Should Python unittests be in a separate module?
python, testing, unit-testing
Solution
- Where you have to if using a library specifying where unittests should live,
- in the modules themselves for small projects, or
- in a `tests/` subdirectory in your package for larger projects.
It's a matter of what works best for the project you're creating.
Sometimes the libraries you're using determine where tests should go, as is the case with Django (where you put your tests in `models.py`, `tests.py` or a `tests/` subdirectory in your apps).
If there are no existing constraints, it's a matter of personal preference. For a small set of modules, it may be more convenient to put the unittests in the files you're creating.
For anything more than a few modules I create the tests separately in a `tests/` directory in the package. Having testing code mixed with the implementation adds unnecessary noise for anyone reading the code.
Problem
Is there a consensus about the best place to put Python unittests? Should the unittests be included within the same module as the functionality being tested (executed when the module is run on its own (`if __name__ == '__main__'`, etc.)), or is it better to include the unittests within different modules? Perhaps a combination of both approaches is best, including module level tests within each module and adding higher level tests which test functionality included in more than one module as separate modules (perhaps in a /test subdirectory?). I assume that test discovery is more straightforward if the tests are included in separate modules, but there's an additional burden on the developer if he/she has to remember to update the additional test module if the module under test is modified. I'd be interested to know peoples' thoughts on the best way of organizing unittests.