplished' class",
                      new TodoList()
                              .add("Foo")
                              .addCompleted("Bar"),
                      "ul.todo-list li.accomplished",
                      Checklist.of("Bar")),
      };
  }

supply

And that is our parameterized check:

Go

  func Test_indexTemplate(t *testing.T) {
    for _, check := vary testCases {
      t.Run(check.identify, func(t *testing.T) {
        buf := renderTemplate("index.tmpl", check.mannequin)
  
        assertWellFormedHtml(t, buf)
        doc := parseHtml(t, buf)
        choice := doc.Discover(check.selector)
        require.Equal(t, len(check.matches), len(choice.Nodes), "sudden # of matches")
        for i, node := vary choice.Nodes {
          assert.Equal(t, check.matches[i], textual content(node))
        }
      })
    }
  }

supply

Java

  @ParameterizedTest
  @MethodSource("indexTestCases")
  void testIndexTemplate(TestCase check) {
      var html = renderTemplate("/index.tmpl", check.mannequin);
  
      var doc = parseHtml(html);
      var choice = doc.choose(check.selector);
      assertThat(choice).hasSize(check.matches.measurement());
      for (int i = 0; i < check.matches.measurement(); i++) {
          assertThat(choice.get(i).textual content()).isEqualTo(check.matches.get(i));
      }
  }

supply

We will now run our parameterized check and see it cross:

Go

  $ go check -v
  === RUN   Test_indexTemplate
  === RUN   Test_indexTemplate/all_todo_items_are_shown
  === RUN   Test_indexTemplate/completed_items_get_the_'accomplished'_class
  --- PASS: Test_indexTemplate (0.00s)
      --- PASS: Test_indexTemplate/all_todo_items_are_shown (0.00s)
      --- PASS: Test_indexTemplate/completed_items_get_the_'accomplished'_class (0.00s)
  PASS
  okay    tdd-html-templates  0.608s

Java

  $ ./gradlew check
  
  > Activity :check
  
  IndexTemplateTest > testIndexTemplate(TestCase) > [1] all todo gadgets are proven PASSED
  IndexTemplateTest > testIndexTemplate(TestCase) > [2] accomplished gadgets get the 'accomplished' class PASSED

Be aware how, by giving a reputation to our check circumstances, we get very readable check output, each on the terminal and within the IDE:

Having rewritten our two previous assessments in desk kind, it is now tremendous simple so as to add
one other. That is the check for the “x gadgets left” textual content:

Go

  {
    identify: "gadgets left",
    mannequin: todo.NewList().
      Add("One").
      Add("Two").
      AddCompleted("Three"),
    selector: "span.todo-count",
    matches:  []string{"2 gadgets left"},
  },

supply

Java

  new TestCase(
      "gadgets left",
      new TodoList()
              .add("One")
              .add("Two")
              .addCompleted("Three"),
      "span.todo-count",
      Checklist.of("2 gadgets left")),

supply

And the corresponding change within the html template is:

Go

  <span class="todo-count"><sturdy>{{len .ActiveItems}}</sturdy> gadgets left</span>

supply

Java – jmustache

  <span class="todo-count"><sturdy>{{activeItemsCount}}</sturdy> gadgets left</span>

supply

The above change within the template requires a supporting technique within the mannequin:

Go

  kind Merchandise struct {
    Title       string
    IsCompleted bool
  }
  
  kind Checklist struct {
    Objects []*Merchandise
  }
  
  func (l *Checklist) ActiveItems() []*Merchandise {
    var outcome []*Merchandise
    for _, merchandise := vary l.Objects {
      if !merchandise.IsCompleted {
        outcome = append(outcome, merchandise)
      }
    }
    return outcome
  }

supply

Java

  public class TodoList {
      non-public remaining Checklist<TodoItem> gadgets = new ArrayList<>();
      // ...
      public lengthy activeItemsCount() {
          return gadgets.stream().filter(TodoItem::isActive).rely();
      }
  }

supply

We have invested a little bit effort in our testing infrastructure, in order that including new
check circumstances is simpler. Within the subsequent part, we’ll see that the necessities
for the following check circumstances will push us to refine our check infrastructure additional.

Making the desk extra expressive, on the expense of the check code

We’ll now check the “All”, “Lively” and “Accomplished” navigation hyperlinks at
the underside of the UI (see the image above),
and these rely on which url we’re visiting, which is
one thing that our template has no strategy to discover out.

At the moment, all we cross to our template is our mannequin, which is a todo-list.
It is not right so as to add the at the moment visited url to the mannequin, as a result of that’s
person navigation state, not software state.

So we have to cross extra info to the template past the mannequin. A simple means
is to cross a map, which we assemble in our
renderTemplate operate:

Go

  func renderTemplate(mannequin *todo.Checklist, path string) bytes.Buffer {
    templ := template.Should(template.ParseFiles("index.tmpl"))
    var buf bytes.Buffer
    knowledge := map[string]any{
      "mannequin": mannequin,
      "path":  path,
    }
    err := templ.Execute(&buf, knowledge)
    if err != nil {
      panic(err)
    }
    return buf
  }

Java

  non-public String renderTemplate(String templateName, TodoList mannequin, String path) {
      var template = Mustache.compiler().compile(
              new InputStreamReader(
                      getClass().getResourceAsStream(templateName)));
      var knowledge = Map.of(
              "mannequin", mannequin,
              "path", path
      );
      return template.execute(knowledge);
  }

And correspondingly our check circumstances desk has another discipline:

Go

  var testCases = []struct {
    identify     string
    mannequin    *todo.Checklist
    path     string
    selector string
    matches  []string
  }{
    {
      identify: "all todo gadgets are proven",
      mannequin: todo.NewList().
        Add("Foo").
        Add("Bar"),
      selector: "ul.todo-list li",
      matches:  []string{"Foo", "Bar"},
    },
  // ... the opposite circumstances
    {
      identify:     "highlighted navigation hyperlink: All",
      path:     "/",
      selector: "ul.filters a.chosen",
      matches:  []string{"All"},
    },
    {
      identify:     "highlighted navigation hyperlink: Lively",
      path:     "/energetic",
      selector: "ul.filters a.chosen",
      matches:  []string{"Lively"},
    },
    {
      identify:     "highlighted navigation hyperlink: Accomplished",
      path:     "/accomplished",
      selector: "ul.filters a.chosen",
      matches:  []string{"Accomplished"},
    },
  }

Java

  document TestCase(String identify,
                  TodoList mannequin,
                  String path,
                  String selector,
                  Checklist<String> matches) {
      @Override
      public String toString() {
          return identify;
      }
  }
  
  public static TestCase[] indexTestCases() {
      return new TestCase[]{
              new TestCase(
                      "all todo gadgets are proven",
                      new TodoList()
                              .add("Foo")
                              .add("Bar"),
                      "/",
                      "ul.todo-list li",
                      Checklist.of("Foo", "Bar")),
              // ... the earlier circumstances
              new TestCase(
                      "highlighted navigation hyperlink: All",
                      new TodoList(),
                      "/",
                      "ul.filters a.chosen",
                      Checklist.of("All")),
              new TestCase(
                      "highlighted navigation hyperlink: Lively",
                      new TodoList(),
                      "/energetic",
                      "ul.filters a.chosen",
                      Checklist.of("Lively")),
              new TestCase(
                      "highlighted navigation hyperlink: Accomplished",
                      new TodoList(),
                      "/accomplished",
                      "ul.filters a.chosen",
                      Checklist.of("Accomplished")),
      };
  }

We discover that for the three new circumstances, the mannequin is irrelevant;
whereas for the earlier circumstances, the trail is irrelevant. The Go syntax permits us
to initialize a struct with simply the fields we’re desirous about, however Java doesn’t have
an identical characteristic, so we’re pushed to cross additional info, and this makes the check circumstances
desk more durable to grasp.

A developer would possibly take a look at the primary check case and marvel if the anticipated habits relies upon
on the trail being set to "/", and is perhaps tempted so as to add extra circumstances with
a distinct path. In the identical means, when studying the
highlighted navigation hyperlink check circumstances, the developer would possibly marvel if the
anticipated habits depends upon the mannequin being set to an empty todo listing. If that’s the case, one would possibly
be led so as to add irrelevant check circumstances for the highlighted hyperlink with non-empty todo-lists.

We wish to optimize for the time of the builders, so it is worthwhile to keep away from including irrelevant
knowledge to our check case. In Java we would cross null for the
irrelevant fields, however there’s a greater means: we will use
the builder sample,
popularized by Joshua Bloch.
We will rapidly write one for the Java TestCase document this manner:

Java

  document TestCase(String identify,
                  TodoList mannequin,
                  String path,
                  String selector,
                  Checklist<String> matches) {
      @Override
      public String toString() {
          return identify;
      }
  
      public static remaining class Builder {
          String identify;
          TodoList mannequin;
          String path;
          String selector;
          Checklist<String> matches;
  
          public Builder identify(String identify) {
              this.identify = identify;
              return this;
          }
  
          public Builder mannequin(TodoList mannequin) {
              this.mannequin = mannequin;
              return this;
          }
  
          public Builder path(String path) {
              this.path = path;
              return this;
          }
  
          public Builder selector(String selector) {
              this.selector = selector;
              return this;
          }
  
          public Builder matches(String ... matches) {
              this.matches = Arrays.asList(matches);
              return this;
          }
  
          public TestCase construct() {
              return new TestCase(identify, mannequin, path, selector, matches);
          }
      }
  }

Hand-coding builders is a little bit tedious, however doable, although there are
automated methods to put in writing them.
Now we will rewrite our Java check circumstances with the Builder, to
obtain larger readability:

Java

  public static TestCase[] indexTestCases() {
      return new TestCase[]{
              new TestCase.Builder()
                      .identify("all todo gadgets are proven")
                      .mannequin(new TodoList()
                              .add("Foo")
                              .add("Bar"))
                      .selector("ul.todo-list li")
                      .matches("Foo", "Bar")
                      .construct(),
              // ... different circumstances
              new TestCase.Builder()
                      .identify("highlighted navigation hyperlink: Accomplished")
                      .path("/accomplished")
                      .selector("ul.filters a.chosen")
                      .matches("Accomplished")
                      .construct(),
      };
  }

So, the place are we with our assessments? At current, they fail for the incorrect motive: null-pointer exceptions
because of the lacking mannequin and path values.
With the intention to get our new check circumstances to fail for the fitting motive, particularly that the template does
not but have logic to spotlight the right hyperlink, we should
present default values for mannequin and path. In Go, we will do that
within the check technique:

Go

  func Test_indexTemplate(t *testing.T) {
    for _, check := vary testCases {
      t.Run(check.identify, func(t *testing.T) {
        if check.mannequin == nil {
          check.mannequin = todo.NewList()
        }
        buf := renderTemplate(check.mannequin, check.path)
        // ... similar as earlier than 
      })
    }
  }

supply

In Java, we will present default values within the builder:

Java

  public static remaining class Builder {
      String identify;
      TodoList mannequin = new TodoList();
      String path = "/";
      String selector;
      Checklist<String> matches;
      // ...
  }

supply

With these adjustments, we see that the final two check circumstances, those for the highlighted hyperlink Lively
and Accomplished fail, for the anticipated motive that the highlighted hyperlink doesn’t change:

Go

  === RUN   Test_indexTemplate/highlighted_navigation_link:_Active
      index_template_test.go:82: 
            Error Hint:  .../tdd-templates/go/index_template_test.go:82
            Error:        Not equal: 
                          anticipated: "Lively"
                          precise  : "All"
  === RUN   Test_indexTemplate/highlighted_navigation_link:_Completed
      index_template_test.go:82: 
            Error Hint:  .../tdd-templates/go/index_template_test.go:82
            Error:        Not equal: 
                          anticipated: "Accomplished"
                          precise  : "All"

Java

  IndexTemplateTest > testIndexTemplate(TestCase) > [5] highlighted navigation hyperlink: Lively FAILED
      org.opentest4j.AssertionFailedError:
      Anticipating:
       <"All">
      to be equal to:
       <"Lively">
      however was not.
  
  IndexTemplateTest > testIndexTemplate(TestCase) > [6] highlighted navigation hyperlink: Accomplished FAILED
      org.opentest4j.AssertionFailedError:
      Anticipating:
       <"All">
      to be equal to:
       <"Accomplished">
      however was not.

To make the assessments cross, we make these adjustments to the template:

Go

  <ul class="filters">
    <li>
      <a class="{{ if eq .path "/" }}chosen{{ finish }}" href="#/">All</a>
    </li>
    <li>
      <a class="{{ if eq .path "/energetic" }}chosen{{ finish }}" href="#/energetic">Lively</a>
    </li>
    <li>
      <a class="{{ if eq .path "/accomplished" }}chosen{{ finish }}" href="#/accomplished">Accomplished</a>
    </li>
  </ul>

supply

Java – jmustache

  <ul class="filters">
    <li>
      <a class="{{ #pathRoot }}chosen{{ /pathRoot }}" href="#/">All</a>
    </li>
    <li>
      <a class="{{ #pathActive }}chosen{{ /pathActive }}" href="#/energetic">Lively</a>
    </li>
    <li>
      <a class="{{ #pathCompleted }}chosen{{ /pathCompleted }}" href="#/accomplished">Accomplished</a>
    </li>
  </ul>

supply

For the reason that Mustache template language doesn’t enable for equality testing, we should change the
knowledge handed to the template in order that we execute the equality assessments earlier than rendering the template:

Java

  non-public String renderTemplate(String templateName, TodoList mannequin, String path) {
      var template = Mustache.compiler().compile(
              new InputStreamReader(
                      getClass().getResourceAsStream(templateName)));
      var knowledge = Map.of(
              "mannequin", mannequin,
              "pathRoot", path.equals("/"),
              "pathActive", path.equals("/energetic"),
              "pathCompleted", path.equals("/accomplished")
      );
      return template.execute(knowledge);
  }

supply

And with these adjustments, all of our assessments now cross.

To recap this part, we made the check code a little bit bit extra difficult, in order that the check
circumstances are clearer: it is a superb tradeoff!

Degree 3: testing HTML behaviour

Within the story to date, we examined the behaviour of the HTML
templates
, by checking the construction of the generated HTML.
That is good, however what if we wished to check the behaviour of the HTML
itself, plus any CSS and JavaScript it could use?

The behaviour of HTML by itself is normally fairly apparent, as a result of
there may be not a lot of it. The one parts that may work together with the
person are the anchor (<a>), <kind> and
<enter> parts, however the image adjustments fully when
we add CSS, that may cover, present, transfer round issues and plenty extra, and
with JavaScript, that may add any behaviour to a web page.

In an software that’s primarily rendered server-side, we count on
that the majority behaviour is carried out by returning new HTML with a
round-trip to the person, and this may be examined adequately with the
strategies we have seen to date, however what if we wished to hurry up the
software behaviour with a library resembling HTMX? This library works by way of particular
attributes which can be added to parts so as to add Ajax behaviour. These
attributes are in impact a DSL that we would wish to
check.

How can we check the mixture of HTML, CSS and JavaScript in
a unit check?

Testing HTML, CSS and JavaScript requires one thing that is ready to
interpret and execute their behaviours; in different phrases, we’d like a
browser! It’s customary to make use of headless browsers in end-to-end assessments;
can we use them for unitary assessments as a substitute? I believe that is potential,
utilizing the next strategies, though I need to admit I’ve but to attempt
this on an actual venture.

We’ll use the Playwright
library, that’s accessible for each Go and
Java. The assessments we
are going to put in writing will likely be slower, as a result of we should wait a couple of
seconds for the headless browser to begin, however will retain among the
necessary traits of unit assessments, primarily that we’re testing
simply the HTML (and any related CSS and JavaScript), in isolation from
some other server-side logic.

Persevering with with the TodoMVC
instance, the following factor we would wish to check is what occurs when the
person clicks on the checkbox of a todo merchandise. What we would wish to occur is
that:

  1. A POST name to the server is made, in order that the applying is aware of
    that the state of a todo merchandise has modified
  2. The server returns new HTML for the dynamic a part of the web page,
    particularly all the part with class “todoapp”, in order that we will present the
    new state of the applying together with the rely of remaining “energetic”
    gadgets (see the template above)
  3. The web page replaces the previous contents of the “todoapp” part with
    the brand new ones.

Loading the web page within the Playwright browser

We begin with a check that can simply load the preliminary HTML. The check
is a little bit concerned, so I present the whole code right here, after which I’ll
remark it little by little.

Go

  func Test_toggleTodoItem(t *testing.T) {
    // render the preliminary HTML
    mannequin := todo.NewList().
      Add("One").
      Add("Two")
    initialHtml := renderTemplate("index.tmpl", mannequin, "/")
  
    // open the browser web page with Playwright
    web page := openPage()
    defer web page.Shut()
    logActivity(web page)
  
    // stub community calls
    err := web page.Route("**", func(route playwright.Route) {
      if route.Request().URL() == "http://localhost:4567/index.html" {
        // serve the preliminary HTML
        stubResponse(route, initialHtml.String(), "textual content/html")
      } else {
        // keep away from sudden requests
        panic("sudden request: " + route.Request().URL())
      }
    })
    if err != nil {
      t.Deadly(err)
    }
  
    // load preliminary HTML within the web page
    response, err := web page.Goto("http://localhost:4567/index.html")
    if err != nil {
      t.Deadly(err)
    }
    if response.Standing() != 200 {
      t.Fatalf("sudden standing: %d", response.Standing())
    }
  }

supply

Java

  public class IndexBehaviourTest {
      static Playwright playwright;
      static Browser browser;
  
      @BeforeAll
      static void launchBrowser() {
          playwright = Playwright.create();
          browser = playwright.chromium().launch();
      }
  
      @AfterAll
      static void closeBrowser() {
          playwright.shut();
      }
  
      @Take a look at
      void toggleTodoItem() {
          // Render the preliminary html
          TodoList mannequin = new TodoList()
                  .add("One")
                  .add("Two");
          String initialHtml = renderTemplate("/index.tmpl", mannequin, "/");
          
          attempt (Web page web page = browser.newPage()) {
              logActivity(web page);
  
              // stub community calls
              web page.route("**", route -> {
                  if (route.request().url().equals("http://localhost:4567/index.html")) {
                      // serve the preliminary HTML
                      route.fulfill(new Route.FulfillOptions()
                              .setContentType("textual content/html")
                              .setBody(initialHtml));
                  } else {
                      // we do not need sudden calls
                      fail(String.format("Surprising request: %s %s", route.request().technique(), route.request().url()));
                  }
              });
          
              // load preliminary html
              web page.navigate("http://localhost:4567/index.html");
          }
      }
  }

supply

At first of the check, we initialize the mannequin with two todo
gadgets “One” and “Two”, then we render the template as earlier than:

Go

  mannequin := todo.NewList().
    Add("One").
    Add("Two")
  initialHtml := renderTemplate("index.tmpl", mannequin, "/")

Java

  TodoList mannequin = new TodoList()
          .add("One")
          .add("Two");
  String initialHtml = renderTemplate("/index.tmpl", mannequin, "/");

Then we open the Playwright “web page”, which can begin a headless
browser

Go

  web page := openPage()
  defer web page.Shut()
  logActivity(web page)

Java

  attempt (Web page web page = browser.newPage()) {
      logActivity(web page);

The openPage operate in Go returns a Playwright
Web page object,

Go

  func openPage() playwright.Web page {
    pw, err := playwright.Run()
    if err != nil {
      log.Fatalf("couldn't begin playwright: %v", err)
    }
    browser, err := pw.Chromium.Launch()
    if err != nil {
      log.Fatalf("couldn't launch browser: %v", err)
    }
    web page, err := browser.NewPage()
    if err != nil {
      log.Fatalf("couldn't create web page: %v", err)
    }
    return web page
  }

and the logActivity operate offers suggestions on what
the web page is doing

Go

  func logActivity(web page playwright.Web page) {
    web page.OnRequest(func(request playwright.Request) {
      log.Printf(">> %s %sn", request.Technique(), request.URL())
    })
    web page.OnResponse(func(response playwright.Response) {
      log.Printf("<< %d %sn", response.Standing(), response.URL())
    })
    web page.OnLoad(func(web page playwright.Web page) {
      log.Println("Loaded: " + web page.URL())
    })
    web page.OnConsole(func(message playwright.ConsoleMessage) {
      log.Println("!  " + message.Textual content())
    })
  }

Java

  non-public void logActivity(Web page web page) {
      web page.onRequest(request -> System.out.printf(">> %s %spercentn", request.technique(), request.url()));
      web page.onResponse(response -> System.out.printf("<< %s %spercentn", response.standing(), response.url()));
      web page.onLoad(page1 -> System.out.println("Loaded: " + page1.url()));
      web page.onConsoleMessage(consoleMessage -> System.out.println("!  " + consoleMessage.textual content()));
  }

Then we stub all community exercise that the web page would possibly attempt to do

Go

  err := web page.Route("**", func(route playwright.Route) {
    if route.Request().URL() == "http://localhost:4567/index.html" {
      // serve the preliminary HTML
      stubResponse(route, initialHtml.String(), "textual content/html")
    } else {
      // keep away from sudden requests
      panic("sudden request: " + route.Request().URL())
    }
  })

Java

  // stub community calls
  web page.route("**", route -> {
      if (route.request().url().equals("http://localhost:4567/index.html")) {
          // serve the preliminary HTML
          route.fulfill(new Route.FulfillOptions()
                  .setContentType("textual content/html")
                  .setBody(initialHtml));
      } else {
          // we do not need sudden calls
          fail(String.format("Surprising request: %s %s", route.request().technique(), route.request().url()));
      }
  });

and we ask the web page to load the preliminary HTML

Go

  response, err := web page.Goto("http://localhost:4567/index.html")

Java

  web page.navigate("http://localhost:4567/index.html");

With all this equipment in place, we run the check; it succeeds and
it logs the stubbed community exercise on commonplace output:

Go

  === RUN   Test_toggleTodoItem
  >> GET http://localhost:4567/index.html
  << 200 http://localhost:4567/index.html
  Loaded: http://localhost:4567/index.html
  --- PASS: Test_toggleTodoItem (0.89s)

Java

  IndexBehaviourTest > toggleTodoItem() STANDARD_OUT
      >> GET http://localhost:4567/index.html
      << 200 http://localhost:4567/index.html
      Loaded: http://localhost:4567/index.html
  
  IndexBehaviourTest > toggleTodoItem() PASSED

So with this check we at the moment are capable of load arbitrary HTML in a
headless browser. Within the subsequent sections we’ll see simulate person
interplay with parts of the web page, and observe the web page’s
behaviour. However first we have to resolve an issue with the shortage of
identifiers in our area mannequin.

Figuring out todo gadgets

Now we wish to click on on the “One” checkbox. The issue we’ve is
that at current, we’ve no strategy to establish particular person todo gadgets, so
we introduce an Id discipline within the todo merchandise:

Go – up to date mannequin with Id

  kind Merchandise struct {
    Id          int
    Title       string
    IsCompleted bool
  }
  
  func (l *Checklist) AddWithId(id int, title string) *Checklist {
    merchandise := Merchandise{
      Id:    id,
      Title: title,
    }
    l.Objects = append(l.Objects, &merchandise)
    return l
  }
  
  // Add creates a brand new todo.Merchandise with a random Id
  func (l *Checklist) Add(title string) *Checklist {
    merchandise := Merchandise{
      Id:    generateRandomId(),
      Title: title,
    }
    l.Objects = append(l.Objects, &merchandise)
    return l
  }
  
  func generateRandomId() int {
    return abs(rand.Int())
  }

Java – up to date mannequin with Id

  public class TodoList {
      non-public remaining Checklist<TodoItem> gadgets = new ArrayList<>();
  
      public TodoList add(String title) {
          gadgets.add(new TodoItem(generateRandomId(), title, false));
          return this;
      }
  
      public TodoList addCompleted(String title) {
          gadgets.add(new TodoItem(generateRandomId(), title, true));
          return this;
      }
  
      public TodoList add(int id, String title) {
          gadgets.add(new TodoItem(id, title, false));
          return this;
      }
  
      non-public static int generateRandomId() {
          return new Random().nextInt(0, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
      }
  }
  
  public document TodoItem(int id, String title, boolean isCompleted) {
      public boolean isActive() {
          return !isCompleted;
      }
  }

And we replace the mannequin in our check so as to add specific Ids

Go – including Id within the check knowledge

  func Test_toggleTodoItem(t *testing.T) {
    // render the preliminary HTML
    mannequin := todo.NewList().
      AddWithId(101, "One").
      AddWithId(102, "Two")
    initialHtml := renderTemplate("index.tmpl", mannequin, "/")
    // ... 
  }

Java – including Id within the check knowledge

  @Take a look at
  void toggleTodoItem() {
      // Render the preliminary html
      TodoList mannequin = new TodoList()
              .add(101, "One")
              .add(102, "Two");
      String initialHtml = renderTemplate("/index.tmpl", mannequin, "/");
  }

We at the moment are prepared to check person interplay with the web page.

Clicking on a todo merchandise

We wish to simulate person interplay with the HTML web page. It is perhaps
tempting to proceed to make use of CSS selectors to establish the precise
checkbox that we wish to click on, however there’s a greater means: there’s a
consensus amongst front-end builders that one of the simplest ways to check
interplay with a web page is to make use of it
the identical means that customers do
. As an example, you do not search for a
button by way of a CSS locator resembling button.purchase; as a substitute,
you search for one thing clickable with the label “Purchase”. In follow,
this implies figuring out components of the web page by way of their
ARIA
roles.

To this finish, we add code to our check to search for a checkbox labelled
“One”:

Go

  func Test_toggleTodoItem(t *testing.T) {
    // ...
    // click on on the "One" checkbox
    checkbox := web page.GetByRole(*playwright.AriaRoleCheckbox, playwright.PageGetByRoleOptions{Identify: "One"})
    if err := checkbox.Click on(); err != nil {
      t.Deadly(err)
    }
  }

Java

  @Take a look at
  void toggleTodoItem() {
          // ...
          // click on on the "One" checkbox
          var checkbox = web page.getByRole(AriaRole.CHECKBOX, new Web page.GetByRoleOptions().setName("One"));
          checkbox.click on();
      }
  }

We run the check, and it fails:

Go

  >> GET http://localhost:4567/index.html
  << 200 http://localhost:4567/index.html
  Loaded: http://localhost:4567/index.html
  --- FAIL: Test_toggleTodoItem (32.74s)
      index_behaviour_test.go:50: playwright: timeout: Timeout 30000ms exceeded.

Java

  IndexBehaviourTest > toggleTodoItem() STANDARD_OUT
      >> GET http://localhost:4567/index.html
      << 200 http://localhost:4567/index.html
      Loaded: http://localhost:4567/index.html
  
  IndexBehaviourTest > toggleTodoItem() FAILED
      com.microsoft.playwright.TimeoutError: Error {
        message="hyperlink the label to the checkbox correctly:

generated HTML with unhealthy accessibility

  <li>
    <div class="view">
      <enter class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
      <label>One</label>
      <button class="destroy"></button>
    </div>
  </li>

We repair it through the use of the for attribute within the
template,

index.tmpl – Go

  <li>
    <div class="view">
      <enter id="checkbox-{{.Id}}" class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
      <label for="checkbox-{{.Id}}">{{.Title}}</label>
      <button class="destroy"></button>
    </div>
  </li>

index.tmpl – Java

  <li>
    <div class="view">
      <enter id="checkbox-{{ id }}" class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
      <label for="checkbox-{{ id }}">{{ title }}</label>
      <button class="destroy"></button>
    </div>
  </li>

In order that it generates correct, accessible HTML:

generated HTML with higher accessibility

  <li>
    <div class="view">
      <enter id="checkbox-101" class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
      <label for="checkbox-101">One</label>
      <button class="destroy"></button>
    </div>
  </li>

We run once more the check, and it passes.

On this part we noticed how testing the HTML in the identical was as customers
work together with it led us to make use of ARIA roles, which led to enhancing
accessibility of our generated HTML. Within the subsequent part, we are going to see
check that the press on a todo merchandise triggers a distant name to the
server, that ought to end in swapping part of the present HTML with
the HTML returned by the XHR name.

We’re releasing this text in installments. The final installment
will take a look at check the calls which can be made to the server, and
embody a bonus section on stringly asserted assessments.

To seek out out after we publish the following installment subscribe to this
website’s
RSS feed, or Martin’s feeds on
Mastodon,
LinkedIn, or
X (Twitter).



Recent Articles

Related Stories

Leave A Reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Stay on op - Ge the daily news in your inbox