Knapsack Pro

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

RSpec

https://rspec.info

stestr

https://pypi.org/project/stestr/
Programming language

Ruby

Python

Category

Unit Testing, Intergration Testing

Unit Testing

General info

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.

stestr is a Python test runner designed to execute unittest test suites

stestr executes unittest test suites by using multiple processes to split up execution of a test suite then stores a history of all test runs to help in debugging failures and optimizing the scheduler to improve speed.
xUnit
Set of frameworks originating from SUnit (Smalltalk's testing framework). They share similar structure and functionality.

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.

No

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

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.

Yes

Stestr being a test runner that runs unittest tests, it can test fron-tend functionality and behaviour.
Server-side
Allows testing the bahovior of a server-side code

Yes

You can test server-side behaviour with Rspec

Yes

Stestr being a test runner that runs unittest tests, it can run back-end tests for functionality and behaviour.
Fixtures
Allows defining a fixed, specific states of data (fixtures) that are test-local. This ensures specific environment for a single test

Yes

RSpec does contain fixture methods

Yes

By use of a third party library like Fixture
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

Group fixture methods are supported

By use of a third party library like Fixture
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.

Yes

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

Yes

By using a library like test-generator
Licence
Licence type governing the use and redistribution of the software

MIT License

Apache License 2.0

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

Available through rspec-mocks gem.

N/A

Grouping
Allows organizing tests in groups

Yes

Allows declaring example groups and contexts.

N/A

Other
Other useful information about the testing framework