Writing Effective Assertions

When using CheckView to automate tests for WordPress, crafting well thought out assertions is essential. Assertions validate the expected behavior of your site and ensure that any issues are quickly flagged. Poorly written assertions can lead to false positives or negatives, undermining the reliability of your testing.

  1. Define Clear Test Objectives
    • Start by outlining the specific behavior or functionality you want to test.
    • Understand the requirements of the WordPress feature being tested such as specific plugin behavior, form submissions or checkout.
    • Example: For a contact form, identify key test objectives like ensuring required fields are validated, the success message appears, and data is correctly stored.
  2. Use Specific and Unique Selectors
    • CheckView relies on selectors to identify elements on the page. Use unique CSS classes, IDs, or attributes to ensure assertions target the correct elements.
    • Avoid overly generic selectors, which might match multiple elements and produce unreliable results.
    • Example: Use the Assert Element Text Equals action on the unique ID, #form-success-message. This ensures you’re targeting the specific success message for a form and validating the proper success text is outputted.
  3. Test Conditional Logic in Forms
    • Many WordPress form plugins, such as Gravity Forms or WS Form include conditional logic. Verify that elements appear or behave correctly based on various user input. Test the most common or critical conditional logic flows.
    • Example: In Step 1, use the Select action to select Option 1 and target using the #dropdown-menu. Then in Step 2, use the Assert Element is Visible action on the expected conditional field, ie #conditional-field.
  4. Avoid Overly Broad Assertions
    • Assertions like verifying only a page title or the presence of a general success message can mask underlying issues. Be specific about what you’re validating whenever possible.
    • Example: Instead of using the Assert Element Text Equals action on the #page-title, use the use the Assert Element is Visible action on the #contact-form-success and then the Assert Element Text Equals action on the #contact-form-success. This way you are checking if the success page appears and is visible and the correct text rather than simply if the page title appears.
  5. Account for Dynamic Content
    • WordPress plugins and themes often generate dynamic IDs, timestamps, or other variable content that may change on page load or specific scenarios. Use regex or pattern matching for assertions when necessary.
    • Example: A step is expected to have a dynamic timestamp output that may be any date in 2024. Use the Assert Element Text Equals action and click the RegEx option in the step editor. Then for the value, enter in ‘2024-\d{2}-\d{2}T\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}’. This way it will validate any timestamp for a date that is outputted for 2024.
  6. Prevent False Positives
    • Ensure assertions fail when expected. Test both positive and negative scenarios, such as correctly displayed elements, non-visible elements or errors for invalid inputs.
    • Example: Utilize the Assert Element is Visible action on the #email-error element and the Assert Element Text Contains action on the #email-error element when testing for form errors. Configure the test flow to intentionally bypass the required email field, ensuring the assertion verifies the proper error message appears as expected in failure scenarios.
  7. Minimize False Negatives
    • Write flexible assertions for scenarios where minor variations might occur (e.g., slight changes in success messages).
    • Avoid brittle tests by focusing on key elements or text patterns.
    • Example: Instead of using the Assert Element Text Equals action on the .message element with the parameter value of ‘Submission successful’, use the the Assert Element Text Contains instead with the parameter value of ‘successful’.
  8. Consider Role-Based Testing
    • WordPress features often behave differently based on user roles. Test for various roles like admins, editors, subscribers, and guests.
    • Example: Assert that only logged in users can access a specific online course. Utilize the Assert Element is Visible action on the #course-name-page, but ensure you already have added steps to login as a user in your previous test steps.
  9. Handle WordPress Caching
    • WordPress sites often use caching plugins or CDN layers. Ensure your tests account for possible caching issues.
    • Use CheckView to bypass caching by appending query strings (e.g., ?nocache) to your Go to URL actions when necessary.
  10. Document Your Assertions
    • Record descriptive comments for each assertion in a document, explaining what is being validated and why.
    • This helps when reviewing tests or debugging failures.
  11. Use CheckView’s Debugging Tools
    • Leverage CheckView’s built-in tools to inspect element selectors, network requests, and JavaScript logs to refine your assertions.
  12. Regularly Update Tests
    • As WordPress core, plugins, and themes evolve, regularly review and update your CheckView tests to ensure compatibility with new changes.

Assertions not only verify that your site works as expected but also provide confidence that any issues will be promptly caught and addressed.

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