specit 0.2.1z
Create and run executable specifications with Pythonic BDD style grammar
License: Simplified BSD
Keywords: Specification,BDD,TDD

Overview
========

**NOTE**

Specit is **no longer actively developed**. It has been replaced by:

**compare**: for the pluggable `expect` syntax

- package: http://pypi.python.org/pypi/compare/
- source: https://github.com/rudylattae/compare/
- docs: http://packages.python.org/compare/

**checkit**: enables `nose` to detect and run test cases defined using BDD style "describe" and "it"

- package: http://pypi.python.org/pypi/checkit/
- source: https://bitbucket.org/rudylattae/checkit/


-----


Specit is a minimalistic tool to assist developers in creating 
and validating executable specifications for python software. It 
aims to:

1. Provide a readable, pythonic syntax for defining expectations in your example specifications.
2. Provide a simple tool for validating your specifications. 

To this end, specit provides two components to simplify your 
work with specs. The **expect** construct allows you to indicate 
verifyable expectations of your software. It is a replacement for
the "self.assert..." syntax. The **specit** command uses 
`Nose <http://somethingaboutorange.com/mrl/projects/nose>`_ to 
validate your specifications.


Features
--------

- uses nose for discovering and running specs
- provides a base set of matchers for defining expectations
- easy to extend with custom matchers


Requirements
------------

All the requirements for using specit are auto-installed if you 
use pip or easy_install. Here they are:

- `Nose <http://somethingaboutorange.com/mrl/projects/nose>`_ 


Installation
------------

The easiest way to install specit is with ``pip install spectit`` 
or with ``easy_install specit``. Alternatively, you may 
`download <http://pypi.python.org/pypi/specit>`_ the 
source package from PyPI, extract it and install it using 
``python setup.py install``.


What you get
------------

When you install the package, you get two shiny components that 
may help you achieve the goals above.

**"expect"**, is the grammar component. It provides a construct with 
extensible matchers that enables you to describe the expected 
behaviour of your software using a pythonic BDD manner. Again, this 
helps you maintain your flow of thought without succumbing to 
test-focused non-pythonic distrations like "self.assertEqual(s)...", 
"self.assertTrue", etc.

**"specit"**, is the commandline component. It uses nose to discover 
and execute specifications using flexible matching rules so that you 
are not limited to using distracting unittest (test focused) constructs 
like "def test..." or name your files "test...py".

Here is a trivial example of the clarity you gain when you 
employ the "expect" construct in your specs::

    > cat greeting.py
    def greet():
        return 'Hello you'
    
    > cat greeting_specs.py
    from specit import expect
    from greeting import greet
        
    expect(greet).to_return('Hello you')

Even more iteresting is the fact that you no longer have to 
subject yourself to the unnecessary cruft needed for unittest 
test cases. You can now create a spec like this::

    > cat cool_specs.py
    class DescribeCool(object):
        
        def it_is_cool(self):
            pass

Or even::

    > cat awesome_specs.py
    class MyAwesomeSpecs():
    
        def should_always_smile(self):
            pass

Finally, when you want to validate your software against the sepcs, 
simply run the commandline tool "specit" in your project 
directory like so::

    > specit
    ..
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Ran 2 tests in 0.006s

    OK


Feedback
--------

I welcome any questions or feedback about bugs and suggestions on how to 
improve specit. Let me know what you think about specit. I am on twitter 
`@RudyLattae <http://twitter.com/RudyLattae>`_ . I appreciate constructive 
criticsms or high fives :)

Do you have suggestions for improvement? Then please create an 
`issue <https://bitbucket.org/rudylattae/specit/issues>`_ with details 
of what you would like to see. I'll take a look at it and work with you to either kill 
the idea or implement it.


=========
Changelog
=========

0.1.2a (2010-12-08)
=====================

* First public release

====
TODO
====

- Core matchers: 
  - to_contain
  - to_be_truthy
  - to_be_falsy

- Provide better documentation and package information

- How to contribute / developer setup

- package url?

- distutils, setuptools or distribute?