RED -> Write a failing test first
GREEN -> Write minimal code to pass the test
REFACTOR -> Improve code while keeping tests green
REPEAT -> Continue with next requirement
Step-by-Step TDD in Kotlin
// Step 1: Define the interface/signature// EmailValidator.ktpackage com.example.validator
funvalidateEmail(email: String): Result<String> {
TODO("not implemented")
}
// Step 2: Write failing test (RED)// EmailValidatorTest.ktpackage com.example.validator
import io.kotest.core.spec.style.StringSpec
import io.kotest.matchers.result.shouldBeFailure
import io.kotest.matchers.result.shouldBeSuccess
classEmailValidatorTest : StringSpec({
"valid email returns success" {
validateEmail("user@example.com").shouldBeSuccess("user@example.com")
}
"empty email returns failure" {
validateEmail("").shouldBeFailure()
}
"email without @ returns failure" {
validateEmail("userexample.com").shouldBeFailure()
}
})
// Step 3: Run tests - verify FAIL// $ ./gradlew test// EmailValidatorTest > valid email returns success FAILED// kotlin.NotImplementedError: An operation is not implemented// Step 4: Implement minimal code (GREEN)funvalidateEmail(email: String): Result<String> {
if (email.isBlank()) return Result.failure(IllegalArgumentException("Email cannot be blank"))
if ('@' !in email) return Result.failure(IllegalArgumentException("Email must contain @"))
val regex = Regex("^[A-Za-z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Za-z0-9.-]+\\.[A-Za-z]{2,}$")
if (!regex.matches(email)) return Result.failure(IllegalArgumentException("Invalid email format"))
return Result.success(email)
}
// Step 5: Run tests - verify PASS// $ ./gradlew test// EmailValidatorTest > valid email returns success PASSED// EmailValidatorTest > empty email returns failure PASSED// EmailValidatorTest > email without @ returns failure PASSED// Step 6: Refactor if needed, verify tests still pass
classUserServiceTest : FunSpec({
val repository = mockk<UserRepository>()
val service = UserService(repository)
test("getUser returns user when found") {
val expected = User(id = "1", name = "Alice")
coEvery { repository.findById("1") } returns expected
val result = service.getUser("1")
result shouldBe expected
}
test("getUser throws when not found") {
coEvery { repository.findById("999") } returns null
shouldThrow<UserNotFoundException> {
service.getUser("999")
}
}
})
BehaviorSpec (BDD Style)
classOrderServiceTest : BehaviorSpec({
val repository = mockk<OrderRepository>()
val paymentService = mockk<PaymentService>()
val service = OrderService(repository, paymentService)
Given("a valid order request") {
val request = CreateOrderRequest(
userId = "user-1",
items = listOf(OrderItem("product-1", quantity = 2)),
)
When("the order is placed") {
coEvery { paymentService.charge(any()) } returns PaymentResult.Success
coEvery { repository.save(any()) } answers { firstArg() }
val result = service.placeOrder(request)
Then("it should return a confirmed order") {
result.status shouldBe OrderStatus.CONFIRMED
}
Then("it should charge payment") {
coVerify(exactly = 1) { paymentService.charge(any()) }
}
}
When("payment fails") {
coEvery { paymentService.charge(any()) } returns PaymentResult.Declined
Then("it should throw PaymentException") {
shouldThrow<PaymentException> {
service.placeOrder(request)
}
}
}
}
})
DescribeSpec (RSpec Style)
classUserValidatorTest : DescribeSpec({
describe("validateUser") {
val validator = UserValidator()
context("with valid input") {
it("accepts a normal user") {
val user = CreateUserRequest("Alice", "alice@example.com")
validator.validate(user).shouldBeValid()
}
}
context("with invalid name") {
it("rejects blank name") {
val user = CreateUserRequest("", "alice@example.com")
validator.validate(user).shouldBeInvalid()
}
it("rejects name exceeding max length") {
val user = CreateUserRequest("A".repeat(256), "alice@example.com")
validator.validate(user).shouldBeInvalid()
}
}
}
})
Kotest Matchers
Core Matchers
import io.kotest.matchers.shouldBe
import io.kotest.matchers.shouldNotBe
import io.kotest.matchers.string.*
import io.kotest.matchers.collections.*
import io.kotest.matchers.nulls.*
// Equality
result shouldBe expected
result shouldNotBe unexpected
// Strings
name shouldStartWith "Al"
name shouldEndWith "ice"
name shouldContain "lic"
name shouldMatch Regex("[A-Z][a-z]+")
name.shouldBeBlank()
// Collections
list shouldContain "item"
list shouldHaveSize 3
list.shouldBeSorted()
list.shouldContainAll("a", "b", "c")
list.shouldBeEmpty()
// Nulls
result.shouldNotBeNull()
result.shouldBeNull()
// Types
result.shouldBeInstanceOf<User>()
// Numbers
count shouldBeGreaterThan 0
price shouldBeInRange 1.0..100.0// Exceptions
shouldThrow<IllegalArgumentException> {
validateAge(-1)
}.message shouldBe "Age must be positive"
shouldNotThrow<Exception> {
validateAge(25)
}
Custom Matchers
funbeActiveUser() = object : Matcher<User> {
overridefuntest(value: User) = MatcherResult(
value.isActive && value.lastLogin != null,
{ "User ${value.id} should be active with a last login" },
{ "User ${value.id} should not be active" },
)
}
// Usage
user should beActiveUser()
MockK
Basic Mocking
classUserServiceTest : FunSpec({
val repository = mockk<UserRepository>()
val logger = mockk<Logger>(relaxed = true) // Relaxed: returns defaultsval service = UserService(repository, logger)
beforeTest {
clearMocks(repository, logger)
}
test("findUser delegates to repository") {
val expected = User(id = "1", name = "Alice")
every { repository.findById("1") } returns expected
val result = service.findUser("1")
result shouldBe expected
verify(exactly = 1) { repository.findById("1") }
}
test("findUser returns null for unknown id") {
every { repository.findById(any()) } returns nullval result = service.findUser("unknown")
result.shouldBeNull()
}
})
Coroutine Mocking
classAsyncUserServiceTest : FunSpec({
val repository = mockk<UserRepository>()
val service = UserService(repository)
test("getUser suspending function") {
coEvery { repository.findById("1") } returns User(id = "1", name = "Alice")
val result = service.getUser("1")
result.name shouldBe "Alice"
coVerify { repository.findById("1") }
}
test("getUser with delay") {
coEvery { repository.findById("1") } coAnswers {
delay(100) // Simulate async work
User(id = "1", name = "Alice")
}
val result = service.getUser("1")
result.name shouldBe "Alice"
}
})
Argument Capture
test("save captures the user argument") {
val slot = slot<User>()
coEvery { repository.save(capture(slot)) } returns Unit
service.createUser(CreateUserRequest("Alice", "alice@example.com"))
slot.captured.name shouldBe "Alice"
slot.captured.email shouldBe "alice@example.com"
slot.captured.id.shouldNotBeNull()
}
Spy and Partial Mocking
test("spy on real object") {
val realService = UserService(repository)
val spy = spyk(realService)
every { spy.generateId() } returns "fixed-id"
spy.createUser(request)
verify { spy.generateId() } // Overridden// Other methods use real implementation
}
Coroutine Testing
runTest for Suspend Functions
import kotlinx.coroutines.test.runTest
classCoroutineServiceTest : FunSpec({
test("concurrent fetches complete together") {
runTest {
val service = DataService(testScope = this)
val result = service.fetchAllData()
result.users.shouldNotBeEmpty()
result.products.shouldNotBeEmpty()
}
}
test("timeout after delay") {
runTest {
val service = SlowService()
shouldThrow<TimeoutCancellationException> {
withTimeout(100) {
service.slowOperation() // Takes > 100ms
}
}
}
}
})
Testing Flows
import io.kotest.matchers.collections.shouldContainInOrder
import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableSharedFlow
import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.toList
import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
import kotlinx.coroutines.test.advanceTimeBy
import kotlinx.coroutines.test.runTest
classFlowServiceTest : FunSpec({
test("observeUsers emits updates") {
runTest {
val service = UserFlowService()
val emissions = service.observeUsers()
.take(3)
.toList()
emissions shouldHaveSize 3
emissions.last().shouldNotBeEmpty()
}
}
test("searchUsers debounces input") {
runTest {
val service = SearchService()
val queries = MutableSharedFlow<String>()
val results = mutableListOf<List<User>>()
val job = launch {
service.searchUsers(queries).collect { results.add(it) }
}
queries.emit("a")
queries.emit("ab")
queries.emit("abc") // Only this should trigger search
advanceTimeBy(500)
results shouldHaveSize 1
job.cancel()
}
}
})
# Run tests with coverage
./gradlew koverHtmlReport
# Verify coverage thresholds
./gradlew koverVerify
# XML report for CI
./gradlew koverXmlReport
# View HTML report (use the command for your OS)# macOS: open build/reports/kover/html/index.html# Linux: xdg-open build/reports/kover/html/index.html# Windows: start build/reports/kover/html/index.html
# Run all tests
./gradlew test# Run specific test class
./gradlew test --tests "com.example.UserServiceTest"# Run specific test
./gradlew test --tests "com.example.UserServiceTest.getUser returns user when found"# Run with verbose output
./gradlew test --info
# Run with coverage
./gradlew koverHtmlReport
# Run detekt (static analysis)
./gradlew detekt
# Run ktlint (formatting check)
./gradlew ktlintCheck
# Continuous testing
./gradlew test --continuous
Best Practices
DO:
Write tests FIRST (TDD)
Use Kotest's spec styles consistently across the project
Use MockK's coEvery/coVerify for suspend functions
Use runTest for coroutine testing
Test behavior, not implementation
Use property-based testing for pure functions
Use data class test fixtures for clarity
DON'T:
Mix testing frameworks (pick Kotest and stick with it)
Mock data classes (use real instances)
Use Thread.sleep() in coroutine tests (use advanceTimeBy)
Remember: Tests are documentation. They show how your Kotlin code is meant to be used. Use Kotest's expressive matchers to make tests readable and MockK for clean mocking of dependencies.