how to run some initialization code with mocha

Question

I know about before, beforeEach, after and afterEach but how do I run some code before ALL tests.

In other words I files like this

test
  test1.js
  test2.js
  test3.js

I run the tests with

mocha --recursive

I don't want to have to put a before in every test file. I need a beforeAllTests or a --init=setup.js or something that I can execute some JavaScript before any tests have been executed. In this particular case I have to configure my system's logging module before the tests run

Is there a way to call some init function that get executed before all tests?

write a module and require it everywhere? if this helps you i will post it as answer. — user3995789, Sep 08 '14 at 03:50
thanks but that's really no better than putting a `before` in every file. — gman, Sep 08 '14 at 07:22

score 5 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 12 '15 at 08:34

If only initialization code is required, then mocha -r ./init might be enough for you. even put it into test/mocha.opts

--require ./test/init
--ui tdd

But if you need teardown actions, there is a dilemma, for example:

var app = require('../app.js');
app.listen(process.env.WEB_PORT);

after(function(done) {
    var db = mongoskin.db(process.env.DB_URL, {safe:true});
    db.dropDatabase(function(err) {
        expect(err).to.not.be.ok();
        db.close(done);
    });
});

you'll get the error:

ReferenceError: after is not defined

I guess mocha hasn't been initialized itself while handling '--require'.

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered May 04 '15 at 06:05

3

I figured it out recently in our node app:

reorganize test files as below (only one js file "bootstrap.js" under test/, and put all test files in sub folders):

   test
   ├──unit
   │  ├── test1
   │  ├── test2
   │  └── ...
   ├──integeration
   │  ├── test1
   │  ├── test2
   │  └── ...
   ├── bootstrap.js
   └── mocha.opts

put '--recursive' into mocha.opts
put your initialization code into bootstrap.js (global before/after works here!)

done.

answered May 04 '15 at 06:05

Simon Shi

106
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6

2

Depends on the name of your file. In your case `bootstrap.js` starts with `b` so it's the first to be found by --recursive mocha. – drinchev Oct 02 '16 at 09:10
This was my fave answer until I found my new approach - see my answer (which is the official mocha solution) – danday74 Jan 26 '17 at 14:56

score 3 · Answer 3 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:46

3

This is the official mocha solution:

Mocha tests with extra options or parameters

It allows you to define code that can be:

1 - Executed before npm start and npm test

2 - Executed before npm test only

edited May 23 '17 at 11:46

Community

1
1

answered Jan 26 '17 at 14:55

danday74

52,471
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how to run some initialization code with mocha

3 Answers3