Glossary

assert

A keyword that stops code execution if its argument is false.

Continuous integration

CI

Automatic checking of the creation and test process on different platforms.

Dummy

Object that is passed around but never actually used. Normally they are only used to fill parameter lists.

exception

Customisable form of assert.

except

Keyword used to catch an exception and handle it carefully.

Fake

Object that has an actual working implementation, but usually takes a shortcut that makes it unsuitable for production.

Integration test

Tests that verify that the different parts of the software work together as expected.

Mock

Objects that are programmed with exception that form a specification of the calls you are likely to receive.

See also

• Mock object

pytest

A Python package with test utilities.

Regression test

Test to protect against new errors or regressions that can occur due to new software and updates.

Stubs

provide ready-made responses to calls made during the test and usually do not respond at all to anything that has not been programmed for the test.

Test-driven development

TDD

A software development strategy in which the tests are written before the code.

try

A keyword that protects a part of the code that can trigger an exception.