How Should I Name My Go Test Packages for White-Box vs. Black-Box Testing?

Proper Package Naming for Testing in Go

When writing tests in Go, developers often face the question of how to name their test packages. The three main strategies are:

Strategy 1: Same Package Name

package myfunc

// myfunc.go

package myfunc

// myfunc_test.go

Strategy 2: Separate Package Name (with *_test suffix)

package myfunc

// myfunc.go

package myfunc_test

// myfunc_test.go

Strategy 3: Separate Package Name (with import alias)

package myfunc

// myfunc.go

package myfunc_test

import . "myfunc"

// myfunc_test.go

White-Box vs. Black-Box Testing

The key difference between these strategies is whether the test code has access to the non-exported identifiers of the package under test.

• Strategy 1 (same package): Allows white-box testing, where the test code has access to package-private methods and variables.
• Strategies 2 and 3 (separate package): Enable black-box testing, where the test code only interacts with the exported interface of the package.

Comparison of Strategies

• Strategy 1: Suitable for white-box unit testing, where access to private identifiers is required.
• Strategy 2: Compiles the test code in a separate package, allowing for cleaner dependency management.
• Strategy 3: A variant of Strategy 2 that imports the package under test using the dot notation, providing a shortcut for referencing package identifiers.

Conclusion

Which strategy to use depends on the testing requirements. For white-box testing, Strategy 1 is appropriate, while for black-box testing, Strategies 2 and 3 are preferred. It's also possible to use a combination of strategies in a single project, tailoring the test packages to specific testing needs.

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