Running single test from unittest.TestCase via command line

Question

In our team, we define most test cases like this:

One \"framework\" class ourtcfw.py:

import unittest

class OurTcFw(unittest.TestCase):         


        

Answer 1

TL;DR: This would very likely work:

python mypkg/tests/test_module.py MyCase.testItIsHot

The explanation:

• The convenient way

  python mypkg/tests/test_module.py MyCase.testItIsHot
  

  would work BUT its unspoken assumption is you already have this conventional code snippet inside (typically at the end of) your test file.

  if __name__ == "__main__":
      unittest.main()
  

• The inconvenient way

  python -m unittest mypkg.tests.test_module.TestClass.test_method
  

  would always work, without requiring you to have that if __name__ == "__main__": unittest.main() code snippet in your test source file.

So why does the 2nd method considered inconvenient? Because it would be a pain in the (_ insert one of your body part here _) to type that long, dot-delimited path by hand. While in 1st method, the mypkg/tests/test_module.py part can be auto-completed, either by a modern shell, or by your editor.

PS: If you thought that body part is somewhere below your waist, you are an authentic person. :-) I mean to say "finger joint". Too much typing would be bad for your joints. ;-)