|
| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +name: textual-testing |
| 3 | +description: Guide for testing and debugging Textual TUI applications |
| 4 | +--- |
| 5 | + |
| 6 | +# Testing & Debugging Textual TUI Apps |
| 7 | + |
| 8 | +## Testing with pytest |
| 9 | + |
| 10 | +### Setup |
| 11 | +- Use **pytest** with **pytest-asyncio**. Set `asyncio_mode = auto` in `pyproject.toml`. |
| 12 | +- All tests using `run_test()` must be `async def`. |
| 13 | + |
| 14 | +### Running Apps in Tests: `App.run_test()` |
| 15 | + |
| 16 | +Async context manager that runs the app headless (no terminal). Yields a `Pilot` object: |
| 17 | + |
| 18 | +```python |
| 19 | +async def test_example(): |
| 20 | + app = MyApp() |
| 21 | + async with app.run_test() as pilot: |
| 22 | + await pilot.press("r") |
| 23 | + assert app.screen.styles.background == Color.parse("red") |
| 24 | +``` |
| 25 | + |
| 26 | +Default terminal size is (80, 24). Override: `app.run_test(size=(100, 50))`. |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +### Pilot API — Simulating User Input |
| 29 | + |
| 30 | +All methods are async. |
| 31 | + |
| 32 | +**Key presses** — `pilot.press(*keys)`: |
| 33 | +```python |
| 34 | +await pilot.press("h", "e", "l", "l", "o") # type text |
| 35 | +await pilot.press("enter") # special keys |
| 36 | +await pilot.press("ctrl+c") # modifier combos |
| 37 | +``` |
| 38 | + |
| 39 | +**Mouse clicks** — `pilot.click(selector, offset, shift, meta, control, times)`: |
| 40 | +```python |
| 41 | +await pilot.click("#red") # CSS selector by ID |
| 42 | +await pilot.click(Button) # by widget class |
| 43 | +await pilot.click(Button, offset=(0, -1)) # with offset relative to widget |
| 44 | +await pilot.click(Button, times=2) # double-click |
| 45 | +``` |
| 46 | + |
| 47 | +**Other mouse**: `pilot.double_click()`, `pilot.triple_click()`, `pilot.hover()`, `pilot.mouse_down()`, `pilot.mouse_up()` — same signature as click. |
| 48 | + |
| 49 | +**Resize**: `await pilot.resize_terminal(width=120, height=40)` |
| 50 | + |
| 51 | +**Exit**: `await pilot.exit(result=some_value)` |
| 52 | + |
| 53 | +**Wait for animations**: |
| 54 | +```python |
| 55 | +await pilot.wait_for_animation() |
| 56 | +await pilot.wait_for_scheduled_animations() |
| 57 | +``` |
| 58 | + |
| 59 | +### Managing Async Timing |
| 60 | + |
| 61 | +Messages are processed asynchronously. Use `pilot.pause()` to wait for pending messages before asserting: |
| 62 | + |
| 63 | +```python |
| 64 | +await pilot.pause() # wait for all pending messages |
| 65 | +await pilot.pause(delay=0.5) # delay then wait |
| 66 | +``` |
| 67 | + |
| 68 | +This is critical — without it, assertions may run before handlers complete. |
| 69 | + |
| 70 | +### Asserting on State |
| 71 | + |
| 72 | +```python |
| 73 | +assert app.screen.styles.background == Color.parse("red") |
| 74 | +assert app.query_one("#my-input", Input).value == "hello" |
| 75 | +assert app.focused is app.query_one("#my-button") |
| 76 | +``` |
| 77 | + |
| 78 | +Use `app.query()` or `app.query_one()` with CSS selectors to find widgets. |
| 79 | + |
| 80 | +### Snapshot / Visual Regression Testing |
| 81 | + |
| 82 | +Install `pytest-textual-snapshot`. Use the `snap_compare` fixture (sync, not async): |
| 83 | + |
| 84 | +```python |
| 85 | +def test_calculator(snap_compare): |
| 86 | + assert snap_compare("path/to/calculator.py") |
| 87 | +``` |
| 88 | + |
| 89 | +First run always fails (no baseline). Run `pytest --snapshot-update` after visual verification. |
| 90 | + |
| 91 | +Options: `press=["1", "2"]`, `terminal_size=(50, 100)`, `run_before=async_func`. |
| 92 | + |
| 93 | +### Testing Best Practices |
| 94 | + |
| 95 | +- Click targeting is realistic: overlaying widgets receive the click. |
| 96 | +- Use `pilot.pause()` liberally to avoid race conditions. |
| 97 | +- Snapshot tests are sync functions; `run_test()` tests are async. |
| 98 | +- Check Textual's own `tests/` directory on GitHub for advanced patterns. |
| 99 | + |
| 100 | +## Debugging |
| 101 | + |
| 102 | +### Dev Console (two terminals) |
| 103 | + |
| 104 | +Terminal 1: `textual console` |
| 105 | +Terminal 2: `textual run --dev my_app.py` |
| 106 | + |
| 107 | +The console shows `print()` output and internal logs. Verbosity: `-v` for verbose, `-x GROUP` to exclude groups (EVENT, DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR, PRINT, SYSTEM, LOGGING, WORKER). |
| 108 | + |
| 109 | +### Logging |
| 110 | + |
| 111 | +```python |
| 112 | +from textual import log |
| 113 | + |
| 114 | +log("Hello") # simple string |
| 115 | +log(locals()) # variables |
| 116 | +log(children=self.children) # keyword args |
| 117 | +``` |
| 118 | + |
| 119 | +Or use `self.log()` on App/Widget instances. For stdlib logging: |
| 120 | + |
| 121 | +```python |
| 122 | +import logging |
| 123 | +from textual.logging import TextualHandler |
| 124 | +logging.basicConfig(level="NOTSET", handlers=[TextualHandler()]) |
| 125 | +``` |
| 126 | + |
| 127 | +### CSS Hot-Reload |
| 128 | + |
| 129 | +`textual run --dev` enables live CSS reloading — edit `.tcss` files and see changes instantly. |
| 130 | + |
| 131 | +### Browser-based |
| 132 | + |
| 133 | +`textual serve my_app.py` converts the TUI into a web app viewable in a browser. |
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