Unit testing creating an SQLite database using Spock and Robospock

Unit Testing SQLite Database Creation with Spock and Robospock

This article explores how to effectively unit test the creation of an SQLite database using Spock and Robospock, popular testing frameworks for Groovy and Java respectively.

Benefits of Unit Testing Database Creation

• Early Bug Detection: Identifying database setup issues early in the development cycle.
• Code Maintainability: Ensuring consistent database structure and preventing regressions.
• Improved Code Quality: Encouraging developers to write testable and well-structured code.

Setting up the Project

We’ll demonstrate the process using a simple example. Assume you have a Groovy class DatabaseManager responsible for creating the database:

import java.sql.Connection
import java.sql.DriverManager
import java.sql.SQLException

class DatabaseManager {
    private static final String DB_URL = "jdbc:sqlite:test.db"

    static void createDatabase() {
        try {
            Connection connection = DriverManager.getConnection(DB_URL)
            connection.close()
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            throw new RuntimeException(e)
        }
    }
}

Spock Test for Database Creation

Here’s a Spock test to verify the creation of the database:

import spock.lang.Specification

class DatabaseManagerTest extends Specification {
    def "createDatabase() should create a database file"() {
        when:
            DatabaseManager.createDatabase()

        then:
            new File("test.db").exists()
    }
}

## Running the Test
The test uses Spock's DSL to express the expected behavior:
* **when:** executes the method under test.
* **then:** verifies the expected outcome (database file exists).
To run the test, ensure you have Spock installed in your project. Then, run the test using your chosen IDE or command line.
Robospock Test for Database Creation (Java)
Let's use Robospock for testing the same database creation functionality in Java:
import org.junit.Rule
import org.junit.Test
import org.robolectric.annotation.Config
import org.robolectric.shadows.ShadowLooper
import org.robolectric.shadows.ShadowSQLiteOpenHelper
import spock.lang.Specification
import spock.lang.Unroll

import static org.robolectric.Shadows.shadowOf

class DatabaseManagerTest extends Specification {
    @Rule
    public ShadowSQLiteOpenHelper.Builder shadowOpenHelper = ShadowSQLiteOpenHelper.builder()

    @Test
    @Config(shadows = { ShadowLooper.class })
    @Unroll
    def "createDatabase() should create a database file - #description"() {
        when:
            DatabaseManager.createDatabase()
        then:
            shadowOpenHelper.build().database != null
        where:
            description        | _
            "With ShadowLooper" | true
    }
}

Comparison of Spock and Robospock



Feature
Spock
Robospock




Language
Groovy
Java


Testing Framework
Spock
Spock + Robolectric


Mocking and Stubbing
Built-in support
Leverages Robolectric's mocking capabilities


Android Support
No direct support
Uses Robolectric for Android testing



Conclusion
This article illustrated the principles of unit testing SQLite database creation using both Spock and Robospock. By adopting these practices, you enhance code quality and ensure the stability of your database interactions.




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