angular-testing

name

angular-testing

description

Write unit and integration tests for Angular v20+ applications using Vitest or Jasmine with TestBed and modern testing patterns. Use for testing components with signals, OnPush change detection, services with inject(), and HTTP interactions. Triggers on test creation, testing signal-based components, mocking dependencies, or setting up test infrastructure. Don't use for E2E testing with Cypress or Playwright, or for testing non-Angular JavaScript/TypeScript code.

Angular Testing

Test Angular v20+ applications with Vitest (recommended) or Jasmine, focusing on signal-based components and modern patterns.

Vitest Setup (Angular v20+)

Angular v20+ has native Vitest support through the @angular/build package.

npm install -D vitest jsdom

Configure in angular.json:

{
  "projects": {
    "your-app": {
      "architect": {
        "test": {
          "builder": "@angular/build:unit-test",
          "options": {
            "tsConfig": "tsconfig.spec.json",
            "buildTarget": "your-app:build"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Run tests:

ng test              # Run tests
ng test --watch      # Watch mode
ng test --code-coverage  # With coverage

For Vitest migration from Jasmine and advanced configuration, see references/vitest-migration.md.

Basic Component Test

import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach } from 'vitest';
import { ComponentFixture, TestBed } from '@angular/core/testing';
import { Counter } from './counter.component';

describe('Counter', () => {
  let component: Counter;
  let fixture: ComponentFixture<Counter>;
  
  beforeEach(async () => {
    await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      imports: [Counter], // Standalone component
    }).compileComponents();
    
    fixture = TestBed.createComponent(Counter);
    component = fixture.componentInstance;
    fixture.detectChanges();
  });
  
  it('should create', () => {
    expect(component).toBeTruthy();
  });
  
  it('should increment count', () => {
    expect(component.count()).toBe(0);
    component.increment();
    expect(component.count()).toBe(1);
  });
  
  it('should display count in template', () => {
    component.count.set(5);
    fixture.detectChanges();
    
    const element = fixture.nativeElement.querySelector('.count');
    expect(element.textContent).toContain('5');
  });
});

Testing Signals

Direct Signal Testing

import { signal, computed } from '@angular/core';

describe('Signal logic', () => {
  it('should update computed when signal changes', () => {
    const count = signal(0);
    const doubled = computed(() => count() * 2);
    
    expect(doubled()).toBe(0);
    
    count.set(5);
    expect(doubled()).toBe(10);
    
    count.update(c => c + 1);
    expect(doubled()).toBe(12);
  });
});

Testing Component Signals

@Component({
  selector: 'app-todo-list',
  template: `
    <ul>
      @for (todo of filteredTodos(); track todo.id) {
        <li>{{ todo.text }}</li>
      }
    </ul>
    <p>{{ remaining() }} remaining</p>
  `,
})
export class TodoList {
  todos = signal<Todo[]>([]);
  filter = signal<'all' | 'active' | 'done'>('all');
  
  filteredTodos = computed(() => {
    const todos = this.todos();
    switch (this.filter()) {
      case 'active': return todos.filter(t => !t.done);
      case 'done': return todos.filter(t => t.done);
      default: return todos;
    }
  });
  
  remaining = computed(() => this.todos().filter(t => !t.done).length);
}

describe('TodoList', () => {
  let component: TodoList;
  let fixture: ComponentFixture<TodoList>;
  
  beforeEach(async () => {
    await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      imports: [TodoList],
    }).compileComponents();
    
    fixture = TestBed.createComponent(TodoList);
    component = fixture.componentInstance;
  });
  
  it('should filter active todos', () => {
    component.todos.set([
      { id: '1', text: 'Task 1', done: false },
      { id: '2', text: 'Task 2', done: true },
      { id: '3', text: 'Task 3', done: false },
    ]);
    
    component.filter.set('active');
    
    expect(component.filteredTodos().length).toBe(2);
    expect(component.remaining()).toBe(2);
  });
});

Testing OnPush Components

OnPush components require explicit change detection:

@Component({
  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
  template: `<span>{{ data().name }}</span>`,
})
export class OnPushCmpt {
  data = input.required<{ name: string }>();
}

describe('OnPushCmpt', () => {
  it('should update when input signal changes', () => {
    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(OnPushCmpt);
    
    // Set input using setInput (for signal inputs)
    fixture.componentRef.setInput('data', { name: 'Initial' });
    fixture.detectChanges();
    
    expect(fixture.nativeElement.textContent).toContain('Initial');
    
    // Update input
    fixture.componentRef.setInput('data', { name: 'Updated' });
    fixture.detectChanges();
    
    expect(fixture.nativeElement.textContent).toContain('Updated');
  });
});

Testing Services

Basic Service Test

@Injectable({ providedIn: 'root' })
export class CounterService {
  private _count = signal(0);
  readonly count = this._count.asReadonly();
  
  increment() { this._count.update(c => c + 1); }
  reset() { this._count.set(0); }
}

describe('CounterService', () => {
  let service: CounterService;
  
  beforeEach(() => {
    TestBed.configureTestingModule({});
    service = TestBed.inject(CounterService);
  });
  
  it('should increment count', () => {
    expect(service.count()).toBe(0);
    service.increment();
    expect(service.count()).toBe(1);
  });
});

Service with HTTP

import { HttpTestingController, provideHttpClientTesting } from '@angular/common/http/testing';
import { provideHttpClient } from '@angular/common/http';

describe('UserService', () => {
  let service: UserService;
  let httpMock: HttpTestingController;
  
  beforeEach(() => {
    TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      providers: [
        provideHttpClient(),
        provideHttpClientTesting(),
      ],
    });
    
    service = TestBed.inject(UserService);
    httpMock = TestBed.inject(HttpTestingController);
  });
  
  afterEach(() => {
    httpMock.verify(); // Verify no outstanding requests
  });
  
  it('should fetch user by id', () => {
    const mockUser = { id: '1', name: 'Test User' };
    
    service.getUser('1').subscribe(user => {
      expect(user).toEqual(mockUser);
    });
    
    const req = httpMock.expectOne('/api/users/1');
    expect(req.request.method).toBe('GET');
    req.flush(mockUser);
  });
});

Mocking Dependencies

Using Vitest Mocks

import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest';

describe('UserProfile', () => {
  const mockUserService = {
    getUser: vi.fn(),
    updateUser: vi.fn(),
    user: signal<User | null>(null),
  };
  
  beforeEach(async () => {
    vi.clearAllMocks();
    mockUserService.getUser.mockReturnValue(of({ id: '1', name: 'Test' }));
    
    await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      imports: [UserProfile],
      providers: [
        { provide: UserService, useValue: mockUserService },
      ],
    }).compileComponents();
  });
  
  it('should call getUser on init', () => {
    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(UserProfile);
    fixture.detectChanges();
    
    expect(mockUserService.getUser).toHaveBeenCalledWith('1');
  });
});

Mock Signal-Based Service

const mockAuth = {
  user: signal<User | null>(null),
  isAuthenticated: computed(() => mockAuth.user() !== null),
  login: vi.fn(),
  logout: vi.fn(),
};

beforeEach(async () => {
  await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
    imports: [ProtectedPage],
    providers: [
      { provide: AuthService, useValue: mockAuth },
    ],
  }).compileComponents();
});

it('should show content when authenticated', () => {
  mockAuth.user.set({ id: '1', name: 'Test User' });
  
  const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(ProtectedPage);
  fixture.detectChanges();
  
  expect(fixture.nativeElement.querySelector('.protected-content')).toBeTruthy();
});

Testing Inputs and Outputs

@Component({
  selector: 'app-item',
  template: `<div (click)="select()">{{ item().name }}</div>`,
})
export class ItemCmpt {
  item = input.required<Item>();
  selected = output<Item>();
  
  select() {
    this.selected.emit(this.item());
  }
}

describe('ItemCmpt', () => {
  it('should emit selected event on click', () => {
    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(ItemCmpt);
    const item: Item = { id: '1', name: 'Test Item' };
    
    fixture.componentRef.setInput('item', item);
    fixture.detectChanges();
    
    let emittedItem: Item | undefined;
    fixture.componentInstance.selected.subscribe(i => emittedItem = i);
    
    fixture.nativeElement.querySelector('div').click();
    
    expect(emittedItem).toEqual(item);
  });
});

Testing Async Operations

Using fakeAsync

import { fakeAsync, tick, flush } from '@angular/core/testing';

it('should debounce search', fakeAsync(() => {
  const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(SearchCmpt);
  fixture.detectChanges();
  
  fixture.componentInstance.query.set('test');
  
  tick(300); // Advance time for debounce
  fixture.detectChanges();
  
  expect(fixture.componentInstance.results().length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
  
  flush(); // Flush remaining timers
}));

Using waitForAsync

import { waitForAsync } from '@angular/core/testing';

it('should load data', waitForAsync(() => {
  const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(DataCmpt);
  fixture.detectChanges();
  
  fixture.whenStable().then(() => {
    fixture.detectChanges();
    expect(fixture.componentInstance.data()).toBeDefined();
  });
}));

Testing HTTP Resources

@Component({
  template: `
    @if (userResource.isLoading()) {
      <p>Loading...</p>
    } @else if (userResource.hasValue()) {
      <p>{{ userResource.value().name }}</p>
    }
  `,
})
export class UserCmpt {
  userId = signal('1');
  userResource = httpResource<User>(() => `/api/users/${this.userId()}`);
}

describe('UserCmpt', () => {
  let httpMock: HttpTestingController;
  
  beforeEach(async () => {
    await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      imports: [UserCmpt],
      providers: [
        provideHttpClient(),
        provideHttpClientTesting(),
      ],
    }).compileComponents();
    
    httpMock = TestBed.inject(HttpTestingController);
  });
  
  it('should display user name after loading', () => {
    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(UserCmpt);
    fixture.detectChanges();
    
    expect(fixture.nativeElement.textContent).toContain('Loading');
    
    const req = httpMock.expectOne('/api/users/1');
    req.flush({ id: '1', name: 'John Doe' });
    fixture.detectChanges();
    
    expect(fixture.nativeElement.textContent).toContain('John Doe');
  });
});

For advanced testing patterns including component harnesses, router testing, form testing, and directive testing, see references/testing-patterns.md.

For Vitest migration from Jasmine, see references/vitest-migration.md.