Package org.mockito

Interface MockSettings

All Superinterfaces:
Serializable
All Known Implementing Classes:
MockSettingsImpl

public interface MockSettings extends Serializable
Allows mock creation with additional mock settings.

Don't use it too often. Consider writing simple tests that use simple mocks. Repeat after me: simple tests push simple, KISSy, readable invalid input: '&' maintainable code. If you cannot write a test in a simple way - refactor the code under test.

Examples of mock settings:


   //Creates mock with different default answer invalid input: '&' name
   Foo mock = mock(Foo.class, withSettings()
                                .defaultAnswer(RETURNS_SMART_NULLS)
                                .name("cool mockie")
                                );

   //Creates mock with different default answer, descriptive name and extra interfaces
   Foo mock = mock(Foo.class, withSettings()
                                .defaultAnswer(RETURNS_SMART_NULLS)
                                .name("cool mockie")
                                .extraInterfaces(Bar.class));
 
MockSettings has been introduced for two reasons. Firstly, to make it easy to add another mock setting when the demand comes. Secondly, to enable combining together different mock settings without introducing zillions of overloaded mock() methods.
  • Method Details

    • extraInterfaces

      MockSettings extraInterfaces(Class<?>... interfaces)
      Specifies extra interfaces the mock should implement. Might be useful for legacy code or some corner cases. For background, see issue 51 here

      This mysterious feature should be used very occasionally. The object under test should know exactly its collaborators invalid input: '&' dependencies. If you happen to use it often than please make sure you are really producing simple, clean invalid input: '&' readable code.

      Examples:

      
         Foo foo = mock(Foo.class, withSettings().extraInterfaces(Bar.class, Baz.class));
      
         //now, the mock implements extra interfaces, so following casting is possible:
         Bar bar = (Bar) foo;
         Baz baz = (Baz) foo;
       
      Parameters:
      interfaces - extra interfaces the should implement.
      Returns:
      settings instance so that you can fluently specify other settings
    • name

      MockSettings name(String name)
      Specifies mock name. Naming mocks can be helpful for debugging - the name is used in all verification errors.

      Beware that naming mocks is not a solution for complex code which uses too many mocks or collaborators. If you have too many mocks then refactor the code so that it's easy to test/debug without necessity of naming mocks.

      If you use @Mock annotation then you've got naming mocks for free! @Mock uses field name as mock name. Read more.

      Examples:

      
         Foo foo = mock(Foo.class, withSettings().name("foo"));
      
         //Below does exactly the same:
         Foo foo = mock(Foo.class, "foo");
       
      Parameters:
      name - the name of the mock, later used in all verification errors
      Returns:
      settings instance so that you can fluently specify other settings
    • spiedInstance

      MockSettings spiedInstance(Object instance)
      Specifies the instance to spy on. Makes sense only for spies/partial mocks. Sets the instance that will be spied. Actually copies the internal fields of the passed instance to the mock.

      As usual you are going to read the partial mock warning: Object oriented programming is more or less about tackling complexity by dividing the complexity into separate, specific, SRPy objects. How does partial mock fit into this paradigm? Well, it just doesn't... Partial mock usually means that the complexity has been moved to a different method on the same object. In most cases, this is not the way you want to design your application.

      However, there are rare cases when partial mocks come handy: dealing with code you cannot change easily (3rd party interfaces, interim refactoring of legacy code etc.) However, I wouldn't use partial mocks for new, test-driven invalid input: '&' well-designed code.

      Enough warnings about partial mocks, see an example how spiedInstance() works:

      
         Foo foo = mock(Foo.class, withSettings().spiedInstance(fooInstance));
      
         //Below does exactly the same:
         Foo foo = spy(fooInstance);
       
      About stubbing for a partial mock, as it is a spy it will always call the real method, unless you use the doReturn|Throw|Answer|CallRealMethod stubbing style. Example:
      
         List list = new LinkedList();
         List spy = spy(list);
      
         //Impossible: real method is called so spy.get(0) throws IndexOutOfBoundsException (the list is yet empty)
         when(spy.get(0)).thenReturn("foo");
      
         //You have to use doReturn() for stubbing
         doReturn("foo").when(spy).get(0);
       
      Parameters:
      instance - to spy on
      Returns:
      settings instance so that you can fluently specify other settings
    • defaultAnswer

      MockSettings defaultAnswer(Answer defaultAnswer)
      Specifies default answers to interactions. It's quite advanced feature and typically you don't need it to write decent tests. However it can be helpful when working with legacy systems.

      It is the default answer so it will be used only when you don't stub the method call.

      
         Foo mock = mock(Foo.class, withSettings().defaultAnswer(RETURNS_SMART_NULLS));
         Foo mockTwo = mock(Foo.class, withSettings().defaultAnswer(new YourOwnAnswer()));
      
         //Below does exactly the same:
         Foo mockTwo = mock(Foo.class, new YourOwnAnswer());
       
      Parameters:
      defaultAnswer - default answer to be used by mock when not stubbed
      Returns:
      settings instance so that you can fluently specify other settings
    • serializable

      MockSettings serializable()
      Configures the mock to be serializable. With this feature you can use a mock in a place that requires dependencies to be serializable.

      WARNING: This should be rarely used in unit testing.

      The behaviour was implemented for a specific use case of a BDD spec that had an unreliable external dependency. This was in a web environment and the objects from the external dependency were being serialized to pass between layers.

      Example:

      
         List serializableMock = mock(List.class, withSettings().serializable());
       
      Returns:
      settings instance so that you can fluently specify other settings
      Since:
      1.8.1
    • serializable

      MockSettings serializable(SerializableMode mode)
      Configures the mock to be serializable with a specific serializable mode. With this feature you can use a mock in a place that requires dependencies to be serializable.

      WARNING: This should be rarely used in unit testing.

      The behaviour was implemented for a specific use case of a BDD spec that had an unreliable external dependency. This was in a web environment and the objects from the external dependency were being serialized to pass between layers.

      
         List serializableMock = mock(List.class, withSettings().serializable(SerializableMode.ACROSS_CLASSLOADERS));
       
      Parameters:
      mode - serialization mode
      Returns:
      settings instance so that you can fluently specify other settings
      Since:
      1.10.0
    • verboseLogging

      MockSettings verboseLogging()
      Enables real-time logging of method invocations on this mock. Can be used during test debugging in order to find wrong interactions with this mock.

      Invocations are logged as they happen to the standard output stream.

      Calling this method multiple times makes no difference.

      Example:

      
       List mockWithLogger = mock(List.class, withSettings().verboseLogging());
       
      Returns:
      settings instance so that you can fluently specify other settings
    • invocationListeners

      MockSettings invocationListeners(InvocationListener... listeners)
      Registers a listener for method invocations on this mock. The listener is notified every time a method on this mock is called.

      Multiple listeners may be added, but the same object is only added once. The order, in which the listeners are added, is not guaranteed to be the order in which the listeners are notified. Example:

      
        List mockWithListener = mock(List.class, withSettings().invocationListeners(new YourInvocationListener()));
       
      See the listener interface for more details.
      Parameters:
      listeners - The invocation listeners to add. May not be null.
      Returns:
      settings instance so that you can fluently specify other settings
    • stubOnly

      MockSettings stubOnly()
      A stub-only mock does not record method invocations, thus saving memory but disallowing verification of invocations.

      Example:

      
       List stubOnly = mock(List.class, withSettings().stubOnly());
       
      Returns:
      settings instance so that you can fluently specify other settings
    • useConstructor

      @Incubating MockSettings useConstructor()
      Mockito attempts to use constructor when creating instance of the mock. This is particularly useful for spying on abstract classes. See also Mockito.spy(Class).

      Example:

      
       //Robust API, via settings builder:
       OtherAbstract spy = mock(OtherAbstract.class, withSettings()
         .useConstructor().defaultAnswer(CALLS_REAL_METHODS));
      
       //Mocking a non-static inner abstract class:
       InnerAbstract spy = mock(InnerAbstract.class, withSettings()
         .useConstructor().outerInstance(outerInstance).defaultAnswer(CALLS_REAL_METHODS));
       
      Returns:
      settings instance so that you can fluently specify other settings
      Since:
      1.10.12
    • outerInstance

      @Incubating MockSettings outerInstance(Object outerClassInstance)
      Makes it possible to mock non-static inner classes in conjunction with useConstructor().

      Example:

      
       InnerClass mock = mock(InnerClass.class, withSettings()
         .useConstructor().outerInstance(outerInstance).defaultAnswer(CALLS_REAL_METHODS));
       
      Returns:
      settings instance so that you can fluently specify other settings
      Since:
      1.10.12