Learn Go with Max

Go Back To Notes
#testing
#jest
#javascript

Test asynchronous code using Jest

Test code that contains method setTimeout

Let’s say we have some function that called another function after N seconds:

1
2
3
4
5

function completeTask(task: Task) {
  setTimeout(() => {
    task.complete();
  }, DELAY);
}

Okay, now we want to test that method task.complete was called when we called function completeTask:

 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
10
11
12
13

const { completeTask } = require("./completeTask");

describe("completeTask", () => {
  const FAKE_TASK = {
    complete: jest.fn(),
  };

  it("should complete task", () => {
    completeTask(FAKE_TASK);

    expect(FAKE_TASK.complete).toHaveBeenCalled();
  });
});

The test will fail.

When test is failed JestJS says:

1

A function to advance timers was called but the timers API is not mocked with fake timers. Call `jest.useFakeTimers()` in this test or enable fake timers globally by setting `"timers": "fake"` in the configuration file. This warning is likely a result of a default configuration change in Jest 15

So, we updated JestJS configuration file or added jest.useFakeTimers() in test’s file but test is still failing.

Why? Because the line with expect(FAKE_TASK.complete).toHaveBeenCalled(); is called AFTER executing code inside setTimeout (after calling task.complete).

We need to call method jest.advanceTimersByTime(DELAY):

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

  it("should complete task", () => {
    completeTask(FAKE_TASK);

    jest.advanceTimersByTime(2500);

    expect(FAKE_TASK.complete).toHaveBeenCalled();
  });

Basically, it makes that test (line expect) is executing like if DELAY time (in our case is 2500) is passed.

Code with Promise

Function that has Promise inside:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

function completeTask(task: Task, onComplete: CompleteCallback) {
  setTimeout(() => {
    task.complete().then(() => {
      onComplete();
    });
  }, DELAY);
}

We want to test that callback function onComplete has been called:

 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

describe("completeTask", () => {
  const FAKE_TASK = {
    complete: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(null),
  };
  const handleComplete = jest.fn();

  it("should complete task", async () => {
    completeTask(FAKE_TASK, handleComplete);

    jest.advanceTimersByTime(2500);

    expect(FAKE_TASK.complete).toHaveBeenCalled();

    expect(handleComplete).toHaveBeenCalled();
  });
});

The test will fail because handleComplete has never been called

It is because of Promise inside completeTask. We can fix that by dirty hack with async / await:

 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
10

  it("should complete task", async () => {
    completeTask(FAKE_TASK, handleComplete);

    jest.advanceTimersByTime(2500);

    expect(FAKE_TASK.complete).toHaveBeenCalled();

    await Promise.resolve(); // you can also write "await undefined". but why?...
    expect(handleComplete).toHaveBeenCalled();
  });

Don’t do that. If you need to do this hack it means you’re doing something wrong. It’s just demonstration that this hack exists.