What is RSpec mocking and stubbing?

What is RSpec mocking and stubbing?

RSpec mocking and stubbing are techniques used in testing to simulate the behavior of objects. Mocking allows you to create a fake object that can verify interactions, while stubbing lets you define specific responses for methods without executing their actual code.

Can you give me an example of how to use stubbing in RSpec?

Sure! Here's a simple example: you can stub a method like this:

allow(object).to receive(:method_name).and_return(value)

This means that when method_name is called on object, it will return value instead of executing the actual method.

What about mocking? How is it different from stubbing?

Mocking is used to set expectations on how an object should be interacted with. For example:

expect(object).to receive(:method_name).with(arguments)

This checks that method_name is called with the specified arguments, while stubbing just provides a predefined response.

When should I use mocking over stubbing?

Use mocking when you want to verify interactions and ensure certain methods are called. Use stubbing when you just need to control the output of a method without caring about how it’s called.