[rspec-users] State Based vs. Behaviour Based Spec/Testing

[aslak hellesoy]

On 3/24/07, Scott Taylor <mailing_lists at railsnewbie.com> wrote:
>
> I've notice that a project like Rubinius has both a spec & a test
> directory.  Rspec has only a spec directory.  Obviously I support
> BDD, but isn't there also a place for state based/verification

Anyone is free to write their code who they want. RSpec doesn't
mandate any particular style, it just encourages it.

> testing?  I sometimes sense that I *do* want to practice Test Driven
> Development.

Ok. BDD is just a kind of TDD with a stronger focus on "tell don't
ask", mocking and intent.

> That is, I want some assurance that my production code
> will run as intended.  But I also want some verification of a bug
> right after I have implemented it.
>
> How can one truly get away from state based testing to some degree?

Use mocking to drive out interaction between objects. Strive for a
"tell don't ask" design (look it up).

> Spec's often seem too "high level" to assure the "testing" of the code.
>

What do you mean?

> I know that Test::Unit code will always be brittle.  What happens
> when the code is refactored?  It is sure to break.
>

Huh? What is it about Test::Unit that makes it inherently brittle?
I have no idea what you are talking about here.

> Does this suggest that Test::Unit code should be written right after
> development is done, covering the internals of the project?

If you're doing TDD, no - you write tests before the code. If you're
"just using Test::Unit" you can write it when you want.

>  Maybe
> BDD specs should be written first, using TDD with Test::Unit for

BDD *is* TDD, with some extra philosophical baggage. You write specs
before the code in both BDD and TDD.

> verification (as throw-away code)?  Or do mock objects solve all of
> these problems?
>

What problems?

> The real question is, do you spec'ers think there is any place for a
> testing framework next to a spec'ing framework?
>

To solve what problem?

Aslak

> Best,
>
> Scott Taylor
>
>
>
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