Check-Driving HTML Templates

After a decade or extra the place Single-Web page-Purposes generated by
JavaScript frameworks have
become the norm
, we see that server-side rendered HTML is changing into
widespread once more, additionally because of libraries similar to HTMX or Turbo. Writing a wealthy net UI in a
historically server-side language like Go or Java is no longer simply attainable,
however a really enticing proposition.

We then face the issue of the best way to write automated exams for the HTML
components of our net functions. Whereas the JavaScript world has developed powerful and sophisticated methods to check the UI,
ranging in measurement from unit-level to integration to end-to-end, in different
languages we would not have such a richness of instruments accessible.

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

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

Stage 1: checking for sound HTML

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

<div>foo</p>

Let’s have a look at the best way to do it in levels: we begin with the next take a look at that
tries to compile the template. In Go we use the usual html/template package deal.

Go

  func Test_wellFormedHtml(t *testing.T) small

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

Java

  @Check
  void indexIsSoundHtml() small

If we run this take a look at, it would fail, as a result of the index.tmpl file does
not exist. So we create it, with the above damaged HTML. Now the take a look at ought to go.

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) cite

Java

  @Check
  void indexIsSoundHtml() sturdy

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) small

Java

  @Check
  void indexIsSoundHtml() huge

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

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 b
  
    // verify that the template might 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 finished, it is legitimate!
      case nil:
        // do nothing
      default:
        t.Fatalf("Error parsing html: %s", err)
      }
    }
  }

source

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

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

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

Java

  @Check
  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();
  }

source

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 take a look at passes.

The take a look at, nevertheless, is simply too verbose: we extract two helper features, in
order to make the intention of the take a look at clearer, and we get

Go

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

source

Java

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

source

Stage 2: testing HTML construction

What else ought to we take a look at?

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

One is perhaps tempted to check the rendered HTML with string equality,
however this system fails in apply, as a result of templates comprise loads of
particulars that make string equality assertions impractical. The assertions
develop 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 say that some components of the rendered HTML
correspond to what we anticipate, and to ignore all the main points we do not
care about.
A method to do that is by operating queries with the CSS selector language:
it’s a highly effective language that enables us to pick the
components that we care about from the entire HTML doc. As soon as we’ve got
chosen these components, we (1) rely that the variety of ingredient returned
is what we anticipate, and (2) that they comprise the textual content or different content material
that we anticipate.

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

There are a number of particulars which are rendered dynamically:

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

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

It is 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 example:

index.tmpl

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

source

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

characteristic CSS selector
All of the objects ul.todo-list li
Accomplished objects ul.todo-list li.accomplished
Objects left span.todo-count
Highlighted navigation hyperlink ul.filters a.chosen
Clear accomplished button button.clear-completed

We are able to use these selectors to focus our exams on simply the issues we need to take a look at.

Testing HTML content material

The primary take a look at will search for all of the objects, and show that the info
arrange by the take a look at 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> components contained in the <ul class="todo-list"> 
  // assert the primary <li> textual content is "Foo"
  // assert the second <li> textual content is "Bar"
}

We’d like a method to question the HTML doc with our CSS selector; a great
library for Go is goquery, that implements an API impressed by jQuery.
In Java, we maintain utilizing the identical library we used to check for sound HTML, particularly
jsoup. Our take a look at 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 take a look at right here with t.FatalF
      t.Fatalf("Error rendering template %s", err)
    }
  
    // assert there are two <li> components 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 {
    // A bit mess on account of 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())
  }

source

Java

  @Check
  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> components 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");
  }

source

If we nonetheless have not modified the template to populate the checklist from the
mannequin, this take a look at will fail, as a result of the static template
todo objects have completely different textual content:

Go

  --- FAIL: Test_todoItemsAreShown (0.00s)
      index_template_test.go:44: First checklist merchandise: need Foo, received Style JavaScript
      index_template_test.go:49: Second checklist merchandise: need Bar, received 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 information:

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>

source

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>

source

Check each content material and soundness on the similar time

Our take a look at works, however it’s a bit verbose, particularly the Go model. If we will have extra
exams, they are going to develop 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 must 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 take a look at right here with t.FatalF
      t.Fatalf("Error rendering template %s", err)
    }
    return doc
  }

Java

  @Check
  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");
  }
  
  personal static Doc parseHtml(String html) {
      return Jsoup.parse(html, "");
  }

A lot better! At the least for my part. Now that we extracted the parseHtml helper, it is
a good suggestion to verify 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 take a look at right here with t.FatalF
      t.Fatalf("Error rendering template %s", err)
    }
    return doc
  }

source

Java

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

source

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

The second take a look at

Now we’re in a great place for testing extra rendering logic. The
second dynamic characteristic in our checklist is “Checklist objects ought to get the category
accomplished when marked as accomplished”. We are able to write a take a look at 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.Measurement())
    assert.Equal(t, "Bar", textual content(choice.Nodes[0]))
  }

source

Java

  @Check
  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");
  }

source

And this take a look at might 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>

source

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>

source

So little by little, we will take a look at and add the varied dynamic options
that our template ought to have.

Make it straightforward so as to add new exams

The primary of the 20 suggestions from the wonderful talk by Russ Cox on Go
Testing
is “Make it straightforward so as to add new take a look at circumstances“. Certainly, in Go there
is an inclination to make most exams parameterized, for this very motive.
Then again, whereas Java has
good support
for parameterized tests
with JUnit 5, they are not used as a lot.

Since our present two exams have the identical construction, we
might issue them right into a single parameterized take a look at.

A take a look at case for us will encompass:

  • A reputation (in order that we will produce clear error messages when the take a look at
    fails)
  • A mannequin (in our case a todo.Checklist)
  • A CSS selector
  • An inventory 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 take a look at circumstances:

Go

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

source

Java

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

source

And that is our parameterized take a look at:

Go

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

source

Java

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

source

We are able to now run our parameterized take a look at and see it go:

Go

  $ go take a look at -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 take a look at
  
  > Activity :take a look at
  
  IndexTemplateTest > testIndexTemplate(TestCase) > [1] all todo objects are proven PASSED
  IndexTemplateTest > testIndexTemplate(TestCase) > [2] accomplished objects get the 'accomplished' class PASSED

Notice how, by giving a reputation to our take a look at circumstances, we get very readable take a look at output, each on the terminal and within the IDE:

Having rewritten our two previous exams in desk type, it is now tremendous straightforward so as to add
one other. That is the take a look at for the “x objects left” textual content:

Go

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

source

Java

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

source

And the corresponding change within the html template is:

Go

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

source

Java – jmustache

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

source

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
  }

source

Java

  public class TodoList {
      personal last Checklist<TodoItem> objects = new ArrayList<>();
      // ...
      public lengthy activeItemsCount() {
          return objects.stream().filter(TodoItem::isActive).rely();
      }
  }

source

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

Making the desk extra expressive, on the expense of the take a look at code

We are going to now take a look at the “All”, “Energetic” and “Accomplished” navigation hyperlinks at
the underside of the UI (see the picture above),
and these depend upon which url we’re visiting, which is
one thing that our template has no method to discover out.

At present, all we go 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
consumer navigation state, not software state.

So we have to go extra info to the template past the mannequin. A simple manner
is to go 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
    information := map[string]any{
      "mannequin": mannequin,
      "path":  path,
    }
    err := templ.Execute(&buf, information)
    if err != nil {
      panic(err)
    }
    return buf
  }

Java

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

And correspondingly our take a look at circumstances desk has yet another area:

Go

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

Java

  file TestCase(String title,
                  TodoList mannequin,
                  String path,
                  String selector,
                  Checklist<String> matches) {
      @Override
      public String toString() {
          return title;
      }
  }
  
  public static TestCase[] indexTestCases() {
      return new TestCase[]{
              new TestCase(
                      "all todo objects 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: Energetic",
                      new TodoList(),
                      "/energetic",
                      "ul.filters a.chosen",
                      Checklist.of("Energetic")),
              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 considering, however Java doesn’t have
the same characteristic, so we’re pushed to go additional info, and this makes the take a look at circumstances
desk more durable to grasp.

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

We need to optimize for the time of the builders, so it is worthwhile to keep away from including irrelevant
information to our take a look at case. In Java we’d go null for the
irrelevant fields, however there’s a greater manner: we will use
the builder sample,
popularized by Joshua Bloch.
We are able to shortly write one for the Java TestCase file this manner:

Java

  file TestCase(String title,
                  TodoList mannequin,
                  String path,
                  String selector,
                  Checklist<String> matches) {
      @Override
      public String toString() {
          return title;
      }
  
      public static last class Builder {
          String title;
          TodoList mannequin;
          String path;
          String selector;
          Checklist<String> matches;
  
          public Builder title(String title) {
              this.title = title;
              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(title, mannequin, path, selector, matches);
          }
      }
  }

Hand-coding builders is a bit tedious, however doable, although there are
automated ways to jot down them.
Now we will rewrite our Java take a look at circumstances with the Builder, to
obtain better readability:

Java

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

So, the place are we with our exams? At current, they fail for the flawed motive: null-pointer exceptions
as a result of lacking mannequin and path values.
In an effort to get our new take a look at circumstances to fail for the precise motive, particularly that the template does
not but have logic to focus on the proper hyperlink, we should
present default values for mannequin and path. In Go, we will do that
within the take a look at technique:

Go

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

source

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

Java

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

source

With these adjustments, we see that the final two take a look at circumstances, those for the highlighted hyperlink Energetic
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: "Energetic"
                          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: Energetic FAILED
      org.opentest4j.AssertionFailedError:
      Anticipating:
       <"All">
      to be equal to:
       <"Energetic">
      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 exams go, 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">Energetic</a>
    </li>
    <li>
      <a class="{{ if eq .path "/accomplished" }}chosen{{ finish }}" href="#/accomplished">Accomplished</a>
    </li>
  </ul>

source

Java – jmustache

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

source

Because the Mustache template language doesn’t permit for equality testing, we should change the
information handed to the template in order that we execute the equality exams earlier than rendering the template:

Java

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

source

And with these adjustments, all of our exams now go.

To recap this part, we made the take a look at code a bit bit extra difficult, in order that the take a look at
circumstances are clearer: this can be a excellent tradeoff!

Stage 3: testing HTML behaviour

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

The behaviour of HTML by itself is often fairly apparent, as a result of
there may be not a lot of it. The one components that may work together with the
consumer are the anchor (<a>), <type> and
<enter> components, however the image adjustments fully when
we add CSS, that may disguise, 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 anticipate
that the majority behaviour is applied by returning new HTML with a
round-trip to the consumer, and this may be examined adequately with the
strategies we have seen thus far, however what if we needed to hurry up the
software behaviour with a library similar to HTMX? This library works by way of particular
attributes which are added to components so as to add Ajax behaviour. These
attributes are in impact a DSL that we’d need to
take a look at.

How can we take a look at the mix of HTML, CSS and JavaScript in
a unit take a look at?

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 exams;
can we use them for unitary exams as a substitute? I believe that is attainable,
utilizing the next strategies, though I have to admit I’ve but to strive
this on an actual mission.

We are going to use the Playwright
library, that’s accessible for each Go and
Java. The exams we
are going to jot down will probably be slower, as a result of we should wait just a few
seconds for the headless browser to start out, however will retain a few of the
vital traits of unit exams, primarily that we’re testing
simply the HTML (and any related CSS and JavaScript), in isolation from
another server-side logic.

Persevering with with the TodoMVC
instance, the subsequent factor we’d need to take a look at is what occurs when the
consumer clicks on the checkbox of a todo merchandise. What we might prefer to occur is
that:

  1. A POST name to the server is made, in order that the appliance 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 appliance together with the rely of remaining “energetic”
    objects (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 take a look at that can simply load the preliminary HTML. The take a look at
is a 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())
    }
  }

source

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();
      }
  
      @Check
      void toggleTodoItem() {
          // Render the preliminary html
          TodoList mannequin = new TodoList()
                  .add("One")
                  .add("Two");
          String initialHtml = renderTemplate("/index.tmpl", mannequin, "/");
          
          strive (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("Sudden request: %s %s", route.request().technique(), route.request().url()));
                  }
              });
          
              // load preliminary html
              web page.navigate("http://localhost:4567/index.html");
          }
      }
  }

source

At first of the take a look at, we initialize the mannequin with two todo
objects “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 is able to begin a headless
browser

Go

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

Java

  strive (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 gives 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.Methodology(), 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

  personal 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("Sudden 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 take a look at; it succeeds and
it logs the stubbed community exercise on normal 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 take a look at we are actually capable of load arbitrary HTML in a
headless browser. Within the subsequent sections we’ll see the best way to simulate consumer
interplay with components of the web page, and observe the web page’s
behaviour. However first we have to clear up an issue with the shortage of
identifiers in our area mannequin.

Figuring out todo objects

Now we need to click on on the “One” checkbox. The issue we’ve got is
that at current, we’ve got no method to establish particular person todo objects, so
we introduce an Id area 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 {
      personal last Checklist<TodoItem> objects = new ArrayList<>();
  
      public TodoList add(String title) {
          objects.add(new TodoItem(generateRandomId(), title, false));
          return this;
      }
  
      public TodoList addCompleted(String title) {
          objects.add(new TodoItem(generateRandomId(), title, true));
          return this;
      }
  
      public TodoList add(int id, String title) {
          objects.add(new TodoItem(id, title, false));
          return this;
      }
  
      personal static int generateRandomId() {
          return new Random().nextInt(0, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
      }
  }
  
  public file TodoItem(int id, String title, boolean isCompleted) {
      public boolean isActive() {
          return !isCompleted;
      }
  }

And we replace the mannequin in our take a look at so as to add specific Ids

Go – including Id within the take a look at information

  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 take a look at information

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

We are actually prepared to check consumer interplay with the web page.

Clicking on a todo merchandise

We need to simulate consumer 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 need to click on, however there’s a greater manner: there’s a
consensus amongst front-end builders that one of the best ways to check
interplay with a web page is to use it
the same way that users do
. As an example, you do not search for a
button by way of a CSS locator similar to button.purchase; as a substitute,
you search for one thing clickable with the label “Purchase”. In apply,
this implies figuring out components of the web page by way of their
ARIA
roles.

To this finish, we add code to our take a look at 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{Title: "One"})
    if err := checkbox.Click on(); err != nil {
      t.Deadly(err)
    }
  }

Java

  @Check
  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 take a look at, 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 take a look at, 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 bettering
accessibility of our generated HTML. Within the subsequent part, we'll see
the best way to take a look at that the press on a todo merchandise triggers a distant name to the
server, that ought to lead to swapping part of the present HTML with
the HTML returned by the XHR name.

Spherical-trip to the server

Now we’ll prolong our take a look at. We inform the take a look at that if name to
POST /toggle/101 is obtained, it ought to return some
stubbed HTML.

Go

  } else if route.Request().URL() == "http://localhost:4567/toggle/101" && route.Request().Methodology() == "POST" {
    // we anticipate {that a} POST /toggle/101 request is made after we click on on the "One" checkbox
    const stubbedHtml = `
      <part class="todoapp">
        <p>Stubbed html</p>
      </part>`
    stubResponse(route, stubbedHtml, "textual content/html")

Java

  } else if (route.request().url().equals("http://localhost:4567/toggle/101") && route.request().technique().equals("POST")) {
      // we anticipate {that a} POST /toggle/101 request is made after we click on on the "One" checkbox
      String stubbedHtml = """
          <part class="todoapp">
              <p>Stubbed html</p>
          </part>
          """;
      route.fulfill(new Route.FulfillOptions()
              .setContentType("textual content/html")
              .setBody(stubbedHtml));

And we stub the loading of the HTMX library, which we load from a
native file:

Go

  } else if route.Request().URL() == "https://unpkg.com/[email protected]" {
    // serve the htmx library
    stubResponse(route, readFile("testdata/htmx.min.js"), "software/javascript")

Go

  } else if (route.request().url().equals("https://unpkg.com/[email protected]")) {
      // serve the htmx library
      route.fulfill(new Route.FulfillOptions()
              .setContentType("textual content/html")
              .setBody(readFile("/htmx.min.js")));

Lastly, we add the expectation that, after we click on the checkbox,
the part of the HTML that incorporates a lot of the software is
reloaded.

Go

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

  // verify that the web page has been up to date
  doc := parseHtml(t, content material(t, web page))
  components := doc.Discover("physique > part.todoapp > p")
  assert.Equal(t, "Stubbed html", components.Textual content(), should(web page.Content material()))

java

  // click on on the "One" checkbox
  var checkbox = web page.getByRole(AriaRole.CHECKBOX, new Web page.GetByRoleOptions().setName("One"));
  checkbox.click on();

  // verify that the web page has been up to date
  var doc = parseHtml(web page.content material());
  var components = doc.choose("physique > part.todoapp > p");
  assertThat(components.textual content())
          .describedAs(web page.content material())
          .isEqualTo("Stubbed html");

We run the take a look at, and it fails, as anticipated. In an effort to perceive
why precisely it fails, we add to the error message the entire HTML
doc.

Go

  assert.Equal(t, "Stubbed html", components.Textual content(), should(web page.Content material()))

Java

  assertThat(components.textual content())
          .describedAs(web page.content material())
          .isEqualTo("Stubbed html");

The error message may be very verbose, however we see that the explanation it
fails is that we do not see the stubbed HTML within the output. This implies
that the web page didn’t make the anticipated XHR name.

Go – Java is analogous

  --- FAIL: Test_toggleTodoItem (2.75s)
  === RUN   Test_toggleTodoItem
  >> GET http://localhost:4567/index.html
  << 200 http://localhost:4567/index.html
  Loaded: http://localhost:4567/index.html
      index_behaviour_test.go:67:
            Error Hint:  .../index_behaviour_test.go:67
            Error:        Not equal:
                          anticipated: "Stubbed html"
                          precise  : ""
                          ...
            Check:         Test_toggleTodoItem
            Messages:     <!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en"><head>
                              <meta charset="utf-8">
                              <meta title="viewport" content material="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
                              <title>Template • TodoMVC</title>
                              <script src="https://unpkg.com/[email protected]"></script>
                            <physique>
                              <part class="todoapp">
                          ...
                                    <li class="">
                                      <div class="view">
                                        <enter id="checkbox-101" class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
                                        <label for="checkbox-101">One</label>
                                        <button class="destroy"></button>
                                      </div>
                                    </li>
                          ...

We are able to make this take a look at go by altering the HTML template to make use of HTMX
to make an XHR name again to the server. First we load the HTMX
library:

index.tmpl

  <title>Template • TodoMVC</title>
  <script src="https://unpkg.com/[email protected]"></script>

Then we add the HTMX attributes to the checkboxes:

index.tmpl

  <enter
      data-hx-post="/toggle/{{.Id}}"
      data-hx-target="part.todoapp"
      id="checkbox-{{.Id}}"
      class="toggle"
      kind="checkbox">

The data-hx-post annotation will make HTMX do a POST
name to the required url. The data-hx-target tells HTMX
to repeat the HTML returned by the decision, to the ingredient specified by the
part.todoapp CSS locator.

We run once more the take a look at, and it nonetheless fails!

Go – Java is analogous

  --- FAIL: Test_toggleTodoItem (2.40s)
  === RUN   Test_toggleTodoItem
  >> GET http://localhost:4567/index.html
  << 200 http://localhost:4567/index.html
  >> GET https://unpkg.com/[email protected]
  << 200 https://unpkg.com/[email protected]
  Loaded: http://localhost:4567/index.html
  >> POST http://localhost:4567/toggle/101
  << 200 http://localhost:4567/toggle/101
      index_behaviour_test.go:67:
            Error Hint:  .../index_behaviour_test.go:67
            Error:        Not equal:
                          anticipated: "Stubbed html"
                          precise  : ""
                          ...
            Check:         Test_toggleTodoItem
            Messages:     <!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en"><head>
                              <meta charset="utf-8">
                              <meta title="viewport" content material="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
                              <title>Template • TodoMVC</title>
                              <script src="https://unpkg.com/[email protected]"></script>
                          ...
                            <physique>
                              <part class="todoapp"><part class="todoapp">
                                    <p>Stubbed html</p>
                                  </part></part>
                          ...
                          </physique></html>

The log strains present that the POST name occurred as anticipated, however
examination of the error message exhibits that the HTML construction we
anticipated isn’t there: we’ve got a part.todoapp nested
inside one other. Which means we aren’t utilizing the HTMX annotations
appropriately, and exhibits why this type of take a look at might be priceless. We add the
lacking annotation

index.tmpl

  <enter
      data-hx-post="/toggle/{{.Id}}"
      data-hx-target="part.todoapp"
      data-hx-swap="outerHTML"
      id="checkbox-{{.Id}}"
      class="toggle"
      kind="checkbox">

The default behaviour of HTMX is to switch the interior HTML of the
goal ingredient. The data-hx-swap="outerHTML" annotation
tells HTMX to switch the outer HTML as a substitute.

and we take a look at once more, and this time it passes!

Go

  === RUN   Test_toggleTodoItem
  >> GET http://localhost:4567/index.html
  << 200 http://localhost:4567/index.html
  >> GET https://unpkg.com/[email protected]
  << 200 https://unpkg.com/[email protected]
  Loaded: http://localhost:4567/index.html
  >> POST http://localhost:4567/toggle/101
  << 200 http://localhost:4567/toggle/101
  --- PASS: Test_toggleTodoItem (1.39s)

Java

  IndexBehaviourTest > toggleTodoItem() STANDARD_OUT
      >> GET http://localhost:4567/index.html
      << 200 http://localhost:4567/index.html
      >> GET https://unpkg.com/[email protected]
      << 200 https://unpkg.com/[email protected]
      Loaded: http://localhost:4567/index.html
      >> POST http://localhost:4567/toggle/101
      << 200 http://localhost:4567/toggle/101
  
  IndexBehaviourTest > toggleTodoItem() PASSED

On this part we noticed the best way to write a take a look at for the behaviour of our
HTML that, whereas utilizing the difficult equipment of a headless browser,
nonetheless feels extra like a unit take a look at than an integration take a look at. It’s in
truth testing simply an HTML web page with any related CSS and JavaScript,
in isolation from different components of the appliance similar to controllers,
providers or repositories.

The take a look at prices 2-3 seconds of ready time for the headless browser to return up, which is often an excessive amount of for a unit take a look at; nevertheless, like a unit take a look at, it is extremely secure, as it’s not flaky, and its failures are documented with a comparatively clear error message.

See the ultimate model of the take a look at in Go and in Java.

Bonus stage: Stringly asserted

Esko Luontola, TDD knowledgeable and creator of the web course tdd.mooc.fi, suggested an alternative to testing HTML with CSS selectors: the concept is to remodel HTML right into a human-readable canonical type.

Let’s take for instance this snippet of generated HTML:

<ul class="todo-list">
  <li class="">
    <div class="view">
      <enter id="checkbox-100" class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
      <label for="checkbox-100">One</label>
      <button class="destroy"></button>
    </div>
  </li>
  <li class="">
    <div class="view">
      <enter id="checkbox-200" class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
      <label for="checkbox-200">Two</label>
      <button class="destroy"></button>
    </div>
  </li>
  <li class="accomplished">
    <div class="view">
      <enter id="checkbox-300" class="toggle" kind="checkbox">
      <label for="checkbox-300">Three</label>
      <button class="destroy"></button>
    </div>
  </li>
</ul>

We might visualize the above HTML by:

  1. deleting all HTML tags
  2. decreasing each sequence of whitespace characters to a single clean

to reach at:

One Two Three

This, nevertheless, removes an excessive amount of of the HTML construction to be helpful. As an example, it doesn’t allow us to distinguish between energetic and accomplished objects. Some HTML ingredient symbolize seen content material: as an example

<enter worth="foo" />

exhibits a textual content field with the phrase “foo” that is a vital a part of the manner we understand HTML. To visualise these components, Esko suggests so as to add a data-test-icon attribute that provides some textual content for use rather than the ingredient when visualizing it for testing. With this,

<enter worth="foo" data-test-icon="[foo]" />

the enter ingredient is visualized as [foo], with the sq. brackets hinting that the phrase “foo” sits inside an editable textual content field. Now if we add test-icons to our HTML template,

Go — Java is analogous

  <ul class="todo-list">
      {{ vary .mannequin.AllItems }}
      <li class="{{ if .IsCompleted }}accomplished{{ finish }}">
          <div class="view">
              <enter data-hx-post="/toggle/{{ .Id }}"
                     data-hx-target="part.todoapp"
                     data-hx-swap="outerHTML"
                     id="checkbox-{{ .Id }}"
                     class="toggle"
                     kind="checkbox"
                     data-test-icon="{{ if .IsCompleted }}✅{{ else }}⬜{{ finish }}">
              <label for="checkbox-{{ .Id }}">{{ .Title }}</label>
              <button class="destroy" data-test-icon="❌️"></button>
          </div>
      </li>
      {{ finish }}
  </ul>

we will assert in opposition to its canonical visible illustration like this:

Go

  func Test_visualize_html_example(t *testing.T) {
    mannequin := todo.NewList().
      Add("One").
      Add("Two").
      AddCompleted("Three")
  
    buf := renderTemplate("todo-list.tmpl", mannequin, "/")
  
    anticipated := `
      ⬜ One ❌️
      ⬜ Two ❌️
      ✅ Three ❌️
      `
    assert.Equal(t, normalizeWhitespace(anticipated), visualizeHtml(buf.String()))
  }

Java

  @Check
  void visualize_html_example() {
      var mannequin = new TodoList()
              .add("One")
              .add("Two")
              .addCompleted("Three");
  
      var html = renderTemplate("/todo-list.tmpl", mannequin, "/");
  
      assertThat(visualizeHtml(html))
              .isEqualTo(normalizeWhitespace("""
                      ⬜ One ❌️
                      ⬜ Two ❌️
                      ✅ Three ❌️
                      """));
  }

Right here is Esko Luontola’s Java implementation of the 2 features that make this attainable, and my translation to Go of his code.

Go

  func visualizeHtml(html string) string abbr
  
  func normalizeWhitespace(s string) string {
    return strings.TrimSpace(replaceAll(s, "s+", " "))
  }
  
  func replaceAll(src, regex, repl string) string {
    re := regexp.MustCompile(regex)
    return re.ReplaceAllString(src, repl)
  }

source

Java

  public static String visualizeHtml(String html) em
  
  public static String normalizeWhitespace(String s) {
     return s.replaceAll("s+", " ").trim();
  }

source

On this part, we’ve got seen a way for asserting HTML content material that’s a substitute for the CSS selector-based method utilized in the remainder of the article. Esko Luontola has reported nice success with it, and I hope readers have success with it too!

This method of asserting in opposition to giant, difficult information buildings similar to HTML pages by decreasing them to a canonical string model has no title that I do know of. Martin Fowler suggested “stringly asserted”, and from his suggestion comes the title of this part.