Backbone.js Testing:

Ryan Glenn Roemer

$19.99 per month

4.9 (14 Ratings)

Paperback Jul 2013 168 pages Edition

Ryan Glenn Roemer

$19.99 per month

4.9 (14 Ratings)

Paperback Jul 2013 168 pages Edition

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What you will learn

Install and set up a test infrastructure for Backbone applications
Run, examine, and understand Mocha test reports
Tour the Chai assertion library API with detailed examples
Write test suites and specs with the Mocha test framework
Fake application behavior in tests using Sinon.JS mocks, spies, and fake servers

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Jacob Kronika Oct 09, 2013

Over the past few weeks, I have spent time reading Backbone.js Testing at the request of the author, Ryan Roemer. This goes through the motions of creating a Notes application (think of a very stripped down and rudimentary Evernote) from the ground up, demonstrating thoroughly the process of testing the implementation throughout.The GoodEvery aspect of this text is well planned and executed. From an overview of the Backbone.js architecture to the Notes application itself, I was very pleased with the content and arrangement. Some of the topics covered by the author include:* Backbone.js Application Development* Mocha Testing Framework* Chai Assertion Framework* Sinon.JS Test Double Library* Test Automation with Selenium and PhantomJSNot So GoodThere really was little or nothing that I can criticize about Backbone.js Testing. The language used was clear and simple, while conveying even the most complex of topics in a way that, I believe, any level of JavaScript programmer would be able to digest easily. There were a few points at which the content, being fairly dense in terms of code snippets to delve through, was somewhat lacking in luster. However, even those areas were well-concieved, with the relevent code highlighted and some areas snipped. The full content remains available for download in the accompanying code samples, and even includes extensive implementation and testing details not specifically covered in the book itself.Overall ImpressionsFar and away, Backbone.js Testing is, in itself, a solid backbone for JS testing in general, while containing specifics related only to the name from which it's title is derived. In addition, the book provides an overarching view of the subject matter without either treading on any given area within too lightly or delving too deep. Finally, there is more than sufficient information in the book, and more so in the code samples, to give anyone looking to develop a test architecture a firm foundation for their implementation.

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Nizzy Sep 24, 2014

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Sure, there are tutorials online that cover the same topics but I prefer reading from a physical book. The chapters are short and clear but give a lot of insight into Backbone testing.I had never written a single test in Javascript prior to reading this book and I feel quite confident in my ability to do so now. For that alone, I have no regrets purchasing this book.The only drawbacks I could think of were the brief explanations of asynchronous behavior and Sinon fake servers. A couple more paragraphs and examples would have been nice but the author does point you the literature of the product libraries. Those two features deserve more than what was provided because in my experience they are frequently used.

George V. Reilly Oct 27, 2013

Backbone.js Testing is a short, dense introduction to testing JavaScript applications with three testing libraries, Mocha, Chai, and Sinon.JS. Although the author uses a sample application of a personal note manager written with Backbone.js throughout the book, much of the material would apply to any JavaScript client or server framework.Mocha is a test framework that can be executed in the browser or by Node.js, which runs your tests. Chai is a framework-agnostic TDD/BDD assertion library. Sinon.JS provides standalone test spies, stubs and mocks for JavaScript. They complement each other and the author does a good job of explaining when and how to use each.I've written a lot of tests in Python (unittest and mock, primarily) and C# (NUnit), but my experience with JavaScript unit testing was both limited and years out of date. The JavaScript ecosystem continues to evolve rapidly, with new browser frameworks and Node packages springing up everywhere. JavaScript has some particular challenges in testing--notably, the DOM, asynchrony, and callbacks. Mocha, Chai, and Sinon meet those challenges, though they can't take away all the pain.The author describes how to test Backbone models, views, and collections; dealing with asynchrony; provides useful testing heuristics, including isolating components to reduce dependencies; when to use stubs and mocks and fake servers; and test automation with PhantomJS. He does not, however, teach you Backbone.js itself; for that, you'll need another book.There are a few areas which I thought were dealt with too lightly. There's no real discussion of Test-driven_development or Behavior-driven_development, which provide the intellectual foundations of much of the book. Nor does he have much to say about testability and how to make legacy code more testable. The sample Notes app has plenty of testing seams (much of this falls naturally out of the architecture of Backbone); other people's apps are not so lucky. The chapter on automation is extremely terse--it could be expanded into a very large book!--but it does provide useful indicators to many areas for exploration.I learned a lot from this book and I have no hesitation in recommending it.Disclosure: Thanks to Ryan Roemer and Packt for a review copy of this book.

Mansur Suleman Nov 05, 2013

I love this book as it actually provides insight on testing all JS applications. Definitely a great choice to web professionals both in front end and back end Javascript technologies.

threepwood Jul 27, 2013

Any single tip in this book can save you hours of desperate research. Just the explanation on how to make sure events are bound for testing worths the few bucks I spent.

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