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ComfyUI_frontend/docs/testing/vitest-patterns.md
Alexander Brown f2a99adaa3 docs: prefer real createI18n over mocking vue-i18n in tests (#11776)
## Summary

Document that `vue-i18n` should not be mocked in tests — mount with a
real `createI18n` plugin instance instead.

## Changes

- **What**: Expanded `docs/testing/vitest-patterns.md` "Don't Mock
`vue-i18n`" section with a concrete code example (covering both
component and composable tests), guidance for asserting on translation
keys with empty messages, and a real-example link to
`src/components/searchbox/v2/__test__/testUtils.ts`. Added a callout at
the top of `docs/testing/unit-testing.md` "Mocking Composables with
Reactive State" cross-linking the new section, since that section
applies to *owned* composables.

## Review Focus

- The previous `vitest-patterns.md` paragraph pointed at a non-existent
`SearchBox.test.ts`; the new link points to the actual shared `testI18n`
helper.
- The "Mocking Composables with Reactive State" pattern should not be
applied to third-party composables like `useI18n` — the callout makes
that explicit.

Surfaced during review of #11737, where the test file mocked `vue-i18n`
and then accumulated structural workarounds (hoisted aliases, helper
functions, type casts) to interact with the mocked `t`. A real
`createI18n` instance avoids the entire ceremony.

┆Issue is synchronized with this [Notion
page](https://app.notion.com/p/PR-11776-docs-prefer-real-createI18n-over-mocking-vue-i18n-in-tests-3526d73d365081d4bc39fbf3c2502e49)
by [Unito](https://www.unito.io)

Co-authored-by: Amp <amp@ampcode.com>
2026-04-30 14:29:11 -07:00

4.0 KiB

globs
globs
**/*.test.ts
**/*.spec.ts

Vitest Patterns

Setup

Use createTestingPinia from @pinia/testing, not createPinia:

import { createTestingPinia } from '@pinia/testing'
import { setActivePinia } from 'pinia'
import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'

describe('MyStore', () => {
  beforeEach(() => {
    setActivePinia(createTestingPinia({ stubActions: false }))
    vi.useFakeTimers()
    vi.resetAllMocks()
  })

  afterEach(() => {
    vi.useRealTimers()
  })
})

Why stubActions: false? By default, testing pinia stubs all actions. Set to false when testing actual store behavior.

Don't Mock vue-i18n — Use a Real Plugin

Mount with a real createI18n instance instead of mocking vue-i18n. The plugin is cheap, owned by a third party (don't mock what you don't own), and a real instance exercises the same translation key resolution and pluralization logic that production uses.

This applies to all tests that touch a component or composable calling useI18n() — not just component tests.

import { createI18n } from 'vue-i18n'

const i18n = createI18n({
  legacy: false,
  locale: 'en',
  messages: { en: {} } // empty — assertions key off the translation key, not the rendered string
})

// Component tests: pass via global plugins
mount(MyComponent, { global: { plugins: [i18n] } })

// Composable tests: provide via a host component (see useMediaAssetActions.test.ts pattern)
const app = createApp(HostComponent)
app.use(i18n)

Real example: src/components/searchbox/v2/__test__/testUtils.ts exports a shared testI18n instance.

Asserting on translation keys

With empty messages, t('foo.bar') returns 'foo.bar' (the key). Assert against the key directly — no need to mock t:

expect(toastSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
  expect.objectContaining({ detail: 'mediaAsset.selection.exportStarted' })
)

For pluralization / interpolation arguments, spy on the consumer (e.g. the toast add fn) and inspect the captured payload, rather than spying on t itself.

Mock Patterns

Reset all mocks at once

beforeEach(() => {
  vi.resetAllMocks() // Not individual mock.mockReset() calls
})

Module mocks with vi.mock()

vi.mock('@/scripts/api', () => ({
  api: {
    addEventListener: vi.fn(),
    fetchData: vi.fn()
  }
}))

vi.mock('@/services/myService', () => ({
  myService: {
    doThing: vi.fn()
  }
}))

Configure mocks in tests

import { api } from '@/scripts/api'
import { myService } from '@/services/myService'

it('handles success', () => {
  vi.mocked(myService.doThing).mockResolvedValue({ data: 'test' })
  // ... test code
})

Testing Event Listeners

When a store registers event listeners at module load time:

function getEventHandler() {
  const call = vi
    .mocked(api.addEventListener)
    .mock.calls.find(([event]) => event === 'my_event')
  return call?.[1] as (e: CustomEvent<MyEventType>) => void
}

function dispatch(data: MyEventType) {
  const handler = getEventHandler()
  handler(new CustomEvent('my_event', { detail: data }))
}

it('handles events', () => {
  const store = useMyStore()
  dispatch({ field: 'value' })
  expect(store.items).toHaveLength(1)
})

Testing with Fake Timers

For stores with intervals, timeouts, or polling:

beforeEach(() => {
  vi.useFakeTimers()
})

afterEach(() => {
  vi.useRealTimers()
})

it('polls after delay', async () => {
  const store = useMyStore()
  store.startPolling()

  await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(30000)

  expect(mockService.fetch).toHaveBeenCalled()
})

Assertion Style

Prefer .toHaveLength() over .length.toBe():

// Good
expect(store.items).toHaveLength(1)

// Avoid
expect(store.items.length).toBe(1)

Use .toMatchObject() for partial matching:

expect(store.completedItems[0]).toMatchObject({
  id: 'task-123',
  status: 'done'
})