Enhancing Behave Test Reporting with HTML Pretty Formatter

In the world of software development, effective test reporting is crucial for understanding the state of your test suite and communicating test results to stakeholders. Behave, a popular Python behavior-driven development (BDD) framework, provides a default test reporting format. However, if you’re looking for a more visually appealing and informative test report, the HTML Pretty Formatter for Behave is the solution you need. Inspired by jest-html-reporter, this formatter allows you to create beautiful and detailed test reports that enhance your testing process.

Installation and Setup

To start using the HTML Pretty Formatter for Behave, you’ll first need to install it. Open your terminal and run the following command:

shell
python3 -m pip install behave-html-pretty-formatter

Once installed, create a behave.ini file in your project folder or home directory. In this file, you can define the configuration options for the HTML Pretty Formatter. Here’s an example of the basic configuration:

“`ini
[behave.formatters]
html-pretty = behave_html_pretty_formatter:PrettyHTMLFormatter

[behave.userdata]
behave.formatter.html-pretty.title_string = Test Suite Reporter
behave.formatter.html-pretty.pseudo_steps = false
behave.formatter.html-pretty.pretty_output = true
behave.formatter.html-pretty.date_format = %%d-%%m-%%Y %%H:%%M:%%S
behave.formatter.html-pretty.show_summary = false
behave.formatter.html-pretty.show_unexecuted_steps = true
behave.formatter.html-pretty.collapse = auto
behave.formatter.html-pretty.show_retry_attempts = true
“`

You can customize various options such as the title of the test report, the format of the date, whether to show the summary section, and more. Feel free to experiment with these options to tailor the formatter to your needs.

High Contrast and Dark Mode

The HTML Pretty Formatter offers a high contrast option, making it easier to read the test report. In this mode, colors are adjusted, extra information is added before each decorator to indicate the status of the step, and the text is larger. You can switch between the default and high contrast modes using the toggle button provided in the report.

Additionally, the formatter follows the dark theme of the user’s browser, reverting the background to dark and adjusting the colors to a darker shade. This ensures a consistent and visually pleasing experience for users who prefer dark mode.

Customizing the Summary Section

By default, the summary section of the test report is hidden. However, you can change this setting by modifying the behave.formatter.html-pretty.show_summary option in the behave.ini file. Setting it to true will expand the summary section, providing a concise overview of the test results.

Pseudo Steps for Before and After Scenarios

If your testsuite uses before_scenario() and after_scenario() functions, you can configure the HTML Pretty Formatter to display them as steps in the report. This can be useful when you want to separate the standard steps from the before_scenario() and after_scenario() steps or have embeds specific to these actions. To enable this feature, set behave.formatter.html-pretty.pseudo_steps to true in the behave.ini file. Additionally, you’ll need to call context.html_formatter.before_scenario_finish(status) at the end of the before_scenario() function and context.html_formatter.after_scenario_finish(status) at the end of the after_scenario() function. This will ensure that the pseudo steps are appropriately colored and their duration is recorded.

Embedding Data to the Report

The HTML Pretty Formatter allows you to embed various types of data, such as images and videos, directly into the test report. To begin, save the embedding function to the testing context using the following code:

python
for formatter in context._runner.formatters:
if formatter.name == "html-pretty":
context.embed = formatter.embed

Once saved, you can use the context.embed() function to embed data into the report. For example, to embed an image, you would use the following code:

python
context.embed(mime_type="image/png", data="/path/to/image.png", caption="Screenshot")

Similarly, you can embed videos, plain text, HTML content, markdown, and links. The formatter supports various MIME types, allowing you to add a wide range of content to your report. You can also create objects with embedded data and modify them later using the set_data() and set_fail_only() methods.

Conclusion

The HTML Pretty Formatter for Behave is a powerful tool that enhances your test reporting capabilities. By installing and configuring this formatter, you can create visually appealing and informative test reports that improve analysis and communication within your team. With features like high contrast mode, dark mode, customizable summaries, and the ability to embed various types of data, this formatter takes your Behave test reporting to the next level. Start using the HTML Pretty Formatter today and revolutionize your test reporting process.

Source: behave-html-pretty-formatter

Category: Software Development, Testing
Tags: Behavior-Driven Development, Test Reporting, Test Automation, Python, Behave