# bats-assert

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`bats-assert` is a helper library providing common assertions for
[Bats][bats].

Assertions are functions that perform a test and output relevant
information on failure to help debugging. They return 1 on failure and 0
otherwise. Output, [formatted][bats-support-output] for readability, is
sent to the standard error to make assertions usable outside of `@test`
blocks too.

Assertions testing exit code and output operate on the results of the
most recent invocation of `run`.

Dependencies:
- [`bats-support`][bats-support] (formerly `bats-core`) - output
  formatting

See the [shared documentation][bats-docs] to learn how to install and
load this library.


## Usage

### `assert`

Fail if the given expression evaluates to false.

***Note:*** *The expression must be a simple command. [Compound
commands][bash-comp-cmd], such as `[[`, can be used only when executed
with `bash -c`.*

```bash
@test 'assert()' {
  touch '/var/log/test.log'
  assert [ -e '/var/log/test.log' ]
}
```

On failure, the failed expression is displayed.

```
-- assertion failed --
expression : [ -e /var/log/test.log ]
--
```


### `refute`

Fail if the given expression evaluates to true.

***Note:*** *The expression must be a simple command. [Compound
commands][bash-comp-cmd], such as `[[`, can be used only when executed
with `bash -c`.*

```bash
@test 'refute()' {
  rm -f '/var/log/test.log'
  refute [ -e '/var/log/test.log' ]
}
```

On failure, the successful expression is displayed.

```
-- assertion succeeded, but it was expected to fail --
expression : [ -e /var/log/test.log ]
--
```


### `assert_equal`

Fail if the two parameters, actual and expected value respectively, do
not equal.

```bash
@test 'assert_equal()' {
  assert_equal 'have' 'want'
}
```

On failure, the expected and actual values are displayed.

```
-- values do not equal --
expected : want
actual   : have
--
```

If either value is longer than one line both are displayed in
*multi-line* format.


### `assert_success`

Fail if `$status` is not 0.

```bash
@test 'assert_success() status only' {
  run bash -c "echo 'Error!'; exit 1"
  assert_success
}
```

On failure, `$status` and `$output` are displayed.

```
-- command failed --
status : 1
output : Error!
--
```

If `$output` is longer than one line, it is displayed in *multi-line*
format.


### `assert_failure`

Fail if `$status` is 0.

```bash
@test 'assert_failure() status only' {
  run echo 'Success!'
  assert_failure
}
```

On failure, `$output` is displayed.

```
-- command succeeded, but it was expected to fail --
output : Success!
--
```

If `$output` is longer than one line, it is displayed in *multi-line*
format.

#### Expected status

When one parameter is specified, fail if `$status` does not equal the
expected status specified by the parameter.

```bash
@test 'assert_failure() with expected status' {
  run bash -c "echo 'Error!'; exit 1"
  assert_failure 2
}
```

On failure, the expected and actual status, and `$output` are displayed.

```
-- command failed as expected, but status differs --
expected : 2
actual   : 1
output   : Error!
--
```

If `$output` is longer than one line, it is displayed in *multi-line*
format.


### `assert_output`

This function helps to verify that a command or function produces the
correct output by checking that the specified expected output matches
the actual output. Matching can be literal (default), partial or regular
expression. This function is the logical complement of `refute_output`.

#### Literal matching

By default, literal matching is performed. The assertion fails if
`$output` does not equal the expected output.

```bash
@test 'assert_output()' {
  run echo 'have'
  assert_output 'want'
}
```

The expected output can be specified with a heredoc or standard input as well.

```bash
@test 'assert_output() with pipe' {
  run echo 'have'
  echo 'want' | assert_output
}
```

On failure, the expected and actual output are displayed.

```
-- output differs --
expected : want
actual   : have
--
```

If either value is longer than one line both are displayed in
*multi-line* format.

#### Partial matching

Partial matching can be enabled with the `--partial` option (`-p` for
short). When used, the assertion fails if the expected *substring* is
not found in `$output`.

```bash
@test 'assert_output() partial matching' {
  run echo 'ERROR: no such file or directory'
  assert_output --partial 'SUCCESS'
}
```

On failure, the substring and the output are displayed.

```
-- output does not contain substring --
substring : SUCCESS
output    : ERROR: no such file or directory
--
```

This option and regular expression matching (`--regexp` or `-e`) are
mutually exclusive. An error is displayed when used simultaneously.

#### Regular expression matching

Regular expression matching can be enabled with the `--regexp` option
(`-e` for short). When used, the assertion fails if the *extended
regular expression* does not match `$output`.

*Note: The anchors `^` and `$` bind to the beginning and the end of the
entire output (not individual lines), respectively.*

```bash
@test 'assert_output() regular expression matching' {
  run echo 'Foobar 0.1.0'
  assert_output --regexp '^Foobar v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]$'
}
```

On failure, the regular expression and the output are displayed.

```
-- regular expression does not match output --
regexp : ^Foobar v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]$
output : Foobar 0.1.0
--
```

An error is displayed if the specified extended regular expression is
invalid.

This option and partial matching (`--partial` or `-p`) are mutually
exclusive. An error is displayed when used simultaneously.


### `refute_output`

This function helps to verify that a command or function produces the
correct output by checking that the specified unexpected output does not
match the actual output. Matching can be literal (default), partial or
regular expression. This function is the logical complement of
`assert_output`.

#### Literal matching

By default, literal matching is performed. The assertion fails if
`$output` equals the unexpected output.

```bash
@test 'refute_output()' {
  run echo 'want'
  refute_output 'want'
}
```

-The unexpected output can be specified with a heredoc or standard input as well.

```bash
@test 'refute_output() with pipe' {
  run echo 'want'
  echo 'want' | refute_output
}
```

On failure, the output is displayed.

```
-- output equals, but it was expected to differ --
output : want
--
```

If output is longer than one line it is displayed in *multi-line*
format.

#### Partial matching

Partial matching can be enabled with the `--partial` option (`-p` for
short). When used, the assertion fails if the unexpected *substring* is
found in `$output`.

```bash
@test 'refute_output() partial matching' {
  run echo 'ERROR: no such file or directory'
  refute_output --partial 'ERROR'
}
```

On failure, the substring and the output are displayed.

```
-- output should not contain substring --
substring : ERROR
output    : ERROR: no such file or directory
--
```

This option and regular expression matching (`--regexp` or `-e`) are
mutually exclusive. An error is displayed when used simultaneously.

#### Regular expression matching

Regular expression matching can be enabled with the `--regexp` option
(`-e` for short). When used, the assertion fails if the *extended
regular expression* matches `$output`.

*Note: The anchors `^` and `$` bind to the beginning and the end of the
entire output (not individual lines), respectively.*

```bash
@test 'refute_output() regular expression matching' {
  run echo 'Foobar v0.1.0'
  refute_output --regexp '^Foobar v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]$'
}
```

On failure, the regular expression and the output are displayed.

```
-- regular expression should not match output --
regexp : ^Foobar v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]$
output : Foobar v0.1.0
--
```

An error is displayed if the specified extended regular expression is
invalid.

This option and partial matching (`--partial` or `-p`) are mutually
exclusive. An error is displayed when used simultaneously.


### `assert_line`

Similarly to `assert_output`, this function helps to verify that a
command or function produces the correct output. It checks that the
expected line appears in the output (default) or in a specific line of
it. Matching can be literal (default), partial or regular expression.
This function is the logical complement of `refute_line`.

***Warning:*** *Due to a [bug in Bats][bats-93], empty lines are
discarded from `${lines[@]}`, causing line indices to change and
preventing testing for empty lines.*

[bats-93]: https://github.com/sstephenson/bats/pull/93

#### Looking for a line in the output

By default, the entire output is searched for the expected line. The
assertion fails if the expected line is not found in `${lines[@]}`.

```bash
@test 'assert_line() looking for line' {
  run echo $'have-0\nhave-1\nhave-2'
  assert_line 'want'
}
```

On failure, the expected line and the output are displayed.

***Warning:*** *The output displayed does not contain empty lines. See
the Warning above for more.*

```
-- output does not contain line --
line : want
output (3 lines):
  have-0
  have-1
  have-2
--
```

If output is not longer than one line, it is displayed in *two-column*
format.

#### Matching a specific line

When the `--index <idx>` option is used (`-n <idx>` for short) , the
expected line is matched only against the line identified by the given
index. The assertion fails if the expected line does not equal
`${lines[<idx>]}`.

```bash
@test 'assert_line() specific line' {
  run echo $'have-0\nhave-1\nhave-2'
  assert_line --index 1 'want-1'
}
```

On failure, the index and the compared lines are displayed.

```
-- line differs --
index    : 1
expected : want-1
actual   : have-1
--
```

#### Partial matching

Partial matching can be enabled with the `--partial` option (`-p` for
short). When used, a match fails if the expected *substring* is not
found in the matched line.

```bash
@test 'assert_line() partial matching' {
  run echo $'have 1\nhave 2\nhave 3'
  assert_line --partial 'want'
}
```

On failure, the same details are displayed as for literal matching,
except that the substring replaces the expected line.

```
-- no output line contains substring --
substring : want
output (3 lines):
  have 1
  have 2
  have 3
--
```

This option and regular expression matching (`--regexp` or `-e`) are
mutually exclusive. An error is displayed when used simultaneously.

#### Regular expression matching

Regular expression matching can be enabled with the `--regexp` option
(`-e` for short). When used, a match fails if the *extended regular
expression* does not match the line being tested.

*Note: As expected, the anchors `^` and `$` bind to the beginning and
the end of the matched line, respectively.*

```bash
@test 'assert_line() regular expression matching' {
  run echo $'have-0\nhave-1\nhave-2'
  assert_line --index 1 --regexp '^want-[0-9]$'
}
```

On failure, the same details are displayed as for literal matching,
except that the regular expression replaces the expected line.

```
-- regular expression does not match line --
index  : 1
regexp : ^want-[0-9]$
line   : have-1
--
```

An error is displayed if the specified extended regular expression is
invalid.

This option and partial matching (`--partial` or `-p`) are mutually
exclusive. An error is displayed when used simultaneously.


### `refute_line`

Similarly to `refute_output`, this function helps to verify that a
command or function produces the correct output. It checks that the
unexpected line does not appear in the output (default) or in a specific
line of it. Matching can be literal (default), partial or regular
expression. This function is the logical complement of `assert_line`.

***Warning:*** *Due to a [bug in Bats][bats-93], empty lines are
discarded from `${lines[@]}`, causing line indices to change and
preventing testing for empty lines.*

[bats-93]: https://github.com/sstephenson/bats/pull/93

#### Looking for a line in the output

By default, the entire output is searched for the unexpected line. The
assertion fails if the unexpected line is found in `${lines[@]}`.

```bash
@test 'refute_line() looking for line' {
  run echo $'have-0\nwant\nhave-2'
  refute_line 'want'
}
```

On failure, the unexpected line, the index of its first match and the
output with the matching line highlighted are displayed.

***Warning:*** *The output displayed does not contain empty lines. See
the Warning above for more.*

```
-- line should not be in output --
line  : want
index : 1
output (3 lines):
  have-0
> want
  have-2
--
```

If output is not longer than one line, it is displayed in *two-column*
format.

#### Matching a specific line

When the `--index <idx>` option is used (`-n <idx>` for short) , the
unexpected line is matched only against the line identified by the given
index. The assertion fails if the unexpected line equals
`${lines[<idx>]}`.

```bash
@test 'refute_line() specific line' {
  run echo $'have-0\nwant-1\nhave-2'
  refute_line --index 1 'want-1'
}
```

On failure, the index and the unexpected line are displayed.

```
-- line should differ --
index : 1
line  : want-1
--
```

#### Partial matching

Partial matching can be enabled with the `--partial` option (`-p` for
short). When used, a match fails if the unexpected *substring* is found
in the matched line.

```bash
@test 'refute_line() partial matching' {
  run echo $'have 1\nwant 2\nhave 3'
  refute_line --partial 'want'
}
```

On failure, in addition to the details of literal matching, the
substring is also displayed. When used with `--index <idx>` the
substring replaces the unexpected line.

```
-- no line should contain substring --
substring : want
index     : 1
output (3 lines):
  have 1
> want 2
  have 3
--
```

This option and regular expression matching (`--regexp` or `-e`) are
mutually exclusive. An error is displayed when used simultaneously.

#### Regular expression matching

Regular expression matching can be enabled with the `--regexp` option
(`-e` for short). When used, a match fails if the *extended regular
expression* matches the line being tested.

*Note: As expected, the anchors `^` and `$` bind to the beginning and
the end of the matched line, respectively.*

```bash
@test 'refute_line() regular expression matching' {
  run echo $'Foobar v0.1.0\nRelease date: 2015-11-29'
  refute_line --index 0 --regexp '^Foobar v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]$'
}
```

On failure, in addition to the details of literal matching, the regular
expression is also displayed. When used with `--index <idx>` the regular
expression replaces the unexpected line.

```
-- regular expression should not match line --
index  : 0
regexp : ^Foobar v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]$
line   : Foobar v0.1.0
--
```

An error is displayed if the specified extended regular expression is
invalid.

This option and partial matching (`--partial` or `-p`) are mutually
exclusive. An error is displayed when used simultaneously.


## Options

For functions that have options, `--` disables option parsing for the
remaining arguments to allow using arguments identical to one of the
allowed options.

```bash
assert_output -- '-p'
```

Specifying `--` as an argument is similarly simple.

```bash
refute_line -- '--'
```


<!-- REFERENCES -->

[bats]: https://github.com/sstephenson/bats
[bats-support-output]: https://github.com/ztombol/bats-support#output-formatting
[bats-support]: https://github.com/ztombol/bats-support
[bats-docs]: https://github.com/ztombol/bats-docs
[bash-comp-cmd]: https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/bash.html#Compound-Commands