Chapter 7. Testing

7.1. Introduction

Directory layout

Perl tests traditionally go in the t directory at the root of your project. It should look something like this:

t
├── 00_compile.t # this test runs first
├── data # dir for test data
│ ├── alien.json
│ └── cowboy.json
├── lib # dir for test libraries
│ └── t
│ └── Helper.pm # t::Helper
├── Transmogrifier
│ ├── In
│ │ └── Tiger.t # unit tests for Transmogrifier::In::Tiger
│ └── Out
│ ├── Alien.t # unit tests for Transmogrifier::Out::Alien
│ └── Cowboy.t # unit tests for Transmogrifier::Out::Cowboy
└── Transmogrifier.t # integration tests for Transmogrifier.pm

The layout of your .t files should probably mirror the layout of your .pm files.

Running tests with prove

On the command line:

$ prove --help # get help
$ prove t # runs tests in the t directory
$ prove t/cowboy t/alien
$ prove -r t/cowboy t/alien # recursive
$ prove \
 --lib \ # add 'lib' dir to your $PERL5LIB
 --verbose \ # more output
 --recurse \ # run tests in the t dir recursively
 --jobs 10 \ # run tests in parallel
$ prove -lvr # same as above but shorter and no concurrency

prove runs tests in alphabetical order by default and it only runs .t files.

Writing tests with Test2

Install Test2:

cpanm -l local Test2

Some basic functions that are made available by Test2:

# Test for true or false
ok( $got, $test_name);
ok(!$got, $test_name);
# Compare 2 scalar values
is ($got, $want, $test_name);
isnt($got, $want, $test_name);
# Match against a regex
like ($got, qr/want/, $test_name);
unlike($got, qr/want/, $test_name);
# Compare data structures
is_deeply($got_complex_thing, $want_complex_thing, $test_name);
# Rare, but used for complex logic: 
# eg, if I get to this place, pass()
pass "this test will always pass";
fail "this test will always fail"; 
# Used to make sure you meant to stop testing here and
# didn't exit/return/die and skip the rest of your tests.
done_testing();

Example:

use Test2::V0;
use Dinosaur;
my $dino = Dinosaur->new;
is $dino->has_tail, 1, "dinosaurs have a tail";
done_testing();

For more info see the Test2 documentation: