protobuf_spec

RSpec matchers and Cucumber step definitions for testing Protocol Buffers using json_spec

Usage

RSpec

protobuf_spec currently defines two matchers:

• be_protobuf_eql
• have_protobuf_path

The matchers can be used as their counterparts are used in json_spec

Cucumber

protobuf_spec provides cucumber steps that use its RSpec matchers.

In order to use the Cucumber steps, in your env.rb you must:

require "protobuf_spec/cucumber"

You will need to load the ruby_protobuf generated classes you intend to test. This can be done by generating the classes into the cucumber support/ directory, or requiring them manually.

"Should" Assertions

In order to test the contents of a Protocol Buffer, you will need to define a last_protobuf method. This method should return the protocol buffer to be tested by a protobuf_spec Cucumber step.

For example, suppose a step that aquires a Protocol Buffer and assigns it to @my_protocol_buffer. In your features/support/env.rb you could then have

def last_protobuf
  @my_protocol_buffer
end

See features/support/env.rb for a very simple implementation.

Now you can use proto_spec steps in your features:

Feature: Weather API
  Background: 
    Given the weather is 58 degrees and cloudy in Chicago
    And the weather is 72 degrees and sunny in Portland

  Scenario: I can request the weather for a city
    When I request weather for Portland
    Then I should receive a ProtoBuf of type com.weather.WeatherResponse
    And the ProtoBuf at "condition" should be "sunny"
    And the ProtoBuf at "temperature" should be 72

    When I request weather for Chicago
    Then I should receive a ProtoBuf of type com.weather.WeatherResponse
    And the ProtoBuf should be:
    """
    {
      "condition":"sunny",
      "temperature":58
    }
    """

  Scenario: I can check if I need an umbrella
    When I request the forecast for Chicago
    Then I should receive a ProtoBuf of type com.weather.ForecastResponse
    And the ProtoBuf should have "bring_umbrella"
    And the ProtoBuf at "bring_umbrella" should be true

The background and request/receive steps above aren't provided by protobuf_spec. The remaining steps protobuf_spec provides. See json_spec documentation for more examples

Building Protobufs

In order to use the Cucumber steps for building protocol buffers, in your env.rb you must:

require "protobuf_spec/builder"

Now you can use proto_spec builder steps in your features:

Feature: Weather Request API
  Background: 
    Given the weather is 58 degrees and cloudy in Chicago
    And the weather is 72 degrees and sunny in Portland

  Scenario: I can request the weather for a city by protocol buffer
    Given I create a ProtoBuf of type "com::weather::WeatherRequest"
    And I set the ProtoBuf at "city" to "Portland"
    And I set the ProtoBuf at "zipcode" to 97211    
    When I send the request
    Then I should receive a ProtoBuf of type com::weather::WeatherResponse
    And the ProtoBuf at "condition" should be "sunny"
    And the ProtoBuf at "temperature" should be 72

    Given I create the following protobuf of type "com::weather::WeatherRequest":
    """
    {
      "city": "Chicago",
      "zipcode": 60606    
    }
    """
    When I send the request
    Then I should receive a ProtoBuf of type com::weather::WeatherResponse
    And the ProtoBuf at "condition" should not be "sunny"
    And the ProtoBuf at "temperature" should be 58

The built protocol buffer can be accessed through the protobuf function in the ProtobufSpec::Builder module.

Testing with a Transport Layer

Normally you will pair a serialization method like Protocol Buffers with a transport layer in systems that send and receive serialized data. protobuf_spec can easily integrated with a transport testing platform to test such systems. Consider again the weather example presented above. If the weather server used ZeroMQ as a transport layer, one could use an agent platform like agent_zmq to test and control the transport concern. Using agent_zmq, we could construct the following step definitions

When /^I send the request$/ do
  AgentZeroMQ.agents_hash[:requester].publish [ProtobufSpec::Builder.protobuf.serialize_to_string]
end

Then /^I should receive a ProtoBuf of type com::weather::WeatherResponse$/
  steps %{Then I should receive a response on ZeroMQ with agent "requester"}

  @my_protocol_buffer=Com::weather::WeatherResponse.new
  @my_protocol_buffer.parse_from_string last_zmq_message.last
end

...

See agent_zmq for additional information. A similar abstraction could be applied to any other transport layer.

More

Check out specs and features to see all the ways you can use protobuf_spec.

Install

gem install protobuf_spec

or add the following to Gemfile:

gem 'protobuf_spec'

and run bundle install from your shell.

More Information

• Rubygems
• Issues
• Connamara Systems

Contributing

Please see the contribution guidelines.

Credits

Contributers:

• Chris Busbey

protobuf_spec is maintained and funded by Connamara Systems, llc.

The names and logos for Connamara Systems are trademarks of Connamara Systems, llc.

Licensing

protobuf_spec is Copyright © 2013 Connamara Systems, llc.

This software is available under the GPL and a commercial license. Please see the LICENSE file for the terms specified by the GPL license. The commercial license offers more flexible licensing terms compared to the GPL, and includes support services. Contact us for more information on the Connamara commercial license, what it enables, and how you can start developing with it.