How to get Junit 4 to ignore a Base Test Class?

Question

I have a base class for many tests that has some helper methods they all need.

It does not by itself have any tests on it, but JUnit (in eclipse) is invoking the test runner on it and complaining that there are no methods to test.

How can I make it ignore this class?

I know I could add a dummyTest method that would solve the problem, but it would also appear for all the children classes.

Suggestions?

Undergarment

It is and still gets run – Undergarment

See similar question: #672966 – Corley

i just came to know that incase we write a testcase then there should be atleast 1 @Test method inside the testcase and its mandotory. Other wise it would give us initialization error. Is it true? – Carolynncarolynne

Answer 1

Use to @Ignore annotation. It also works on classes. See this one:

@Ignore public class IgnoreMe {
                        @Test public void test1() { ... }
                        @Test public void test2() { ... }
                }

Also, you can annotate a class containing test methods with @Ignore and none of the containing tests will be executed.

Source: JUnit JavaDoc

Devalue

I agree that this should work, so +1. Except with netbeans 6.2 and jUnit 4.5 @ignore is listed as only being valid for Methods. – Undergarment

Looking it up and Libary's called 4.5 but the jar is junit4-1.jar weird. Accepted your answer. Thanks. – Undergarment

Can you point me to valid reference where it says @Ignore is valid for methods only from junit 4.5? I can't seem to find it. – Bathroom

...and if I want to ignore test for all methods except one (instead of putting @ignore above each method)? – Tjaden

Answer 2

Just as a note, I'd always recommend giving a reason for the ignore:

@Ignore("This test will prove bug #123 is fixed, once someone fixes it")

I'm hoping the junit xml report formatter, used when running tests from ant, will one day include the ignored count (and the reasons) along with pass, fail, and error.

Pimbley

Years passed, but the bug #123 is not fixed yet..) – Deejay

Answer 3

Making the class abstract should be enough for JUnit 4. If it doesn't work, double check which version of JUnit you're using.

This also communicates your intent that this is just a fragment of a test.

It also prevents JUnit from counting the tests in the class as "ignored" (so the final count of ignored tests will be what you expect).

Alternatively, rename the class. Most of the runners use the class name to determine which classes are tests and which are helpers. In Maven with the default settings, you just have to make sure the base class doesn't begin or end with Test and doesn't end with TestCase (http://maven.apache.org/surefire/maven-surefire-plugin/examples/inclusion-exclusion.html)

Centriole

The combination of @Ignore and abstract is excellet! – Racial

You do not need @Ignore. Abstract is enough (and best in my opinion) – Ballottement

With JUnit 4, abstract should be enough. – Centriole

Way to go! With @Ignore and without abstract, I had unwanted skipped tests in my final report when building from command line with mvn package. – Diatomaceous

Answer 4

JUnit5 - @Disabled

@Ignore not exit in the future version, If you are using JUnit5, you can use @Disabled from JUnit Jupiter

import org.junit.jupiter.api.Disabled;

You can even use @Disabled with a comment @Disabled("some comment here")

Class

Annotate the class, will disable all the tests in the class :

@Disabled
public class DemoTest { }

---

@Disabled("some comment here")
public class DemoTest { }

Method

@Disabled
public void whenCaseThenResult() { }

---

@Disabled("some comment here")
public void whenCaseThenResult() { }

Godthaab

You are doing great, too. As always, too! – Punkah

Answer 5

There are three options:

1. In JUnit 4 or 5 its enough to make the base class abstract. If you use @Igonre attribute it will show it as an ignored test (and will add it to the total count of tests).

2. You can use the @Ignore annotation. This annotation also works for classes. The @Ignore test annotation is used to ignore particular tests or groups of tests in order to skip the build failure.

   @Ignore("Base class not yet ready") 
   class MyBaseClassTestCases {...}
   

3. You can change the name of the test class that it will not have the word Test (case sensitive) at the start or the end of the test name/or the word TestCase at the end.

Hackbut

Most relevant answer IMO. – Plato

abstract is definitively the way to go for a base test class – Disappear

Answer 6

Adding an empty test works.

@Test(expected = Test.None.class)
public void ATest() {}

Beware, adding it without (expected = Test.None.class) will add an "Add at least one assertion" sonar issue.

Assets