From: Ryan Leavengood <mrcode@...>
Date: 2005-08-04T08:10:53+09:00
Subject: Re: interesting test tool... looking for opinions.

Jeff Wood said:
> There is wonderful java-based testing unit framework called TestNG.
>
> I'd love to see it's extensions to the standard xUnit style testing
> get incorporated into our TestUnit objects...
>
> Anyways, if/when any of you that care to, have the time, please take a
> look at TestNG and let me know what you think of the idea of something
> like that becoming the standard for Ruby?
>
> Thanks ... I know I'm not in any place of power, but I just wanted to
> see what people think.

I've taken just a very cursory look, but I imagine a Ruby equivalent could
be created fairly easily. In fact, a Ruby version could be much better.

For example, since TestNG test classes do not subclass from anything, one
is required to use the Java assert keyword for all assertions. That means
all those handy assertions provided by JUnit can no longer be used (unless
I missed some trick.) In Ruby, the Test::Unit::Assertions module could
just be mixed into Object and everything could use them.

Another possible issue is the fact that there is no equivalent to Java
annotations, though I've done some prototyping and figured out a way to
fairly easily have the equivalent in Ruby, at least for methods.

Still, I balk when I see XML config files, even if they are fairly simple.
I imagine a Ruby version would use YAML instead, but I still don't like
the idea of external files. But maybe that is part of the power of TestNG.
Without making a lot of tests using TestNG I can't quite see all the
benefits or power.

Ryan