Enkelttester

Enkelttester is a term used in Norwegian software development to refer to tests that verify a single unit of functionality in isolation. The concept involves testing one function or method at a time, with dependencies replaced by mocks or stubs. The goal is to validate the unit’s behavior under a variety of inputs, including edge cases, while keeping the test fast and deterministic.

In practice, enkelttester are typically part of a broader testing strategy that also includes integration tests and system tests. They emphasize small test scope, independence, and repeatability. They are usually run automatically as part of a continuous integration pipeline to provide quick feedback on code changes.

Design and execution: tests focus on one behavior per case, use a clear arrange-act-assert structure, and avoid relying on external systems. Good practices include keeping tests independent, avoiding long setup, and using test doubles for external dependencies. They complement property-based testing and code reviews.

Benefits: faster feedback, easier debugging, higher granularity of failure diagnosis, and increased confidence in the correctness of individual components.

Limitations: enkelttester do not verify interactions between components or end-to-end workflows, which means issues at the integration level may go undetected. Overreliance on unit tests can also lead to brittle tests if implementation details change frequently.

Relation to terminology: while the Norwegian term enkelltester is used to describe this practice, local usage may vary and may align with the concept of unit testing in other languages.

Examples: testing a math utility function for correct output, validating handling of invalid input, and checking boundary conditions.

See also: unit testing, test doubles, mocking, continuous integration.