we should write an idiomatic test for use as reference for future tests

[timotheecour]

/cc @xflywind

goal

consolidate all best practices into 1 or a few tests that show:

• what to do
• what not to do
• and explain the rationale in doc comments

where to put it

somewhere linked from contributing.rst

example

discard """
  targets: "c cpp js"
"""

import std/strutils
from sequtils import toSeq

template disableVm(body) =
  when nimvm: discard
  else: body

template main =
  # avoid `block strip:`until https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim/issues/14778 is fixed
  block: # strip
    doAssert strip(" bar  ") == "bar"
    doAssert strip("bar") == "bar"
  
  block: # splitLines
    let fixture = "a\nb\rc\r\nd"
    doAssert len(fixture.splitLines) == 4

  block: # formatBiggestFloat
    disableVm:
      doAssert formatBiggestFloat(1234.567, ffDecimal, -1) == "1234.567000"
      when not defined(js):
        doAssert formatBiggestFloat(1234.567, ffDecimal, 0) == "1235." # bug #8242, bug #12586
      doAssert formatBiggestFloat(1234.567, ffDecimal, 1) == "1234.6"

static: main()
main()

maybe we can distinguish comments expected to be in the test (eg: # bug #8242, bug #12586) from comments intended for educational purpose (eg: # avoid block strip:until https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim/issues/14778 is fixed)

example 2

for networking tests, avoid hardcoded ports, refs https://github.com/nim-lang/Nim/pull/16678/files#r555450480 and nim-lang#14327

links

nim-lang#14778
common review comments · Issue #534 · timotheecour/Nim

[ringabout]

I agree. I could write an article first.

[timotheecour]

maybe for this kind of thing it'd be good to go through a draft so we can all give feedback first

[juancarlospaco]

That was my idea with https://nim-lang.github.io/Nim/testament.html see "Writing Unittests".

[timotheecour]

indeed; that section in https://nim-lang.github.io/Nim/testament.html badly needs to be updated with more current best practices