Leveraging Pytest Fixtures and Markers to Exclude Specific Test Cases
In the realm of software testing, particularly when interfacing with live servers, it’s crucial to differentiate between tests that require live server interaction and those that don’t. This distinction is essential not only to prevent unwanted load on production systems but also to ensure tests run efficiently and are appropriately targeted. Pytest, a powerful Python testing framework, offers features such as fixtures and markers that help manage these scenarios effectively. In this article, we’ll explore how to use these features to exclude certain test cases, especially those meant for live server interactions.
Understanding Pytest Fixtures and Markers
Before diving into specifics, it’s important to grasp what fixtures and markers are in the context of pytest:
- Fixtures provide a powerful mechanism for setting up and tearing down the conditions that tests run under, allowing for reusable components or states across tests.
- Markers are tags that you can apply to tests, enabling you to categorize them logically, such as distinguishing between tests that require live server access and those that don’t.
