Top 3 JavaScript Testing Frameworks with their Pros and Cons

At present, we are progressing in the direction of an era where almost everything is automated. Every single company is trying to include automation testing as effectively as possible in their release cycles. This is because automation testing will help minimize the effort required for authenticating repetitive test circumstances. JavaScript is not considered to be a developer-only programming language. This demand for automation testing has resulted in the development of JavaScript testing frameworks for satisfying various purposes. While some are intended for E2E testing, the others are appropriate for unit testing. It is not surprising that automation testers across the world have become too fond of JavaScript testing frameworks.

The different types of testing frameworks have made many individuals confused in the long run. It is quite natural since you’ll find it quite challenging to choose the ideal one for you with so many different frameworks in front of you.

Below, we will be mentioning the top 3 JavaScript testing frameworks along with their pros and cons.

1. Jest

This particular framework has been ranked as the most popular JavaScript testing framework by the stateofjs survey. Facebook has created jest, and the main emphasis with this framework happens to be on simplicity. It offers decent cross-browser support and is used on a wide scale with Selenium for automated testing.

An integrated framework is provided by Jest, which does not need any experience when it comes to the configuration. This tool is all set to use, and it would be possible to set it up instantaneously by running the command-

npm install –save-dev jest

The pros:

• One can consider Jest to be an exceptionally well documented and quick performing testing framework.

• A powerful developer tooling is provided by Jest with reduced error-prone code.

• It is also possible for this framework to execute visual regression tests. It captures screenshots for doing this. During the development of an application by using React JS, this particular feature is quite useful for preventing UI bugs. This is done by recording the rendered component’s screenshot and comparing it afterward with components that have been rendered in the future. It is possible to update the screenshots with the addition of new features.

The cons

• Not much tooling or libraries are supported by Jest as compared to Jasmine and other frameworks.

• Individuals who are not comfy with this framework have asserted that it is difficult to learn Jest.

• For bigger snapshot files, snapshot testing is not possible with Jest.

Can Jest be considered to be the best JavaScript testing framework?

Your requirement will figure out whether it will be better to use Jasmine or Jest for your project. In case the project needs debugging the test cases in an IDE that is not supported by Jest, then your best choice would be Jasmine. However, it will be advisable to try out Jest, given that Facebook has been making lots of investments at present on this framework. Moreover, the React developers are also getting a positive experience after using Jest.

Must Read: Best 9 Examples of Websites Built with ReactJs

2. Mocha

This one happens to be a JavaScript testing framework intended for testing apps running using Node JS. It is quite easy to install this framework. A workstation will only be needed, and Mocha can be installed using the required commands.

Run the subsequent command for global installation:

npm i –global mocha.

The pros:

• Being open-source, the application allows flexibility.

• It will be able to support generators easily.

• You will come across plenty of documents and tutorials online, given that it is somewhat old.

• Test cases can be executed sequentially with flexible reporting.

The cons:

• It would be possible for Mocha to perform better with developer tooling.

• The introduction of Jest has reduced the popularity of this framework significantly.

• It might have done better when it comes to on-board features and overall performance.

Can Mocha be considered to be the best JavaScript testing framework?

It is a fact that the time needed for setting up and configuring this framework has made it somewhat less popular at present. Companies that have been using Jest recently are satisfied with it. Testing becomes much faster while using Jest, and not much configuration is required. Even though Mocha can boast of having a vast ecosystem, it is quite complicated as well.

3. Jasmine

Mainly utilized for asynchronous testing, Jasmine happens to be a JavaScript testing framework that is full of innovative features. Running on Node JS allows flexible and accurate bug reporting by running the test cases serially.

It is quite simple to install this JavaScript testing framework. You will simply need a workstation along with an Internet connection. The command “npm install -g jasmine” must be executed in the cmd/ terminal to install this framework. Nevertheless, as compared to Jest, the configuration is somewhat complicated. It is imperative to set up plus configure the test.js file before executing the test cases.

The pros:

• Jasmine happens to be compatible across almost every library or framework of your choice, and this makes it one of the most flexible testing frameworks out there. It is meant to help you irrespective of whether you like to use Chai for declaring test cases or Sinon to mock.

• Jasmine’s community is quite big, which will provide you with all sorts of support in the form of blog posts, libraries, and video tutorials.

• Since the community is quite big, it is quite easy to learn this framework. You will also obtain quite remarkable documentation.

• Provides an effective programming style as well as patterns.

The cons:

• One significant drawback of using Jasmine is that plenty of configurations will be required. The user must select an assertion library or a mocking framework before using it. In case this flexibility is required by your project, it will be useful. Otherwise, the process of configuration can be quite frustrating.

This framework supports-

• Snapshot testing by making use of the snapshot library. Nevertheless, integrating it might be somewhat tough.

• With the introduction of Jest, there has been a reduction in Jasmine’s popularity.

Can Jasmine be considered to be the best JavaScript testing framework?

Jasmine will be the best choice in case your project is quite big and has to be integrated with external libraries. This is mainly because of the bigger user base of this framework. However, Jest will be ideal for you if the project is small and you are making use of React JS. This is mainly because of the increasing popularity of Jest at present.

Must Read: JavaScript Vs TypeScript

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It might be the fact that you’re looking for a reliable JavaScript development company, and, in that case, Rlogical Techsoft will surely provide you with the best JavaScript development services. Their team consists of experienced and skillful employees who will handle any project flawlessly from start to finish. They have already satisfied quite a few customers in the past and will come of use to you.