How I generate my UI tests

This article is intended for Solidjs but it should be also useful for React or Preact developers too.

Imagine you're developing dev.to and it has been written in one of the frameworks above. Go to your Chrome DevTools console. Type these two commands:

$str.describe = 'dev.to'
$str.it = 'should render logo'

Then, select Devto's logo with the element inspector. You'll be prompted with:

can be selected by:
screen.getByAltText("DEV Community \uD83D\uDC69\u200D\uD83D\uDCBB\uD83D\uDC68\u200D\uD83D\uDCBB")

Now type:

$str.expect.toBeInTheDocument = true
$str.seeResult

A code editor will show up with this:

import { describe, expect, test as it, vi } from 'vitest'
import { fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from 'solid-testing-library'
import { getRequestSpy } from 'rootPath/setupVitest'
import { SomeComponent } from './some-component'

describe('dev.to', () => {
  const waitForInitialRequests = async () => {}

  it('should render logo', async () => {
    const initialProps = {}
    const { unmount } = render(() => <SomeComponent {...initialProps} />)

    await waitForInitialRequests()
    expect(
      screen.getByAltText('DEV Community \uD83D\uDC69\u200D\uD83D\uDCBB\uD83D\uDC68\u200D\uD83D\uDCBB')
    ).toBeInTheDocument()
    unmount()
  })
})

Copy-paste the test to your IDE and job done!

OK... It isn't a complete story as Chrome DevTools doesn't magically generate tests. However, with this open source extension: Solid Test Recorder this and more is possible!

In a nutshell, this bad boy extension:

• Generates UI tests which relay on vitest and msw which follow solidjs guidelines.
• Uses a combination of Chrome DevTools element inspector and console which gives great recording control e.g. terminal-like auto-completion.
• Auto-generates the most specific selector for inspected element.
• Records network requests and generates mocks and spies for them.

And here is a list of available commands:

Configuration:
$str.config.codeTemplates	allows to edit the code template used when generation test file
$str.config.excludedRequests	allows to specify list of URLs to ignore when capturing requests
Testing:
$str.describe	creates a new test file with a given description
$str.it	creates a new test case with a given description
$str.expect.*	adds a new asser on a currently selected element
$str.capture.*	starts event capturing i.e. auto-generation user events and subsequent requests
$str.stopCapturing	stops event capturing
$str.seeResult	opens editor with a generated test file and request mock
$str.editTest	allows to reposition or remove test cases and test steps and setting their active cursors
Changing current test file/case:
$str.use.file	allows to switch to a given test file
$str.use.case	allows to switch to a given test case
Controlling editor:
$str.applyChanges	saves changes and closes editor(s)
$str.closeEditor	discards any changes and closes editor(s)
Data collections:
$str.$requests	captured HTTP requests
$str.$files	test files
$str.$cases	test cases

Dangerous: $str.clear - removes all the test data

More info in the repo

Enjoy not writing but rather generating your test!

Github stars are much appreciated. 😃

Comments

[chris-czopp]

I'm glad you find it useful. I know that writing tests can be boring too. With this I hope to encourage people to write more UI tests :)