Chapter 28: Advanced Python Programming – Unit Testing
28.1 Introduction Software development is incomplete without rigorous testing. Unit testing ensures that individual parts of your program—typically functions and methods—work as intended. It helps catch bugs early, facilitates code changes, and improves design. Python offers built-in tools and third-party frameworks to support test-driven development (TDD). This chapter delves into the concepts, methodologies, and best practices of unit testing in Python, with practical examples. 28.2 What is Unit Testing? Unit Testing is the process of testing individual components or "units" of a program in isolation to ensure that they perform as expected. Each test case typically targets a specific function or method and checks its behavior against expected outputs. Benefits of Unit Testing Detects bugs early Facilitates refactoring Promotes cleaner design Supports continuous integration Enhances code reliability 28.3 The unittest Module in Python Py...