README.md

Testing Guide for FastAPI MongoDB Sample Application

This document describes the testing strategy and how to run tests for the FastAPI MongoDB MFlix sample application.

Test Structure

The test suite is organized into three categories:

1. Schema Tests (test_movie_schemas.py)

• Tests Pydantic model validation
• Validates request/response data structures
• No database or external dependencies required
• 10 tests covering CreateMovieRequest, UpdateMovieRequest, and Movie models

2. Unit Tests (test_movie_routes.py)

• Tests route handler functions in isolation
• Uses unittest.mock.AsyncMock to mock MongoDB operations
• No database connection required
• Fast execution (< 2 seconds)
• 51 tests covering:
  • CRUD operations (create, read, update, delete)
  • Batch operations
  • Search functionality
  • Vector search
  • Aggregation pipelines

3. Integration Tests (tests/integration/test_movie_routes_integration.py)

• Tests the full HTTP request/response cycle
• Requires a running MongoDB instance with MFlix dataset
• Uses a real server running in a subprocess
• Tests are idempotent (clean up after themselves)
• 10 tests covering:
  • CRUD operations
  • Batch operations
  • Search functionality
  • Aggregation pipelines

Running Tests

Prerequisites

1. For all tests:

   cd server/
   source .venv/bin/activate  # or `.venv\Scripts\activate` on Windows

2. For integration tests only:

   • MongoDB instance running with MFlix dataset loaded
   • Connection string configured in .env file
   • Port 8001 available (used for test server)

Run All Tests

pytest tests/ -v

Expected output: 71 passed in ~6 seconds

Run Only Unit Tests (Fast, No Database Required)

pytest -m unit -v

Expected output: 61 passed, 10 deselected in ~1.5 seconds

Run Only Integration Tests (Requires Database)

pytest -m integration -v

Expected output: 10 passed, 61 deselected in ~5 seconds

Run Specific Test File

# Schema tests
pytest tests/test_movie_schemas.py -v

# Unit tests
pytest tests/test_movie_routes.py -v

# Integration tests
pytest tests/integration/test_movie_routes_integration.py -v

Run Specific Test Class or Method

# Run a specific test class
pytest tests/test_movie_routes.py::TestCreateMovie -v

# Run a specific test method
pytest tests/test_movie_routes.py::TestCreateMovie::test_create_movie_success -v

Test Markers

Tests are marked with pytest markers for selective execution:

• @pytest.mark.unit - Unit tests with mocked dependencies
• @pytest.mark.integration - Integration tests requiring database

Integration Test Strategy

Why Use a Running Server?

The integration tests start a real FastAPI server in a subprocess because:

1. Event Loop Isolation: AsyncMongoClient binds to the event loop it was created in. Using a real server avoids event loop conflicts.
2. Real-World Testing: Tests the actual deployment configuration, including middleware, CORS, and startup events.
3. Educational Value: Demonstrates a practical integration testing pattern for async Python applications.

Idempotent Tests

All integration tests are designed to be idempotent:

• Create operations: Tests create new documents with unique identifiers
• Cleanup: Fixtures automatically delete created documents after tests
• Read-only tests: Tests against existing MFlix data don't modify anything
• Batch operations: Create and delete multiple documents with proper cleanup

Fixtures

Integration tests use pytest fixtures for test data lifecycle management:

• client: AsyncClient connected to the test server
• test_movie_data: Sample movie data for creating test documents
• created_movie: Creates a movie and cleans it up automatically
• multiple_test_movies: Creates 3 movies for batch operation testing

Known Issues

Batch Create Bug (Skipped Test)

The test_batch_create_movies test is currently skipped due to a known bug in the API:

• Issue: create_movies_batch function calls insert_many twice (lines 1006 and 1015 in movies.py)
• Impact: Causes 500 error on batch create operations
• Status: To be fixed in a separate PR
• Test behavior: Test detects the error and skips gracefully

Troubleshooting

Integration Tests Fail to Start Server

Error: Port 8001 is already in use

Solution:

• Kill any process using port 8001: lsof -ti:8001 | xargs kill -9
• Or change the port in tests/integration/conftest.py

Integration Tests Can't Connect to MongoDB

Error: Connection timeout or authentication error

Solution:

• Verify MongoDB is running
• Check .env file has correct MONGODB_URI
• Ensure MFlix dataset is loaded
• Test connection: mongosh <your-connection-string>

Unit Tests Fail with Import Errors

Error: ModuleNotFoundError

Solution:

• Ensure virtual environment is activated
• Install dependencies: pip install -r requirements.txt
• Run from server/python-fastapi directory

Contributing

When adding new routes or functionality:

1. Add unit tests in test_movie_routes.py with mocked dependencies
2. Add integration tests in tests/integration/test_movie_routes_integration.py for end-to-end validation
3. Use appropriate markers (@pytest.mark.unit or @pytest.mark.integration)
4. Follow fixture patterns for test data lifecycle management
5. Ensure idempotency - tests should clean up after themselves
6. Document test purpose with clear docstrings

Additional Resources

• pytest documentation
• pytest-asyncio documentation
• FastAPI testing guide
• MongoDB Motor documentation