#PHPUNIT MOCKS VS STUBS HOW TO#
#PHPUNIT MOCKS VS STUBS CODE#
#PHPUNIT MOCKS VS STUBS FREE#

#PHPUNIT MOCKS VS STUBS CODE#

JustMock Lite is suitable for mocking with loosely coupled code and projects designed for testability.

#PHPUNIT MOCKS VS STUBS FREE#

JustMock has a free edition, JustMock Lite, as well, which provides all the functionality of JustMock except elevated mocking. Behavioral specification is done though optional assertion calls, not through different construction techniques of the replacement objects. JustMock goes even further and does not force the developer to distinguish between “mocks” and “stubs.” With JustMock, there is a single, easy-to-use API for all of possible mocking needs. There are no “physical” mock objects that have to be maintained as the project changes. Mock objects are created automatically in memory when the tests are run based on the simple configuration in the unit test. Mock objects can be created and maintained manually, but this process is very time consuming and ultimately unproductive.Ī complete mocking framework like JustMock enables developers to focus solely on testing the system under test and forget about the distracting mocking details. Since TDD requires that each code unit is preceded by a test describing its functionality, using this methodology means following the YAGNI (You Aren’t Going to Need It) principle or ensuring that each functionality added is really needed. If the tests are not continually re-run, a broken test can occur as a result of new code or previous refactoring. If the refactoring step is skipped, there may be some repeated code, thus the DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) principle will be violated. The purpose of refactoring and rerunning the tests is to help the developer deliver better code quality.

Refactor (or clean up) the code or add additional user cases to the test.

The code does not have to be perfect, it will be refined later.

Write the minimum code needed to make the test pass.

Use mock objects to stand in for dependencies.

Write an automated unit test which will initially fail for the new functionality being implemented.

TDD has the following prescribed set of steps: Test-driven development is based on the test first methodology but with the introduction of refactoring. Whether or not the code is written correctly is apparent immediately when using this methodology. This process forces the developer to think about the unit’s interface and expected results. The test first methodology implies writing the unit test before writing the actual code.

#PHPUNIT MOCKS VS STUBS HOW TO#

More practical examples on how to get started mocking can be found in the Doing Your First Mock blog post. With JustMock you can create a Mock with just one line of code, which makes the test more understandable.įor more information on mocking and the differences between stubs, fakes and mocks read the Fakes, Stubs and Mocks blog post. It will still return values like a Stub, but it can also be programmed with expectations in terms of how many times each method should be called, in which order and with what data.

Mocks: A Mock is a much more sophisticated version of a Stub. With JustMock you can create a Stub in a test with a minimal amount of code, making it clear how the dependency will respond and how the tested system should behave. Stubs: A Stub is an object that will return a specific result based on a specific set of inputs and usually won’t respond to anything outside of what is programed for the test. The problem introduced by using Fakes is that when an interface has been modified, all fakes implementing this interface should be modified as well.

To test for different use cases, a lot of Fakes must be introduced. Usually the Fake is hard-coded to return fixed results. There are three main possible types of replacement objects - fakes, stubs and mocks.įakes: A Fake is an object that will replace the actual code by implementing the same interface but without interacting with other objects.

In mocking, the dependencies are replaced by closely controlled replacements objects that simulate the behavior of the real ones. The purpose of mocking is to isolate and focus on the code being tested and not on the behavior or state of external dependencies. Mocking is a process used in unit testing when the unit being tested has external dependencies.

Phpunit mocks vs stubs