A Comprehensive Guide to Testing Angular apps
Tags: angular, testing, apptesting, guide
Published: 2023-06-12 13:06:27

Angular testing is an essential part of developing applications using the Angular framework. Angular provides built-in support for testing, making it convenient for devs to script and run tests for their apps.

## Setting up a testing environment for Angular apps
Setting up a testing environment for Angular apps is essential in the testing process. It involves configuring the necessary tools and libraries required for running tests.

First, install the Angular CLI (Command Line Interface), a command-line tool that helps you to scaffold, generate and maintain Angular projects. To generate a new Angular project with a testing environment, you can use the following command:

```
ng new my-project --style=scss --routing=true --skip-tests=false
```

This command will generate a new Angular project called "my-project" with a testing environment set up, using SCSS for styling, with routing enabled, and with tests.

Next, you will need to install the necessary testing libraries. Angular uses Jasmine as its testing framework and Karma as its test runner. These libraries are automatically installed when you generate a new Angular project with the CLI, but in case they are not, you can install them by running the following command:

```
npm install karma jasmine-core karma-jasmine karma-chrome-launcher --save-dev
```

Once the libraries are installed, you need to configure Karma to run your tests. Karma runs your tests in a browser, and you can configure it to run your tests in different browsers. To configure Karma, you will need to create a karma.conf.js file at the root of your project. This file contains the configuration settings for Karma and can be generated by running the following command:

```
ng test --watch=false --code-coverage=true
```

This command will generate a karma.conf.js file and run the test in the development environment once. It also generates a report to present the insights.

## Angular components and services: writing unit tests
Writing unit tests for Angular components and services is essential in the testing process. Unit tests are used to test individual pieces of code, such as components and services, in isolation. When testing a component's logic, you can use standard JavaScript testing libraries like Jasmine to test the component's properties and methods. You can use Jasmine's beforeEach function to instantiate the component, and it functions to define the test cases, for example:

```
describe('MyComponent', () => {
  let component: MyComponent;
  beforeEach(() => {
    component = new MyComponent();
  });
  it('should have a title', () => {
    expect(component.title).toEqual('My Title');
  });
});
```

When writing unit tests for Angular services, you can use the same approach for components. You can use the [Angular Testing](https://www.headspin.io/blog/a-practical-approach-to-angular-testing) Library to test the service's methods and Jasmine to test the service's properties and methods. You can use the TestBed utility from the Angular Testing Library to instantiate the service. This utility allows you to configure and test the service's dependencies in isolation. For example,

```
describe('MyService', () => {
  let service: MyService;
  beforeEach(() => {
    TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      providers: [MyService]
    });
    service = TestBed.get(MyService);
  });
  it('should have message', () => {
    expect(service.message).toEqual('Hello World!');
  });
});
```

## Using the Angular testing utilities
When writing unit tests for Angular applications, it is vital to use the Angular testing utilities provided by the Angular Testing Library. These utilities can help make your tests more efficient and accurate. Some commonly used Angular testing utilities include TestBed, async, and fakeAsync.

The TestBed is a powerful utility that allows you to configure and instantiate the components and services you want to test in isolation. It provides a way to configure the testing module with the providers, declarations, and imports required for the component or service under test. 
For example,

```
describe('MyService', () => {
  let service: MyService;
  beforeEach(() => {
    TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      providers: [MyService]
    });
    service = TestBed.get(MyService);
  });
  it('should have a message', () => {
    expect(service.message).toEqual('Hello World!');
  });
});
```

Async and fakeAsync are two other Angular testing utilities that can be used to test asynchronous code. Async is used to wrap a test function and make it asynchronous. This allows you to test code that uses Promises or observables. For example,

```
it('should fetch data', async(() => {
  service.fetchData().then(data => {
    expect(data).toEqual(expectedData);
  });
}));
```

FakeAsync is a utility that allows you to test asynchronous code using the synchronous test syntax. It controls the JavaScript event loop and allows you to test code that uses setTimeout, setInterval, and other time-based functions. For example,

```
it('should fetch data', fakeAsync(() => {
  let data;
  service.fetchData().subscribe(response => {
    data = response;
  });
  tick();
  expect(data).toEqual(expectedData);
}));
```

## End-to-end testing with Protractor
End-to-end (E2E) testing is an essential aspect of testing Angular applications, especially with the rise of [mobile automation testing](https://www.headspin.io/solutions/mobile-app-testing). They are used to ensure that the different parts of the application work together as expected on a mobile device. One of the most popular tools for E2E testing Angular applications is Protractor, which can also be used for mobile app testing.

To set up a testing environment for E2E testing with Protractor, you need to install the protractor package and its dependencies, like web driver-manager and typescript. Once the setup is done, you can write the E2E tests using Protractor's API and Jasmine's framework. The tests are written in spec files, which contain the test cases that describe the application's behavior. The test cases are written using a combination of JavaScript and a special syntax provided by Protractor. For example,

```
describe('my application', () => {
  beforeEach(() => {
    browser.get('/');
  });
  it('should have a title', () => {
    expect(browser.getTitle()).toEqual('My Application');
  });
  it('should have a button', () => {
    expect(element(by.css('button')).isPresent()).toBe(true);
  });
});
```

To run the E2E tests, you can use the protractor command in the terminal. This command will start a web driver and run the tests in the specified browser.

## How to debug and troubleshoot Angular test points?
Debugging and troubleshooting Angular tests can be challenging, but several tools and techniques can help you identify and fix issues in your tests. Here are some tips for debugging and troubleshooting Angular tests:

- **Use the browser's developer tools**: The browser's developer tools are powerful for debugging and troubleshooting Angular tests. This can help you identify issues with your tests, such as incorrect bindings or missing elements.
- **Use the Angular CLI**: The Angular CLI provides several commands to help you debug and troubleshoot your tests. 
- **Use the mobile testing tool**: These tools are excellent for debugging and troubleshooting Angular tests on mobile devices. These tools allow you to test your application on different mobile devices, operating systems, and screen sizes.
- **Use Jasmine or Karma reporters**: Jasmine and Karma are popular testing frameworks for Angular applications. They provide reporters that can help you debug and troubleshoot your tests.
- **Use the Angular testing utilities**: The Angular testing utilities, such as TestBed, async, and fakeAsync, provide many features for debugging and troubleshooting your tests.

##Conclusion
Angular testing is crucial for ensuring that your apps are working correctly and functioning as expected. Remember that mastering Angular testing takes approach and time, but this guide and the resources provided will help you become proficient in Angular testing. With the knowledge gained from this guide, you can effectively test your Angular apps and ensure they function at their best.