Test::FIT - A FIT Test Framework for Perl




FIT stands for ``Framework for Interactive Testing''. It is a testing methodology invented by Ward Cunningham, and is fully described at http://fit.c2.com.

Test::FIT is a Perl implementation of this methodology. It provides a web based test harness that lets you run FIT test pages against Test Fixture Classes which you write as simple Perl modules. The Fixture modules are generally simple to write because they inherit functionality from Test::FIT::Fixture.


Test::FIT requires a web server. For the purposes of this explanation, I'll assume you want to install your FIT tests in /usr/local/fit and that you are using the Apache web server. We'll also assume you are running on a Unix variant operating system.

Creating a FIT directory

To make the FIT web directory, do this:

    mkdir /usr/local/fit

You can put your various FIT test suites into various subdirectories under this directory. For simplicity, FIT-Test comes with an example FIT test directory. We'll install this as:


Installing the example code

After installing Test-FIT follow these steps:

    # You should have already done the first two steps :)
    # tar xvzf Test-FIT-#.##.tar.gz
    # cd Test-FIT-#.##
    cp -r example /usr/local/fit
    cd /usr/local/fit/example
    mv MathFixture.pm.xxx MathFixture.pm
    mv SampleFixture.pm.xxx SampleFixture.pm 
    fit-run.cgi --setup

Apache Configuration

Put this block into your httpd.conf and (re)start your Apache server:

    Alias /fit/ /usr/local/fit/
    <Directory /usr/local/fit/>
        Order allow,deny
        Allow from all
        Options ExecCGI FollowSymLinks Indexes
        AddHandler cgi-script .cgi
        DirectoryIndex index.html

Trying it out

Point you browser at http://your-domain-name/fit/example/

You should see the test page with the fixture tables. Click on the hyperlink to run the tests. You should see the table cells turn different colors depending on the test results.

If you are having trouble installing the example and just want to see what it really should look like, I have the example installed at:


NOTE: I am providing this link as a convenience. I may decide not to run it at some point. This link may not exist anymore by the time you read this. Please do NOT email me if it doesn't work!

The Test Document

FIT Tests are specified in HTML tables. You can create them with any program that can produce HTML with tables (including, of course, a plain text editor). I personally use the Mozilla Composer wysiwyg editor that comes for free with Mozilla. You can also create Test Documents in spreadsheet applications that export to HTML.

Possibly, the simplest way to do this is to use wiki software that allows you to create simple html tables. I plan on writing something to do this soon. Ward Cunningham has also set up http://fit.c2.com to do this, but it is currently a password protected site.

There is plenty of information on how to set up Test Documents at http://fit.c2.com.

The file <example/index.html> is a sample Test Document to get you started.

Creating Fixture Modules

A Fixture is just FIT terminology for a Perl class (or module). The Fixture is designed to perform certain tests. The Fixture must be a subclass of Test::FIT::Fixture.

Generally a Fixture will contain a method for each named test in a Test Document table.

Here is a sample HTML table (in a wiki/ascii representation):

    == My Simple Math Test ==
    | MathFixture          |
    | x  | y  | sum | diff |
    | 1  | 2  | 3   | -1   |
    | -8 | 12 | 4   | -4   |
    Click [[fit-run.cgi here]] to run the tests.

The first row names the Fixture to be used. In this case, MathFixture. The second row lists all of the methods that will be called. The implementation of MathFixture.pm might look like this:

    package MathFixture;
    use base 'Test::FIT::ColumnFixture';
    use Test::FIT;
    sub sum {
        my $self = shift;
        $self->eq_num($self->x + $self->y);
    sub diff {
        my $self = shift;
        $self->eq_num($self->x - $self->y);

If you were to run this test, you would see that three of the table cells would turn green (passed), and one would turn red (failed). The cells under x and y would remain white, because they are just data values.

The CGI program

When you installed Test::FIT you also installed a small perl script called fit-run.cgi. This script should be in your Perl sitebin directory, which should be in your path.

Generally you will symlink to this script from whatever test directory you are using. The easy way is:

    cd /usr/local/fit/mytest
    fit-run.cgi --setup

The --setup option will create the symlink for you. If this doesn't work properly just do:

    cd /usr/local/fit/mytest
    ln -s `which fit-run.cgi` fit-run.cgi

All you need to do to run this CGI is to link to it from your HTML Test Document. fit-run.cgi will look at the referer and read in the Test Document, process it against the fixtures, and markup the original HTML with colors and possibly error messages.

Simply brilliant, Mr. Cunningham!


See Also:


This is the maiden voyage of Test::FIT. Use it. Have fun. Look at the pretty colors. But EXPECT CHANGE. FIT itself is still being designed. THINGS WILL CHANGE.

This version of Test::FIT only has a ColumnFixture. The RowFixture and ActionFixture will be added soon.


Brian Ingerson <ingy@cpan.org>

The FIT architecture was invented by Ward Cunningham <ward@c2.com>


The FIT project requests that all implementations be licensed under the GPL version 2 or higher. Test-FIT respects that request by shipping under ``The same terms as Perl itself'' which includes your choice of either the Artistic or GPL licenses.




See http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html

See http://www.perl.com/perl/misc/Artistic.html