Knapsack Pro

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

Tape

https://github.com/substack/tape

Kahlan

https://github.com/kahlan/kahlan
Programming language

JavaScript

PHP

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

Kahlan is a full-featured BDD testing framework

It is a full-featured BDD testing framework that embraces the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) design principle. Kahlan makes it possible to write unit tests using the 'describe-it' syntax and requires at least PHP 5.5
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

Kahlan allows you to test front-end components and behaviour easily
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

You can test individual back-end components using Kahlan
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

Yes

Fixtures can be defined by use of 'setUp()'method and cleaned using the 'tearDown()'method
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

Yes

You can write group fixtures
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

With Kahlan's stubbing system you are able to set stubs (like mocks) directly to your class methods (dynamic mocking)
Grouping
Allows organizing tests in groups

No

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

Yes

Kahlan allows you to group tests syntactically using a closure syntax. It has describe and context methods for grouping
Other
Other useful information about the testing framework