What are some examples of property-based testing in Python?

What are some examples of property-based testing in Python?

Property-based testing is a testing technique where properties of the output are checked against a wide range of inputs. In Python, libraries like Hypothesis can be used for this. For example, you can test that a function that sorts a list always returns a list that is in ascending order.

Can you show me a code example using Hypothesis?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

from hypothesis import given, strategies as st

def sort_function(lst):
    return sorted(lst)

@given(st.lists(st.integers()))
def test_sort(lst):
    sorted_lst = sort_function(lst)
    assert sorted_lst == sorted(lst)

This tests that the sort_function correctly sorts any list of integers.

What are the benefits of using property-based testing?

Property-based testing helps uncover edge cases that you might not think of with example-based testing. It can lead to more robust code and fewer bugs.

Are there any limitations to property-based testing?

Yes, property-based testing can sometimes generate inputs that are difficult to interpret or debug. It also requires a good understanding of the properties you want to test.