Fixture setup patterns

Fresh Fixture

Inline setup

Each Test Method creates its own Fresh Fixture by calling the appropriate constructor methods to build exactly the test fixture it requires.

To execute an automated test, we require a text fixture that is well understood and completely deterministic. We can use the Fresh Fixture approach to build a Minimal Fixture for the use of this one test. Setting up the test fixture on an in-line basis in each test is the most obvious way to build it.

Delegated setup

Each Test Method creates its own Fresh Fixture by calling Creation Methods from within the Test Methods.

Implicit setup

We build the test fixture common to several tests in the setUp method.

Shared Fixture

Prebuilt fixture

We build the Shared Fixture separately from running the tests.

Lazy setup

We use Lazy Initialization of the fi xture to create it in the fi rst test that needs it.

SuiteFixture setup

We build/destroy the shared fi xture in special methods called by the Test Automation Framework before/after the fi rst/last Test Method is called.

Setup Decorator

We wrap the test suite with a Decorator that sets up the shared test fixture before running the tests and tears it down after all tests are done.

Chained tests

We let the other tests in a test suite set up the test fixture.

Chained Tests offer a way to reuse the test fixture left over from one test and the Shared Fixture of a subsequent test.