Knapsack Pro

Laravel Dusk vs RSpec comparison of testing frameworks
What are the differences between Laravel Dusk and RSpec?

Laravel Dusk

https://laravel.com/docs/5.8/dusk

RSpec

https://rspec.info
Programming language

PHP

Ruby

Category

Browser Automation

Unit Testing, Intergration Testing

General info

Laravel Dusk is an easy-to-use browser automation and testing API.

One can use Dusk to programmatically test applications, visit any website using a real Chrome browser, automate repetitive tasks, scrape information from other sites or test to make sure your app always works in the browser.

Domain Specific Language (DSL) testing solution for Ruby code

It focuses on empowering Test Driven Development (TDD). RSpec contains multiple smaller libraries, which may be independently used with other testing frameworks.
xUnit
Set of frameworks originating from SUnit (Smalltalk's testing framework). They share similar structure and functionality.

N/A

Yes

Yes, but it differs from more traiditional xUnit solutions. Its tests are written in a "Tests as Specification" manner. This means that the terminology used in RSpec is adjusted to a language more fitting for specification.
Client-side
Allows testing code execution on the client, such as a web browser

Yes

It is a browser automation tool which tests front-end components and functionality

Yes

RSpec is used to primarily test the behaviour of applications or individual components so it can test front-end behaviour as well - you can use capybara gem with RSpec for that.
Server-side
Allows testing the bahovior of a server-side code

Yes

Laravel provides a variety of tools to make it easier to test your database driven applications

Yes

You can test server-side behaviour with Rspec
Fixtures
Allows defining a fixed, specific states of data (fixtures) that are test-local. This ensures specific environment for a single test

N/A

Yes

RSpec does contain fixture methods
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.

N/A

Yes

Group fixture methods are supported
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.

N/A

Yes

RSpec contains generators for example intergration_'test_name' which will save a spec inside the spec/requests folder
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)

Yes

Laravel provides helpers for mocking events, jobs, and facades out of the box or use Mockery or PHPUnit to create your own mocks or spies

Yes

Available through rspec-mocks gem.
Grouping
Allows organizing tests in groups

Yes

Using the 'dusk' which command accepts any argument that is normally accepted by the PHPUnit test runner, allowing you to run the tests for a given group.

Yes

Allows declaring example groups and contexts.
Other
Other useful information about the testing framework