pytest.ini configuration - Framework Patterns

Framework Mode - pytest.ini configuration

Folder Structure

project-root/
├── tests/
│   ├── test_example.py
│   └── conftest.py
├── src/
│   └── app_code.py
├── pytest.ini
└── requirements.txt
  

Test Framework Layers

• Configuration Layer: pytest.ini file to set global pytest options and markers.
• Test Layer: Test files inside tests/ folder containing test functions.
• Fixtures Layer: conftest.py for shared setup and teardown code.
• Application Layer: Source code under src/ folder.
• Utilities Layer: Helper functions or modules imported by tests or fixtures.

Configuration Patterns

The pytest.ini file is used to configure pytest behavior globally for the project.

Common configurations include:

• Markers: Define custom markers to categorize tests.
• Test paths: Specify directories or file patterns to discover tests.
• Command line options: Set default options like verbosity or capture mode.
• Logging: Configure logging levels and formats.

Example pytest.ini content:

[pytest]
minversion = 7.0
addopts = -ra -q
testpaths = tests
markers =
    smoke: Quick smoke tests
    regression: Full regression suite
log_cli = true
log_cli_level = INFO

This setup helps run tests consistently across environments without repeating command line arguments.

Test Reporting and CI/CD Integration

pytest.ini can configure reporting options such as verbosity and logging to help understand test results.

For CI/CD pipelines:

• Use addopts to include plugins like pytest-html for HTML reports.
• Configure markers to selectively run tests (e.g., smoke tests on every commit).
• Set logging to capture detailed info for debugging failures.
• Integrate pytest commands in CI scripts referencing pytest.ini for consistent runs.

Example snippet for CI usage:

pytest --html=report.html --self-contained-html

Best Practices

• Keep pytest.ini simple: Only add necessary global options to avoid confusion.
• Use markers wisely: Define clear categories for tests to run subsets easily.
• Version control pytest.ini: Keep it in the project root under version control for team consistency.
• Document markers: Add comments or documentation for custom markers in pytest.ini.
• Combine with conftest.py: Use pytest.ini for config and conftest.py for fixtures and hooks.

Self Check

Where in this framework structure would you add a new custom marker called slow to categorize tests that take longer to run?

Key Result

Use pytest.ini to centrally configure pytest options, markers, and logging for consistent test runs.