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<h2 id="architecture">Architecture</h2> <p>An xUnit framework has the following general <a href="/facts/Software_architecture/1Hokp0Ed">architecture</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> </p> <h3>Test case</h3> <p>A <a href="/facts/Test_case/TVWkj0AQ">test case</a> is the smallest part of a test that generally encodes a simple path through the software under test. The test case code prepares input data and environmental state, invokes the software under test and verifies expected results. </p><p>A programmer writes the code for each test case. </p> <h3>Assertions</h3> <p>A test case is implemented with one or more <a href="/facts/Assertion_(computing)/lxSfLdLY">assertions</a> that validate expected results. </p><p>Generally, the framework provides assertion functionality. A framework may provide a way to use custom assertions. </p> <h3>Test suite</h3> <p>A <a href="/facts/Test_suite/uclEjEn3">test suite</a> is a collection of related test cases. They share a framework which allows for reuse of environment setup and cleanup code. </p><p>Generally, a test runner may run the cases of a suite in any order so the programmer should not depend on top-to-bottom execution order. </p> <h3>Test fixture</h3> <p>A <a href="/facts/Test_fixture/cK6KfUVn">test fixture</a> (also known as a test context) provides the environment for each test case of a suite. Generally, a fixture is configured to setup a known, good, <a href="/facts/Runtime_(program_lifecycle_phase)/lCxKsrzB">runtime</a> environment before tests run, and to cleanup the environment after. </p><p>The fixture is configured with one or more functions that setup and cleanup state. The test runner runs each setup function before each case and runs each cleanup function after. </p> <h3>Test runner</h3> <p>A test runner is a program that runs tests and reports results.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> The program is often part of a framework. </p><p>A test runner may produce results in various formats. Often, a common and default format is <a href="/facts/Human-readable/GDE1fpHT">human-readable</a>, <a href="/facts/Plain-text/TSlSSAg2">plain-text</a>. Additionally, the runner may produce structured output. Some xUnit adaptations (i.e. JUnit) can output <a href="/facts/XML/clNgUfWk">XML</a> that can be used by a continuous integration system such as <a href="/facts/Jenkins_(software)/HlJCkJ0V">Jenkins</a> and <a href="/facts/Atlassian_bamboo/VvFyWvdJ">Atlassian Bamboo</a>. </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Extreme_programming/UCeJIvhQ">Extreme programming</a> – Software development methodology</li> <li><a href="/facts/List_of_unit_testing_frameworks/ezDEaRg2">List of unit testing frameworks</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Software_testing/VoXzG9Tb">Software testing</a> – Checking software against a standard</li> <li><a href="/facts/Test-driven_development/fDCzXkt1">Test-driven development</a> – Method of writing code</li> <li><a href="/facts/Test_Anything_Protocol/xdD1yRgX">Test Anything Protocol</a> – Software testing protocol</li> <li><a href="/facts/Unit_testing/SYoGGS3T">Unit testing</a> – Validating the behavior of isolated source code</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Ron_Jeffries/DsjYzL0x">Jeffries, Ron</a> (Nov 19, 2004). <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20050819083558/http://www.xprogramming.com/software.htm">"List of various unit testing frameworks"</a>. Archived from <a href="https://ronjeffries.com">the original</a> on Aug 19, 2005.</li> <li>Meszaros, Gerard (2007). <a href="http://xunitpatterns.com/"><i>xUnit Test Patterns: Refactoring Test Code</i></a>. Addison-Wesley. p. 833. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 9780131495050.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Martin_Fowler_(software_engineer)/l8k3NRI1">Fowler, Martin</a> (Jan 17, 2006). <a href="http://www.martinfowler.com/bliki/Xunit.html">"xUnit"</a>. Testing.</li> <li><a href="https://github.com/Umplify/xunit-dependency-injection">"Open Source Dependency Injection for xUnit"</a>. <i><a href="/facts/GitHub/n1hNCsc3">GitHub</a></i>. Testing.</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Beck, Kent. "Simple Smalltalk Testing: With Patterns". Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150315073817/http://www.xprogramming.com/testfram.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150315073817/http://www.xprogramming.com/testfram.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Meszaros, Gerard (2007) xUnit Test Patterns, Pearson Education, Inc./Addison Wesley <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>