Testing REST style controllers in ASP.Net Core

I am trying to unit test the action method in asp.net core project. The test is failing when I expect it to succeed. Seems that the problem is due to the return type of the Action method.

I have also tried testing a method in BusinessLogic with return type as 'IEnumerable', which runs as expected. Here is the code that I am trying.

Controller/Action method:

[Route("api/[controller]")]

[ApiController]

public class ValuesController : ControllerBase

{

    private IValueLogic _objValueLogic;

    public ValuesController(IValueLogic objValueLogic) {

        _objValueLogic = objValueLogic;

    }

    // GET api/values

    [HttpGet]

    public ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> Get()

    {

        IEnumerable<string> allValues = _objValueLogic.GetAll();

        return new ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>>(allValues);

    }

}

Test class:

public class ValueApiTest

{

    private ValuesController _objValuesController;

    public ValueApiTest() {

        Mock<IValueLogic> mockValueLogic = new Mock<IValueLogic>();

        mockValueLogic.Setup(x => x.GetAll()).Returns(new string {"Value1", "Value2"});

        _objValuesController = new ValuesController(mockValueLogic.Object);

    }

    [Fact]

    public void GetAll_Success() {

        ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> expected = new ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>>(new string {"Value1", "Value2"});

        ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> actual = _objValuesController.Get();

        Assert.Equal<ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>>>(expected, actual);

    }

}

I want a success result as both expected and actual values are equal, but it fails with message. As you can see the Expected and Actual values are printed the same.

Starting test execution, please wait...

[xUnit.net 00:00:03.01]     Test.WebApi.ValueApiTest.GetAll_Success [FAIL]

Failed   Test.WebApi.ValueApiTest.GetAll_Success

Error Message:

 Assert.Equal() Failure

Expected: ActionResult`1 { Result = null, Value = ["Value1", "Value2"] }

Actual:   ActionResult`1 { Result = null, Value = ["Value1", "Value2"] }

Stack Trace:

   at Test.WebApi.ValueApiTest.GetAll_Success() in /home/saurabh/DevEnv/DotNetCore/dotnet-template/Test/Test.WebApi/ValueApiTest.cs:line 23



Total tests: 2. Passed: 1. Failed: 1. Skipped: 0.

Test Run Failed.

Test execution time: 4.5573 Seconds

asked Jan 2 at 6:03

Saurabh Harwande

108413

You could check the type of both expected and actual in debug mode

– Bhawna Jain
Jan 2 at 6:08

Type is the same. I have explicitly mentioned types in the code.

– Saurabh Harwande
Jan 2 at 6:18

2

I believe Assert.Equal is testing the equality of the ActionResult reference, which will be false (they are two different objects). If you want to test the equality of the arrays then you need to Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected.Value, actual.Value)

– Simply Ged
Jan 2 at 6:25

add a comment |

I am trying to unit test the action method in asp.net core project. The test is failing when I expect it to succeed. Seems that the problem is due to the return type of the Action method.

I have also tried testing a method in BusinessLogic with return type as 'IEnumerable', which runs as expected. Here is the code that I am trying.

Controller/Action method:

[Route("api/[controller]")]

[ApiController]

public class ValuesController : ControllerBase

{

    private IValueLogic _objValueLogic;

    public ValuesController(IValueLogic objValueLogic) {

        _objValueLogic = objValueLogic;

    }

    // GET api/values

    [HttpGet]

    public ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> Get()

    {

        IEnumerable<string> allValues = _objValueLogic.GetAll();

        return new ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>>(allValues);

    }

}

Test class:

public class ValueApiTest

{

    private ValuesController _objValuesController;

    public ValueApiTest() {

        Mock<IValueLogic> mockValueLogic = new Mock<IValueLogic>();

        mockValueLogic.Setup(x => x.GetAll()).Returns(new string {"Value1", "Value2"});

        _objValuesController = new ValuesController(mockValueLogic.Object);

    }

    [Fact]

    public void GetAll_Success() {

        ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> expected = new ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>>(new string {"Value1", "Value2"});

        ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> actual = _objValuesController.Get();

        Assert.Equal<ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>>>(expected, actual);

    }

}

I want a success result as both expected and actual values are equal, but it fails with message. As you can see the Expected and Actual values are printed the same.

Starting test execution, please wait...

[xUnit.net 00:00:03.01]     Test.WebApi.ValueApiTest.GetAll_Success [FAIL]

Failed   Test.WebApi.ValueApiTest.GetAll_Success

Error Message:

 Assert.Equal() Failure

Expected: ActionResult`1 { Result = null, Value = ["Value1", "Value2"] }

Actual:   ActionResult`1 { Result = null, Value = ["Value1", "Value2"] }

Stack Trace:

   at Test.WebApi.ValueApiTest.GetAll_Success() in /home/saurabh/DevEnv/DotNetCore/dotnet-template/Test/Test.WebApi/ValueApiTest.cs:line 23



Total tests: 2. Passed: 1. Failed: 1. Skipped: 0.

Test Run Failed.

Test execution time: 4.5573 Seconds

asked Jan 2 at 6:03

Saurabh Harwande

108413

You could check the type of both expected and actual in debug mode

– Bhawna Jain
Jan 2 at 6:08

Type is the same. I have explicitly mentioned types in the code.

– Saurabh Harwande
Jan 2 at 6:18

2

I believe Assert.Equal is testing the equality of the ActionResult reference, which will be false (they are two different objects). If you want to test the equality of the arrays then you need to Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected.Value, actual.Value)

– Simply Ged
Jan 2 at 6:25

add a comment |

I am trying to unit test the action method in asp.net core project. The test is failing when I expect it to succeed. Seems that the problem is due to the return type of the Action method.

I have also tried testing a method in BusinessLogic with return type as 'IEnumerable', which runs as expected. Here is the code that I am trying.

Controller/Action method:

[Route("api/[controller]")]

[ApiController]

public class ValuesController : ControllerBase

{

    private IValueLogic _objValueLogic;

    public ValuesController(IValueLogic objValueLogic) {

        _objValueLogic = objValueLogic;

    }

    // GET api/values

    [HttpGet]

    public ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> Get()

    {

        IEnumerable<string> allValues = _objValueLogic.GetAll();

        return new ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>>(allValues);

    }

}

Test class:

public class ValueApiTest

{

    private ValuesController _objValuesController;

    public ValueApiTest() {

        Mock<IValueLogic> mockValueLogic = new Mock<IValueLogic>();

        mockValueLogic.Setup(x => x.GetAll()).Returns(new string {"Value1", "Value2"});

        _objValuesController = new ValuesController(mockValueLogic.Object);

    }

    [Fact]

    public void GetAll_Success() {

        ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> expected = new ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>>(new string {"Value1", "Value2"});

        ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> actual = _objValuesController.Get();

        Assert.Equal<ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>>>(expected, actual);

    }

}

I want a success result as both expected and actual values are equal, but it fails with message. As you can see the Expected and Actual values are printed the same.

Starting test execution, please wait...

[xUnit.net 00:00:03.01]     Test.WebApi.ValueApiTest.GetAll_Success [FAIL]

Failed   Test.WebApi.ValueApiTest.GetAll_Success

Error Message:

 Assert.Equal() Failure

Expected: ActionResult`1 { Result = null, Value = ["Value1", "Value2"] }

Actual:   ActionResult`1 { Result = null, Value = ["Value1", "Value2"] }

Stack Trace:

   at Test.WebApi.ValueApiTest.GetAll_Success() in /home/saurabh/DevEnv/DotNetCore/dotnet-template/Test/Test.WebApi/ValueApiTest.cs:line 23



Total tests: 2. Passed: 1. Failed: 1. Skipped: 0.

Test Run Failed.

Test execution time: 4.5573 Seconds

asked Jan 2 at 6:03

Saurabh Harwande

108413

I am trying to unit test the action method in asp.net core project. The test is failing when I expect it to succeed. Seems that the problem is due to the return type of the Action method.

I have also tried testing a method in BusinessLogic with return type as 'IEnumerable', which runs as expected. Here is the code that I am trying.

Controller/Action method:

[Route("api/[controller]")]

[ApiController]

public class ValuesController : ControllerBase

{

    private IValueLogic _objValueLogic;

    public ValuesController(IValueLogic objValueLogic) {

        _objValueLogic = objValueLogic;

    }

    // GET api/values

    [HttpGet]

    public ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> Get()

    {

        IEnumerable<string> allValues = _objValueLogic.GetAll();

        return new ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>>(allValues);

    }

}

Test class:

public class ValueApiTest

{

    private ValuesController _objValuesController;

    public ValueApiTest() {

        Mock<IValueLogic> mockValueLogic = new Mock<IValueLogic>();

        mockValueLogic.Setup(x => x.GetAll()).Returns(new string {"Value1", "Value2"});

        _objValuesController = new ValuesController(mockValueLogic.Object);

    }

    [Fact]

    public void GetAll_Success() {

        ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> expected = new ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>>(new string {"Value1", "Value2"});

        ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> actual = _objValuesController.Get();

        Assert.Equal<ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>>>(expected, actual);

    }

}

I want a success result as both expected and actual values are equal, but it fails with message. As you can see the Expected and Actual values are printed the same.

Starting test execution, please wait...

[xUnit.net 00:00:03.01]     Test.WebApi.ValueApiTest.GetAll_Success [FAIL]

Failed   Test.WebApi.ValueApiTest.GetAll_Success

Error Message:

 Assert.Equal() Failure

Expected: ActionResult`1 { Result = null, Value = ["Value1", "Value2"] }

Actual:   ActionResult`1 { Result = null, Value = ["Value1", "Value2"] }

Stack Trace:

   at Test.WebApi.ValueApiTest.GetAll_Success() in /home/saurabh/DevEnv/DotNetCore/dotnet-template/Test/Test.WebApi/ValueApiTest.cs:line 23



Total tests: 2. Passed: 1. Failed: 1. Skipped: 0.

Test Run Failed.

Test execution time: 4.5573 Seconds

c# asp.net-core xunit

asked Jan 2 at 6:03

Saurabh Harwande

108413

asked Jan 2 at 6:03

Saurabh Harwande

108413

asked Jan 2 at 6:03

Saurabh Harwande

108413

asked Jan 2 at 6:03

Saurabh Harwande

108413

asked Jan 2 at 6:03

Saurabh Harwande

108413

You could check the type of both expected and actual in debug mode

– Bhawna Jain
Jan 2 at 6:08

Type is the same. I have explicitly mentioned types in the code.

– Saurabh Harwande
Jan 2 at 6:18

2

I believe Assert.Equal is testing the equality of the ActionResult reference, which will be false (they are two different objects). If you want to test the equality of the arrays then you need to Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected.Value, actual.Value)

– Simply Ged
Jan 2 at 6:25

add a comment |

You could check the type of both expected and actual in debug mode

– Bhawna Jain
Jan 2 at 6:08

Type is the same. I have explicitly mentioned types in the code.

– Saurabh Harwande
Jan 2 at 6:18

2

I believe Assert.Equal is testing the equality of the ActionResult reference, which will be false (they are two different objects). If you want to test the equality of the arrays then you need to Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected.Value, actual.Value)

– Simply Ged
Jan 2 at 6:25

You could check the type of both expected and actual in debug mode

– Bhawna Jain
Jan 2 at 6:08

Type is the same. I have explicitly mentioned types in the code.

– Saurabh Harwande
Jan 2 at 6:18

I believe Assert.Equal is testing the equality of the ActionResult reference, which will be false (they are two different objects). If you want to test the equality of the arrays then you need to Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected.Value, actual.Value)

– Simply Ged
Jan 2 at 6:25

add a comment |

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

You are comparing two reference types, which will be the same if they refer to the same object, which they do not in this case. You can try something like this instead:

public class ValueApiTest

{

    private ValuesController _objValuesController;

    private string _expected = new string {"Value1", "Value2"};

    public ValueApiTest() {

        _expected = Mock<IValueLogic> mockValueLogic = new Mock<IValueLogic>();          

        mockValueLogic.Setup(x => x.GetAll()).Returns(expected);

        _objValuesController = new ValuesController(mockValueLogic.Object);

    }

   [Fact]

    public void GetAll_Success() {

        IEnumerable<string> actual = _objValuesController.Get().Value;

        Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected, actual);

    }

}

Of course, this test will not break if your controller return some other object than an ActionResult. If you want to cover that, you can change it to

[Fact]

public void GetAll_Success() {

    ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> result = _objValuesController.Get();

    IEnumerable<string> actual = result.Value;

    Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected, actual);

}

Now the test will fail if anything else than an ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> is returned by your controller.

edited Jan 2 at 6:46

answered Jan 2 at 6:25

oerkelens

3,73011425

Yup. I solved it in the same fashion a few minutes after posting the question. But have a question. Is it ok to compare ActionResult.Value instead of ActionResult itself?

– Saurabh Harwande
Jan 2 at 6:38

I'm not sure why it would not be ok... If you want your test to break if the controller returns some other class (that still has the property Value), you can easily change it, so you cover everything that your original test tested for.

– oerkelens
Jan 2 at 6:43

add a comment |

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1 Answer
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active

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1 Answer
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active

oldest

votes

You are comparing two reference types, which will be the same if they refer to the same object, which they do not in this case. You can try something like this instead:

public class ValueApiTest

{

    private ValuesController _objValuesController;

    private string _expected = new string {"Value1", "Value2"};

    public ValueApiTest() {

        _expected = Mock<IValueLogic> mockValueLogic = new Mock<IValueLogic>();          

        mockValueLogic.Setup(x => x.GetAll()).Returns(expected);

        _objValuesController = new ValuesController(mockValueLogic.Object);

    }

   [Fact]

    public void GetAll_Success() {

        IEnumerable<string> actual = _objValuesController.Get().Value;

        Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected, actual);

    }

}

Of course, this test will not break if your controller return some other object than an ActionResult. If you want to cover that, you can change it to

[Fact]

public void GetAll_Success() {

    ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> result = _objValuesController.Get();

    IEnumerable<string> actual = result.Value;

    Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected, actual);

}

Now the test will fail if anything else than an ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> is returned by your controller.

edited Jan 2 at 6:46

answered Jan 2 at 6:25

oerkelens

3,73011425

Yup. I solved it in the same fashion a few minutes after posting the question. But have a question. Is it ok to compare ActionResult.Value instead of ActionResult itself?

– Saurabh Harwande
Jan 2 at 6:38

I'm not sure why it would not be ok... If you want your test to break if the controller returns some other class (that still has the property Value), you can easily change it, so you cover everything that your original test tested for.

– oerkelens
Jan 2 at 6:43

add a comment |

You are comparing two reference types, which will be the same if they refer to the same object, which they do not in this case. You can try something like this instead:

public class ValueApiTest

{

    private ValuesController _objValuesController;

    private string _expected = new string {"Value1", "Value2"};

    public ValueApiTest() {

        _expected = Mock<IValueLogic> mockValueLogic = new Mock<IValueLogic>();          

        mockValueLogic.Setup(x => x.GetAll()).Returns(expected);

        _objValuesController = new ValuesController(mockValueLogic.Object);

    }

   [Fact]

    public void GetAll_Success() {

        IEnumerable<string> actual = _objValuesController.Get().Value;

        Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected, actual);

    }

}

Of course, this test will not break if your controller return some other object than an ActionResult. If you want to cover that, you can change it to

[Fact]

public void GetAll_Success() {

    ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> result = _objValuesController.Get();

    IEnumerable<string> actual = result.Value;

    Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected, actual);

}

Now the test will fail if anything else than an ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> is returned by your controller.

edited Jan 2 at 6:46

answered Jan 2 at 6:25

oerkelens

3,73011425

Yup. I solved it in the same fashion a few minutes after posting the question. But have a question. Is it ok to compare ActionResult.Value instead of ActionResult itself?

– Saurabh Harwande
Jan 2 at 6:38

I'm not sure why it would not be ok... If you want your test to break if the controller returns some other class (that still has the property Value), you can easily change it, so you cover everything that your original test tested for.

– oerkelens
Jan 2 at 6:43

add a comment |

You are comparing two reference types, which will be the same if they refer to the same object, which they do not in this case. You can try something like this instead:

public class ValueApiTest

{

    private ValuesController _objValuesController;

    private string _expected = new string {"Value1", "Value2"};

    public ValueApiTest() {

        _expected = Mock<IValueLogic> mockValueLogic = new Mock<IValueLogic>();          

        mockValueLogic.Setup(x => x.GetAll()).Returns(expected);

        _objValuesController = new ValuesController(mockValueLogic.Object);

    }

   [Fact]

    public void GetAll_Success() {

        IEnumerable<string> actual = _objValuesController.Get().Value;

        Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected, actual);

    }

}

Of course, this test will not break if your controller return some other object than an ActionResult. If you want to cover that, you can change it to

[Fact]

public void GetAll_Success() {

    ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> result = _objValuesController.Get();

    IEnumerable<string> actual = result.Value;

    Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected, actual);

}

Now the test will fail if anything else than an ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> is returned by your controller.

edited Jan 2 at 6:46

answered Jan 2 at 6:25

oerkelens

3,73011425

You are comparing two reference types, which will be the same if they refer to the same object, which they do not in this case. You can try something like this instead:

public class ValueApiTest

{

    private ValuesController _objValuesController;

    private string _expected = new string {"Value1", "Value2"};

    public ValueApiTest() {

        _expected = Mock<IValueLogic> mockValueLogic = new Mock<IValueLogic>();          

        mockValueLogic.Setup(x => x.GetAll()).Returns(expected);

        _objValuesController = new ValuesController(mockValueLogic.Object);

    }

   [Fact]

    public void GetAll_Success() {

        IEnumerable<string> actual = _objValuesController.Get().Value;

        Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected, actual);

    }

}

Of course, this test will not break if your controller return some other object than an ActionResult. If you want to cover that, you can change it to

[Fact]

public void GetAll_Success() {

    ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> result = _objValuesController.Get();

    IEnumerable<string> actual = result.Value;

    Assert.Equal<IEnumerable<string>>(expected, actual);

}

Now the test will fail if anything else than an ActionResult<IEnumerable<string>> is returned by your controller.

edited Jan 2 at 6:46

answered Jan 2 at 6:25

oerkelens

3,73011425

edited Jan 2 at 6:46

answered Jan 2 at 6:25

oerkelens

3,73011425

answered Jan 2 at 6:25

oerkelens

3,73011425

answered Jan 2 at 6:25

oerkelens

3,73011425

Yup. I solved it in the same fashion a few minutes after posting the question. But have a question. Is it ok to compare ActionResult.Value instead of ActionResult itself?

– Saurabh Harwande
Jan 2 at 6:38

I'm not sure why it would not be ok... If you want your test to break if the controller returns some other class (that still has the property Value), you can easily change it, so you cover everything that your original test tested for.

– oerkelens
Jan 2 at 6:43

add a comment |

Yup. I solved it in the same fashion a few minutes after posting the question. But have a question. Is it ok to compare ActionResult.Value instead of ActionResult itself?

– Saurabh Harwande
Jan 2 at 6:38

I'm not sure why it would not be ok... If you want your test to break if the controller returns some other class (that still has the property Value), you can easily change it, so you cover everything that your original test tested for.

– oerkelens
Jan 2 at 6:43

Yup. I solved it in the same fashion a few minutes after posting the question. But have a question. Is it ok to compare ActionResult.Value instead of ActionResult itself?

– Saurabh Harwande
Jan 2 at 6:38

I'm not sure why it would not be ok... If you want your test to break if the controller returns some other class (that still has the property Value), you can easily change it, so you cover everything that your original test tested for.

– oerkelens
Jan 2 at 6:43

add a comment |

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