TAP Specification

Version line

To indicate that it is TAP 13, the first line of the report is:

TAP version 13

Described class line

The described class is printed as a commented line using the identifier test:

RSpec.describe String do
end

TAP version 13
# test: String {

Example group line

The example group is printed as a commented line using the identifier group:

RSpec.describe String do
  describe '#empty?' do
  end
end

TAP version 13
# test: String {
  # group: #empty? { 
  }
}

Test Line

The test line is the core of TAP. Each test execution is printed as one test line. Each test line comprises the following elements:

• Status: A passing example is described by ok and failing by not ok. Also, any pending examples are considered as not failing.

RSpec.describe String do
  describe '#empty?' do
    let(:string) { 'empty?' }

    it 'returns true' do
      expect(string.empty?).to eq(true)
    end
  end
end

TAP version 13
# test: String {
  # group: #empty? {
    not ok 
  }
}

• Number: Example numbers denote the total number of tests executed currently. The numbers are scoped to each example group. Example numbers are followed by the example status.

RSpec.describe String do
  describe '#empty?' do
    let(:string) { 'empty?' }

    it 'returns true' do
      expect(string.empty?).to eq(true)
    end
  end
end

TAP version 13
# test: String {
  # group: #empty? {
    not ok 1 
  }
}

• Description: Example description is followed by the example number and also separated by a -:

RSpec.describe String do
  describe '#empty?' do
    let(:string) { 'empty?' }

    it 'returns true' do
      expect(string.empty?).to eq(true)
    end
  end
end

TAP version 13
# test: String {
  # group: #empty? {
    not ok 1 - returns true
  }
}

• Directive: The directive is an optional element that describes a pending example. The directive is followed by an example description and also separated by a #. There are two directives TODO and SKIP.

RSpec.describe String do
  describe '#empty?', skip: 'will debug later' do
    let(:string) { 'empty?' }

    it 'returns true' do
      expect(string.empty?).to eq(true)
    end
  end
end

TAP version 13
# test: String {
  # group: #empty? {
    ok 1 - returns true # SKIP: will debug later
  }
}

Stats line

The stats lists total numbers of examples with the total number of passing, failing, and pending examples for each example group. The stats line is printed as a commented line.

RSpec.describe String do
  describe '#empty?' do
    let(:string) { 'empty?' }

    it 'returns true' do
      expect(string.empty?).to eq(true)
    end
  end
end

TAP version 13
# test: String {
  # group: #empty? {
    not ok 1 - returns true
  }
  # tests: 1, failed: 1
}
# tests: 1, failed: 1

Failure reason YAML block

The failure reason for examples are represented by one level indented YAML block starting with --- and ending with .... The YAML block comprises the following attributes: - location: The file name and line number. - error: The failure reason. - backtrace: The backtrace limited to ten lines.

RSpec.describe String do
  describe '#present?' do
    let(:string) { ' ' }

    it 'returns false' do
      expect(string.present?).to eq(false)
    end
  end
end

TAP version 13
# test: String {
  # group: #present? {
    not ok 1 - returns false
      ---
      location: "./string_spec.rb:5"
      error: |-
        Failure/Error: expect(string.present?).to eq(false)
        NoMethodError:
          undefined method `present?' for String
      backtrace: "./string_spec.rb:5:in `block (4 levels) in <top (required)>'"
      ...
  }
  # tests: 1, failed: 1
}
# tests: 1, failed: 1

Duration line

The duration line is printed as a commented line at the end of execution.

RSpec.describe String do
  describe '#empty?' do
    let(:string) { 'empty?' }

    it 'returns true' do
      expect(string.empty?).to eq(true)
    end
  end
end

TAP version 13
# test: String {
  # group: #empty? {
    not ok 1 - returns true
  }
  # tests: 1, failed: 1
}
# tests: 1, failed: 1
# duration: 0.026471 seconds

Seed line

The seed line is printed as a commented line at the end of execution.

RSpec.describe String do
  describe '#empty?' do
    let(:string) { 'empty?' }

    it 'returns true' do
      expect(string.empty?).to eq(true)
    end
  end
end

TAP version 13
# test: String {
  # group: #empty? {
    not ok 1 - returns true
  }
  # tests: 1, failed: 1
}
# tests: 1, failed: 1
# duration: 0.026471 seconds
# seed: 27428

Bail out line

The bail out is a scenario for failure outside of the example, which immediately stops execution without running any example.

RSpec.describe Stirng do
  describe '#empty?' do
    let(:string) { 'empty?' }

    it 'returns true' do
      expect(string.empty?).to eq(true)
    end
  end
end

TAP version 13
1..0
Bail out!
# An error occurred while loading ./string_spec.rb.
# Failure/Error:
#   RSpec.describe Stirng do
#     describe '#empty?' do
#       let(:string) { 'empty?' }
#       it 'returns true' do
#         expect(string.empty?).to eq(true)
#       end
#     end
# NameError:
#   uninitialized constant Stirng
#   Did you mean?  String
# ./string_spec.rb:1:in `<top (required)>'