TDD tools

We looked at the nose2 test runner earlier in this book. Python has other popular third-party test runners. Python also has a number of libraries to make assertions more flexible and readable. These libraries can be used with both unittest compatible tests and the function style tests supported by third-party test runners. Let us take a look at some of these TDD tools.

py.test

Like nose2, py.test is another popular third-party test runner. py.test supports many features like the following:

• Writing tests as ordinary functions.

• Using Python's assert statement to perform asserts.

• Ability to skip tests or mark tests as expected failures.

• Fixtures with setup and teardown support.

• Extensible plugin framework, with plugins available to do popular functionality such as XML output, coverage reporting, and running tests in parallel across multiple processors or cores.

• Tag tests with attributes.

• Integration with popular tools.

One of py.test's most unique features is funcargs. Take a look at the following...