Getting Started with Spock and Groovy

This screencast demonstrates how to create Spock testing specifications. It covers creating basic when/then blocks, given/when/then blocks, expect/where blocks, and data tables. It explains how to create Spock file templates and Spock Live Templates for IDEA.

If there are any playback issues then you might try watching it from the JetBrains.tv site.

Here are some useful links to read for this webcast:

• Spock Framework - http://code.google.com/p/spock/
• IDEA File Templates - http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/webhelp/file-templates.html
• IDEA Live Templates - http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/webhelp/live-templates.html

To work with Spock, I use one file template and three live templates.

My file template creates a Spock Specification with the correct java package and javadoc:

The text of the template is:

#if (${PACKAGE_NAME} != "")package ${PACKAGE_NAME};#end

import spock.lang.Specification

#parse("File Header.java")
class ${NAME} extends Specification {

}

My first Live Template is the when-then template:

The text of the template is:

def "$NAME$"() {
  when:
  $END$

  then:
  true
}

The second template is the given/when/then template:

The text of the template is:

def "$NAME$"() {
  given:
  $END$

  when:
  // TODO: add when

  then:
  true
}

The last template is the expect/where template:

The text of the template is:

def "$NAME$"() {
  expect:
  $END$

  where:
  // TODO add where block
}

I've made a lot of screencasts and blog posts over the years. If you like this, then there are many ways to see the other stuff I've done:

• My main blog: http://hamletdarcy.blogspot.com
• My other JetBrains.tv posts: http://tv.jetbrains.net/tags/hamlet
• IDEA related posts on my blog: http://hamletdarcy.blogspot.com/search/label/IDEA
• My screencasts on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/HamletDRC
• IDEA related Posts on my work blog: http://www.canoo.com/blog/tag/idea/
• Or follow me on Twitter: @HamletDRC

Phew, that's a lot of self-promotion :)

Thanks for watching, and leave a comment!