DevTut

# Unit testing using Xcode

# Testing a block of code or some method:

  • Import the class, which contains the method to be tested.
  • Perform the operation with dummy data.
  • Now compare the result of operation with expected result.
- (void)testReverseString{
NSString *originalString = @"hi_my_name_is_siddharth";
NSString *reversedString = [self.someObject reverseString:originalString];
NSString *expectedReversedString = @"htrahddis_si_eman_ym_ih";
XCTAssertEqualObjects(expectedReversedString, reversedString, @"The reversed string did not match the expected reverse");
}

Feed the dummy data to the method under test if required & then compare the expected & actual results.

# Testing asynchronous block of code:

- (void)testDoSomethingThatTakesSomeTime{
XCTestExpectation *completionExpectation = [self expectationWithDescription:@"Long method"];
[self.someObject doSomethingThatTakesSomeTimesWithCompletionBlock:^(NSString *result) {
    XCTAssertEqualObjects(@"result", result, @"Result was not correct!");
    [completionExpectation fulfill];
}];
[self waitForExpectationsWithTimeout:5.0 handler:nil];
}
  • Feed the dummy data to the method under test if required.
  • The test will pause here, running the run loop, until the timeout is hit or all expectations are fulfilled.
  • Timeout is the expected time for the asynchronous block to response.

# Measuring Performance of a block of code:

1. For Synchronous methods :

- (void)testPerformanceReverseString {
    NSString *originalString = @"hi_my_name_is_siddharth";
    [self measureBlock:^{
        [self.someObject reverseString:originalString];
    }];
}

2. For Asynchronous methods :

- (void)testPerformanceOfAsynchronousBlock {
   [self measureMetrics:@[XCTPerformanceMetric_WallClockTime] automaticallyStartMeasuring:YES forBlock:^{
    
    XCTestExpectation *expectation = [self expectationWithDescription:@"performanceTestWithResponse"];
    
    [self.someObject doSomethingThatTakesSomeTimesWithCompletionBlock:^(NSString *result) {
        [expectation fulfill];
    }];
    [self waitForExpectationsWithTimeout:5.0 handler:^(NSError *error) {
    }];
}];
}
  • These performance measure block gets executed for 10 times consecutively & then the average is calculated, & on the basis of this average performance result gets created & baseline is accepted for further evaluation.
  • The performance result is compared with the previous test results & baseline with a customizable max standard deviation.

# Running Test Suits:

Run all tests by choosing Product > Test. Click the Test Navigator icon to view the status and results of the tests. You can add a test target to a project (or add a class to a test) by clicking the Add (plus) button in the bottom-left corner of the test navigator. To view the source code for a particular test, select it from the test list. The file opens in the source code editor.

# Note:

Make sure that include unit test case box is checked when creating a new project as shown below: enter image description here (opens new window)

# Remarks

Dependencies:

  • If application uses third party libraries or cocoa pods, then those libraries or pods are needed to be install for test as well.
  • Test class (Test Suit) extends XCTestCase.

Get brushed up before starting:

  • All test classes have two methods in common setUp & tearDown.
  • setUp runs before every testcase & tearDown after every testcase.
  • Test cases runs alphabetically.
  • In Test Driven Development, it is good to create dummy test data first.
  • Test case methods starts with "test" keyword.
  • Test methods accept no parameters & return no value.

    • Appendix:

    There are several other methods for comparing the expected result & actual result out of an operation. Some of those methods are listed below:

    • XCTAssertNil(expression, comment) generates a failure if expression != nil.
    • XCTAssertNotNil(expression, comment) generates a failure if expression = nil.
    • XCTAssert(expression, comment) generates a failure if expression == false.
    • XCTAssertTrue(expression, comment) generates a failure if expression == false.
    • XCTAssertFalse(expression, comment) generates a failure if expression != false.
    • XCTAssertEqualObjects(expression1, expression2, comment) generates a failure if expression1 is not equal to expression2.
    • XCTAssertEqualObjects(expression1, expression2, comment) generates a failure if expression1 is equal to expression2.
    • XCTAssertNotEqual(expression1, expression2, comment) generates a failure if expression1 == expression2.
    • XCTAssertEqual(expression1, expression2, comment) generates a failure if expression1 != expression2.
    • XCTAssertGreaterThanOrEqual(expression1, expression2, comment) generates a failure when ( expression1 < expression2).

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