Python Testing

5.

Test Design and Best Practices

5.1.

Characteristics of Good Tests

5.1.1.

5.1.1.1.

Minimizing Test Duration

5.1.1.2.

Performance Optimization

5.1.2.

5.1.2.1.

Avoiding Shared State

5.1.2.2.

5.1.3.

5.1.3.1.

Consistent Results Across Runs

5.1.3.2.

Deterministic Testing

5.1.4.

Self-Validating

5.1.4.1.

Clear Pass/Fail Criteria

5.1.4.2.

Meaningful Assertions

5.1.5.

5.1.5.1.

Writing Tests Early in Development

5.1.5.2.

Test-First Development

5.2.

The Arrange-Act-Assert Pattern

5.2.1.

Structuring Test Logic

5.2.2.

Improving Readability

5.2.3.

Clear Test Phases

5.3.

Test Organization Strategies

5.3.1.

Structuring the tests Directory

5.3.1.1.

Separating Unit and Integration Tests

5.3.1.2.

Organizing by Feature or Module

5.3.1.3.

Test File Hierarchies

5.3.2.

Naming Conventions for Files and Functions

5.3.2.1.

Descriptive Test Names

5.3.2.2.

Consistent Naming Patterns

5.3.2.3.

Test Documentation

5.4.

Writing Maintainable Tests

5.4.1.

Test Code Quality

5.4.2.

Avoiding Code Duplication

5.4.3.

Test Refactoring

5.5.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

5.5.1.

Testing Implementation Details

5.5.1.1.

Focusing on Public Interfaces

5.5.1.2.

Behavior vs Implementation

5.5.2.

Writing Brittle Tests

5.5.2.1.

Reducing Dependency on Internal State

5.5.2.2.

Flexible Test Design

5.5.3.

Overusing Mocks

5.5.3.1.

Balancing Realism and Isolation

5.5.3.2.

Mock Usage Guidelines

5.5.4.

Test Data Management

5.5.4.1.

Avoiding Hard-Coded Values

5.5.4.2.

Test Data Factories

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6. Mocking, Patching, and Test Doubles