Testcases

A small Vala helper library for writing and registering GLib tests with less boilerplate.

Contents

• Features
• Public API (summary)
• Example test suite
• Use In Other Projects
• Quick init (dependency setup)
• Build
• Test
• Dependencies
• License

Features

• Simple base class for test registration
• Wrapper for registering test suites by type
• Compatible with GLib test runner (Test.run())
• Designed for Meson subproject integration

Public API (summary)

Namespace: ValaTux.Testcases

• BaseTest
  • add_test(string name, owned TestCommand.TestMethod method)
• register_test_suite<T>()

Example test suite

using GLib;
using Gee;

namespace AppTests {
	using ValaTux.Testcases;

	public class ExampleTest : BaseTest {
		construct {
			add_test ("math", test_math);
			add_test ("text", test_text);
		}

		public void test_math () {
			assert (1 + 1 == 2);
		}

		public void test_text () {
			assert ("vala".length == 4);
		}
	}
}

int main (string[] args) {
	ValaTux.Testcases.BaseTest.saved_commands = new Gee.ArrayList<ValaTux.Testcases.TestCommand> ();
	Test.init (ref args);
	ValaTux.Testcases.register_test_suite<AppTests.ExampleTest> ();
	return Test.run ();
}

Use In Other Projects

Yes. The generated artifacts are intended for reuse:

• build-release/src/libvala_testcases.so*
• build-release/src/vapi/vala_testcases.vapi
• build-release/src/vala_testcases.h

Option 1: Meson subproject (recommended)

In your consumer project meson.build:

vala_testcases_dep = dependency('vala_testcases', fallback: ['vala_testcases', 'vala_testcases_dep'])

executable('my-tests',
  ['tests/main.vala', 'tests/example_test.vala'],
  dependencies: [dependency('glib-2.0'), dependency('gee-0.8'), vala_testcases_dep],
)

Then in Vala code:

using ValaTux.Testcases;

Option 2: Installed library (pkg-config)

Install this project first:

meson setup builddir
meson compile -C builddir
meson install -C builddir

In your consumer meson.build:

vala_testcases_dep = dependency('vala_testcases', method: 'pkg-config')

Install via Vamposer

In your consumer project root:

vamposer require --dev ValaTux/testcases master
vamposer install --dev

Then include generated Vamposer dependencies in your meson.build:

subdir('vamposer')

executable('my-app',
	sources,
	dependencies: [
		vamposer_deps
	]
)

You can also use a fixed tag or commit instead of master.

Option 3: Local vapi folder in your project

If you want everything vendored inside your own repository, copy release artifacts into your consumer project, for example:

• your-project/vapi/vala_testcases.vapi
• your-project/lib/libvala_testcases.so
• your-project/include/vala_testcases.h

To automate this setup, run the helper script in your consumer project root:

curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ValaTux/testcases/master/init-local-vapi.sh | bash

The script will:

• download a prebuilt release ZIP when available (fast path)
• fallback to building vala-testcases from source when release assets are unavailable
• copy artifacts into your local vapi/, lib/, and include/ directories
• append an idempotent helper block to your meson.build with reusable variables

You can also run it from a local file copy:

./init-local-vapi.sh

Then configure your consumer meson.build:

executable('my-tests',
	['tests/main.vala', 'tests/example_test.vala'],
	dependencies: vala_testcases_local_deps,
	vala_args: vala_testcases_local_vala_args,
	c_args: vala_testcases_local_c_args,
	link_args: vala_testcases_local_link_args,
)

And load the shared library at runtime, for example:

LD_LIBRARY_PATH=./lib ./my-tests

Quick init (dependency setup)

To add vala-testcases as a Meson subproject dependency, run:

./init.sh

Or run it directly from GitHub:

curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ValaTux/testcases/refs/heads/master/init.sh -o init.sh && chmod +x init.sh && ./init.sh && rm init.sh

For local vendored integration without subprojects, use:

curl -sSfL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ValaTux/testcases/master/init-local-vapi.sh | bash

Build

meson setup builddir
meson compile -C builddir

Test

meson test -C builddir

or via Makefile helper:

make tests

Dependencies

• glib-2.0
• gee-0.8

In consumer projects, use:

vala_testcases_dep = dependency('vala_testcases', fallback: ['vala_testcases', 'vala_testcases_dep'])

Then add vala_testcases_dep to your target dependencies.

License

MIT (see LICENSE).