Writing unit tests and integration tests for reactive applications

Reactive applications have gained popularity due to their ability to handle large volumes of concurrent requests while maintaining responsiveness. Spring Web Flux is one such framework that enables developers to build highly scalable and reactive web applications. However, with the adoption of reactive programming, it becomes crucial to test these applications effectively. In this article, we will explore how to write unit tests and integration tests for reactive applications using Spring Web Flux.

Unit Testing

Unit testing is the process of testing individual units of code to ensure their correctness. In the context of reactive applications, unit testing focuses on testing the functionality of individual reactive components without any external dependencies.

Setting up the Test Environment

To write unit tests for reactive applications, you need to set up the test environment properly. First, include the necessary dependencies in your test scope, such as spring-boot-starter-test and spring-boot-starter-webflux.

<dependencies>
    <!-- Other dependencies -->
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
        <scope>test</scope>
    </dependency>

    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-webflux</artifactId>
        <scope>test</scope>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

Next, create a test class and annotate it with @RunWith(SpringRunner.class) to enable Spring's testing support. Additionally, use @WebFluxTest annotation to specify the target components to be tested.

@RunWith(SpringRunner.class)
@WebFluxTest(YourController.class)
public class YourControllerTest {

    // Test methods
}

Mocking Dependencies

In unit testing, it's crucial to isolate the unit under test from its dependencies. When writing unit tests for reactive applications, you can use @MockBean annotation to mock external dependencies, such as repositories or services.

@RunWith(SpringRunner.class)
@WebFluxTest(YourController.class)
public class YourControllerTest {

    @Autowired
    private WebTestClient webClient;

    @MockBean
    private YourService yourService;

    // Test methods
}

By using @MockBean, you can define the desired behavior of the mock dependency and verify interactions within your unit test.

Testing Endpoints

To test the endpoints defined in your reactive controller, you can use WebTestClient provided by Spring Web Flux. WebTestClient allows you to perform HTTP requests and assert the responses.

@RunWith(SpringRunner.class)
@WebFluxTest(YourController.class)
public class YourControllerTest {

    @Autowired
    private WebTestClient webClient;

    // ...

    @Test
    public void testGetById() {
        YourEntity entity = new YourEntity("1", "Sample");
        when(yourService.getById("1")).thenReturn(Mono.just(entity));

        webClient.get().uri("/your-endpoint/{id}", "1")
                .exchange()
                .expectStatus().isOk()
                .expectBody(YourEntity.class).isEqualTo(entity);
    }

    // ...
}

In the above example, we mock the behavior of YourService and assert that the response from the endpoint is correct.

Integration Testing

Integration testing focuses on verifying the behavior of multiple components working together in a reactive application. It ensures the correct integration and communication between these components.

Setting up the Test Environment

Similar to unit testing, you need to set up the test environment for integration testing. However, in this case, we will use the @SpringBootTest annotation to load the entire application context.

@RunWith(SpringRunner.class)
@SpringBootTest(webEnvironment = SpringBootTest.WebEnvironment.RANDOM_PORT)
public class YourControllerIntegrationTest {

    // Test methods
}

The WebEnvironment.RANDOM_PORT enables the use of random ports to avoid conflicts.

Running Reactive Tests

To test the reactive behavior of your application, you need to leverage the StepVerifier class provided by Reactor. StepVerifier allows you to write assertions based on the reactive stream.

@RunWith(SpringRunner.class)
@SpringBootTest(webEnvironment = SpringBootTest.WebEnvironment.RANDOM_PORT)
public class YourControllerIntegrationTest {

    @Autowired
    private WebTestClient webClient;

    // ...

    @Test
    public void testCreate() {
        YourEntity newEntity = new YourEntity("1", "Sample");

        webClient.post().uri("/your-endpoint")
                .body(Mono.just(newEntity), YourEntity.class)
                .exchange()
                .expectStatus().isOk()
                .expectBody(YourEntity.class)
                .value(entity -> {
                    assertNotNull(entity.getId());
                    assertEquals(newEntity.getName(), entity.getName());
                });

        // Further assertions
    }

    // ...
}

By using StepVerifier, you can assert the correctness of reactive streams and verify the overall behavior of your application.

Conclusion

Writing effective tests for reactive applications is essential to ensure their correctness and robustness. In this article, we explored how to write unit tests and integration tests for reactive applications using Spring Web Flux. By following these practices, you can confidently test your reactive applications and ensure their reliability.