Best Python Testing Tools to Buy in February 2026
Robust Python: Write Clean and Maintainable Code
Crafting Test-Driven Software with Python: Write test suites that scale with your applications' needs and complexity using Python and PyTest
Test-Driven Development with Python: Obey the Testing Goat: Using Django, Selenium, and JavaScript
Python (2nd Edition): Learn Python in One Day and Learn It Well. Python for Beginners with Hands-on Project. (Learn Coding Fast with Hands-On Project Book 1)
Hacking and Security: The Comprehensive Guide to Ethical Hacking, Penetration Testing, and Cybersecurity (Rheinwerk Computing)
Python for Security and Networking: Leverage Python modules and tools in securing your network and applications, 3rd Edition
Testing Python: Applying Unit Testing, TDD, BDD and Acceptance Testing
Learning Test-Driven Development: A Polyglot Guide to Writing Uncluttered Code
The Complete Python Programming for Beginners Guide: Master Python Fast with Hands-On Projects, Clear Explanations, and Practical Coding Skills for All Ages and Experience Levels (Modern Tech Books)
To run pytest on a Python script from stdin, you can use the following command:
pytest -
This command will read the Python script from the standard input and run the tests defined in the script. Alternatively, you can also pipe the script into the pytest command, like this:
cat script.py | pytest -
This method allows you to run pytest on a Python script without saving the script to a file first. Just make sure that the script contains the necessary test functions and assertions for pytest to run successfully.
What is the use of caching in pytest?
Caching in pytest is used to save the results of expensive or time-consuming operations, such as running tests or initializing fixtures, so that they can be reused in subsequent test runs without having to recompute them. This can help improve the overall test suite performance by reducing the amount of time it takes to run the tests. Caching in pytest can be enabled using the --cache option, which allows you to specify the cache directory where the results will be stored.
How to run pytest with different configurations?
To run pytest with different configurations, you can use command-line options or configuration files. Here are a few ways to do it:
- Command-line options: You can pass command-line options to pytest to specify different configurations. For example, you can use the -k option to run only tests that match a certain keyword, the -m option to run tests that have specific markers, or the --variable=value option to define custom variables that can be used in your tests. Run pytest --help to see all available options.
- Configuration files: You can create a pytest.ini or setup.cfg file in your project directory to specify configurations for pytest. In this file, you can specify options like test directories, test patterns, plugins, markers, and more. This is a more organized way to configure pytest for your project.
- Environment variables: You can also use environment variables to provide configurations to pytest. For example, you can set the PYTEST_ADDOPTS variable to pass additional command-line options, or the PYTEST_PLUGINS variable to load specific plugins.
Overall, using a combination of command-line options, configuration files, and environment variables allows you to configure pytest in a flexible and customizable way to suit your testing needs.
What is the role of conftest.py in pytest?
conftest.py is a special file in pytest that allows users to define fixtures, hooks, custom plugins, and shared configuration for tests within a specific directory or package. These fixtures can be reused across multiple test modules, reducing code duplication and making it easier to set up common test data or resources.
Some common use cases for conftest.py include:
- Defining fixtures that are used by multiple test modules within the same directory or package.
- Configuring pytest plugins or customizing pytest behavior for a specific set of tests.
- Organizing and grouping test-related code in a centralized location.
Overall, conftest.py plays a key role in enabling code reuse, configuration management, and customizing the behavior of pytest tests within a specific scope.