Knapsack Pro

Lens vs Spinach comparison of testing frameworks
What are the differences between Lens and Spinach?

Lens

https://github.com/spencer-mortensen/lens

Spinach

https://github.com/codegram/spinach
Programming language

PHP

Ruby

Category

Unit Testing

Acceptance Testing

General info

Lens is a unit-testing framework for PHP

Lens is a unit-testing framework for PHP that needs no assertions

Spinach is a BDD framework on top of Gherkin

Spinach is a high-level BDD framework that leverages the Gherkin language to help define executable specifications of your application or library's acceptance criteria.
xUnit
Set of frameworks originating from SUnit (Smalltalk's testing framework). They share similar structure and functionality.

N/A

No

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

Yes

It can test front end components

N/A

Server-side
Allows testing the bahovior of a server-side code

Yes

It can test back-end behaviour

Yes

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

N/A

No

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

No

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

Spinach has inbuilt generator methods
Licence
Licence type governing the use and redistribution of the software

N/A

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)

N/A

Yes

Spinach can access the rspec-mocks methods
Grouping
Allows organizing tests in groups

N/A

Yes

Spinach Integrates with your RSpec test suite which allows declaring example groups and contexts.
Other
Other useful information about the testing framework