Pytest Basics

Overview

I recently had to help some clients learn the basics of Pytest, and in order to do so I obviously had to learn Pytest first myself. This is just to capture some of the basics, some examples, and some recommendations and references acquired as part of the process.

Recommendations

If there’s one primary recommendation, it would be to buy and read Python Testing with pytest, Second Edition by Brian Okken.

For UK readers: hive.co.uk - Python Testing with pytest : Simple, Rapid, Effective, and Scalable.

I’ll include a number of other useful online resources, but the Python Testing with pytest book will save most people the time spent piecing together and digesting these into a single, well-paced learning experience.

Examples

References

The core docs for Pytest are very good but often a primer / how-to helps, the resources below have all helped clarify many of the aspects of Pytest.

Pytest Core Docs

• Full pytest documentation

Pytest Getting Started Guides

• Pytest Get Started
• Pytest with Eric
• A Beginner’s Guide to Unit Testing with Pytest
• Effective Python Testing With Pytest
• A Complete Guide on How to Test Python Applications with Pytest
• Testing in Python

Pytest Beyond Basics

• Python Testing 101 (How To Decide What To Test)
• Python Unit Testing Best Practices For Building Reliable Applications

Pytest Corner Cases

• Testing your python package as installed
• What Is the Difference Between Invoking pytest and python -m pytest

Monkeypatch and Mocking

• Monkeypatching/mocking modules and environments
• How to monkeypatch/mock modules and environments
• The Ultimate Guide To Using Pytest Monkeypatch with 2 Code Examples
• Mocks and Monkeypatching in Python
• What is monkey patching?