Knapsack Pro

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

Spinach

https://github.com/codegram/spinach

Turnip

https://github.com/jnicklas/turnip
Programming language

Ruby

Ruby

Category

Acceptance Testing

Acceptance Testing, Integration Testing

General info

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.

Turnip is a Gherkin extension for RSpec

Turnip is an open source Ruby gem that provides a platform for acceptance tests.It combines Gherkin, a language defined by the Cucumber Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) tool to express requirements, and RSpec, an open source BDD tool for Ruby developers.
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

N/A

Yes

Turnip can perform end-to-end tests therefore test front-end components and functionality
Server-side
Allows testing the bahovior of a server-side code

Yes

You can test any server-side behaviour with Spinach

Yes

Turnip is used to test server-side behaviour and components
Fixtures
Allows defining a fixed, specific states of data (fixtures) that are test-local. This ensures specific environment for a single test

No

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.

No

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.

Yes

Spinach has inbuilt generator methods

No

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

Spinach can access the rspec-mocks methods

Yes

By intergrating with RSpec turnip has access to the rspec-mocks gem
Grouping
Allows organizing tests in groups

Yes

Spinach Integrates with your RSpec test suite which allows declaring example groups and contexts.

Yes

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