Knapsack Pro

Tape vs Espec comparison of testing frameworks
What are the differences between Tape and Espec?

Tape

https://github.com/substack/tape

Espec

https://github.com/antonmi/espec
Programming language

JavaScript

Elixir

Category

Unit Testing, Intergration Testing

Unit Testing

General info

tap-producing test harness for node and browsers.

Tape API is a small superset of the node core assert module

BDD driven testing framework for Elixir

It is a testing framework written from scratch which is inspired by RSpec and the main idea is to close to its perfect DSL (Domain Specific Language)
xUnit
Set of frameworks originating from SUnit (Smalltalk's testing framework). They share similar structure and functionality.

Yes

It does support xUnit output

No

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

Yes

You can write tests for any part of your front-end code to test any component or functionality

Yes

Front-end components can be tested; there is also espec_phoenix for the Phoenix web framework
Server-side
Allows testing the bahovior of a server-side code

Yes

With tape you can test any back-end component, behaviour and functionality after all it supports TAP (Test Anything Protocol)

Yes

databases and server behaviour can be tested using Espec
Fixtures
Allows defining a fixed, specific states of data (fixtures) that are test-local. This ensures specific environment for a single test

No

Tape contains only the essential features for making assertions on your code but there is a package called redtape that extends tape to give you beforeEach and afterEach functionality

N/A

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

N/A

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.

No

N/A

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)

No

Tape is a minimalistic framework that provides only essential features to make your assertions about your code

Yes

It has a Built-in mocking functionality on top of Erlang 'meck' library
Grouping
Allows organizing tests in groups

No

Tape contains only the essential features for making assertions on your code

Yes

By use of context blocksand tags functions
Other
Other useful information about the testing framework