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Behat vs pytest comparison of testing frameworks
What are the differences between Behat and pytest?

Behat

https://docs.behat.org/en/latest/

pytest

https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/
Programming language

PHP

Python

Category

Functional/Acceptance Testing

Unit Testing

General info

Behat is an open source Behavior-Driven Development framework for PHP.

Behat uses the StoryBDD subtype of behaviour-driven development (the other subtype is SpecBDD); This means the tests we write with Behat look rather like stories than code. It is inspired by Ruby's Cucumber

Pytest is the TDD 'all in one' testing framework for Python

Pytest is a powerful Python testing framework that can test all and levels of software. It is considered by many to be the best testing framework in Python with many projects on the internet having switched to it from other frameworks, including Mozilla and Dropbox. This is due to its many powerful features such as ‘assert‘ rewriting, a third-party plugin model and a powerful yet simple fixture model.
xUnit
Set of frameworks originating from SUnit (Smalltalk's testing framework). They share similar structure and functionality.

No

No

Client-side
Allows testing code execution on the client, such as a web browser

Yes

To enable Behat to test a website, you need to add Mink and a browser emulator (selenium maybe, though slow) to the mix. Mink methods are the connector between Behat and an extensive list of available drivers, and they provide a consistent testing API.

Yes

pytest can test any part of the stack including front-end components
Server-side
Allows testing the bahovior of a server-side code

Yes

Behat can be used for Data Integrity Testing to verify that database operations are functioning properly

Yes

pytest is powerful enough to test database and server components and functionality
Fixtures
Allows defining a fixed, specific states of data (fixtures) that are test-local. This ensures specific environment for a single test

Yes

One can use the 'Doctrinefixturesbundle' to create the required fixture loaders and load them in our Behat scenarios when required, using the 'BeforeScenario' hook.

Yes

Pytest has a powerful yet simple fixture model that is unmatched in any other testing framework.
Group fixtures
Allows defining a fixed, specific states of data for a group of tests (group-fixtures). This ensures specific environment for a given group of tests.

Yes

Behat allows for group fixtures

Yes

Pytest's powerful fixture model allows grouping of fixtures
Generators
Supports data generators for tests. Data generators generate input data for test. The test is then run for each input data produced in this way.

By use of third party libraries like moodle-behat-generators

Yes

pytest has a hook function called pytest_generate_tests hook which is called when collecting a test function and one can use it to generate data
Licence
Licence type governing the use and redistribution of the software

MIT License

MIT License

Mocks
Mocks are objects that simulate the behavior of real objects. Using mocks allows testing some part of the code in isolation (with other parts mocked when needed)

By using third party libraries like Mock and Prophecy

Yes

By either using unittest.mock or using pytest-mock a thin wrapper that provides mock functionality for pytest
Grouping
Allows organizing tests in groups

Yes

You can use tags to group features and scenarios together, independent of your file and directory structure

Yes

Tests can be grouped with pytest by use of markers which are applied to various tests and one can run tests with the marker applied
Other
Other useful information about the testing framework