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https://github.com/noredink/rails_edge_test

Generate json for front-end testing using your rails backend.
https://github.com/noredink/rails_edge_test

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Generate json for front-end testing using your rails backend.

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README 

        
# RailsEdgeTest



There is a particular type of integration testing that we have found very fruitful. We:

- load up our front-end with its virtual dom, 

- assert expectations by querying the virtual dom, and 

- interact with our application by simulating events on elements in the virtual dom



We have found these browser-less integration tests to be orders of magnitude faster than typical capybara integration tests, with minimal downsides. One of the biggest drawbacks to this approach is that we must maintain the json we expect from the backend in a form that is available to these tests, typically a json file (or Elm file with a json blob). Maintaining the blob causes two problems:

1. The blob can easily become out-of-sync with our backend, and 

2. There is no specification for how to recreate it when things do become out-of-sync.



This gem aims to solve these problems. The rails_edge_test gem allows us to:

- use Ruby code to explicitly specify each json blob our front-end tests require, 

- re-generate these files, as needed, with a simple rake task.



We write what we call "edge specs," Ruby files that specify the json edge between our front- and back-end by using our Rails models and controller actions directly. These are written using a DSL evocative of an RSpec spec. They allow us to generate json blob files which we commit to our repo, and access from our front-end integration tests. Over time, as our APIs develop, we can simply rerun our edge specs in order to update these json blobs based on existing specifications.



## Installation



Add this line to your application's Gemfile, and make sure it's available to your test environment:



```ruby

gem 'rails_edge_test'

```



And then execute:



    $ bundle



Or install it yourself as:



    $ gem install rails_edge_test



## Usage



For example:



```ruby

# spec/edge/rails_controller_edge.rb



include RailsEdgeTest::Dsl



controller HomeController do

  action :show do

    let(:user) { create :user }

    

    edge "first time user" do

      user

      perform_get

      

      # generates Edge.HomeController.Show.FirstTimeUser with `json` function

      produce_elm_file('FirstTimeUser') 

    end

    

    edge "returning user" do

      user

      create :post, user: user

      perform_get

      

      # generates Edge.HomeController.Show.ReturningUser with `json` function

      produce_elm_file('ReturningUser') 

    end

  end

end

```



Edge specifications, like the above, should be put in subfolders of `/edge` and must be named `*_edge.rb`.



## Generating files



When you want to generate all your edge json files, run this:



`bundle exec generate_edges`



When you can also specify a specific file:



`bundle exec generate_edges spec/edge/rails_controller_edge.rb`



You can also pass in a file path relative to the edge root path (usually `spec/edge`):



`bundle exec generate_edges rails_controller_edge.rb`



## Some helpful setup



You may want to use some or all of this setup:



```ruby

# config/initializers/rails_edge_test.rb



if defined?(RailsEdgeTest)

  RailsEdgeTest.configure do |config|

    config.edge_root_path = Rails.root.join('edge', 'spec')

    config.elm_path = Rails.root.join('ui', 'tests')

    config.include(FactoryGirl::Syntax::Methods)



    config.before_suite { DatabaseCleaner.strategy = :transaction }

    config.before_each { DatabaseCleaner.start }

    config.after_each { DatabaseCleaner.clean }



    config.printer = RailsEdgeTest::Printers::Tree

  end

end

```



```ruby

# edge/edge_helper.rb



include RailsEdgeTest::Dsl



Dir[Rails.root.join('spec', 'support', '**', '*.rb')].each {|f| require f}

```



```ruby

# edge/_edge.rb



require Rails.root.join('edge', 'spec', 'edge_helper')



#...

```



## Development



After checking out the repo, run `bin/setup` to install dependencies. Then, run `rake spec` to run the tests. You can also run `bin/console` for an interactive prompt that will allow you to experiment.



To install this gem onto your local machine, run `bundle exec rake install`.



To release a new version, follow the instructions in [PUBLISHING.md](PUBLISHING.md).



### Nix support



In order to get Nix working you need to have [direnv](https://github.com/direnv/direnv) installed. You will have to `direnv allow` to load the current `.envrc`. You can then run from the top level folder:



```

./nix/update-gemset.sh

```



## Contributing



Bug reports and pull requests are welcome on GitHub at https://github.com/NoRedInk/rails_edge_test. This project is intended to be a safe, welcoming space for collaboration, and contributors are expected to adhere to the [Contributor Covenant](http://contributor-covenant.org) code of conduct.



## License



The gem is available as open source under the terms of the [MIT License](http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT).