pytest-timeout for time limits - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the purpose of the pytest-timeout plugin?

pytest-timeout is used to set a maximum time limit for test functions. If a test runs longer than the specified time, it is stopped and marked as failed.

beginner

How do you apply a timeout of 5 seconds to a single test function using pytest-timeout?

You add the decorator @pytest.mark.timeout(5) above the test function to limit its execution time to 5 seconds.

beginner

What happens if a test exceeds the timeout set by pytest-timeout?

The test is interrupted and marked as failed with a timeout error, helping to catch tests that hang or run too long.

intermediate

How can you set a global timeout for all tests in pytest using pytest-timeout?

You can add timeout = 5 in the pytest.ini configuration file under the [pytest] section to apply a 5-second timeout to all tests.

beginner

Why is it useful to set time limits on tests?

Setting time limits helps detect infinite loops, slow tests, or deadlocks early, improving test suite reliability and speed.

Which pytest-timeout decorator sets a 10-second limit on a test?

A @pytest.timeout(10)

B @pytest.set_timeout(10)

C @timeout(10)

D @pytest.mark.timeout(10)

The correct decorator is @pytest.mark.timeout(10) to set a 10-second timeout.

What happens when a test exceeds the timeout set by pytest-timeout?

A Test is marked as failed

B Test is skipped

C Test continues running

D Test is retried automatically

The test is stopped and marked as failed due to timeout.

Where do you configure a global timeout for all tests using pytest-timeout?

A In setup.py

B In the test function decorator

C In pytest.ini file

D In requirements.txt

Global timeout is set in pytest.ini under the [pytest] section.

Which of these is NOT a benefit of using pytest-timeout?

A Detecting infinite loops

B Automatically fixing test bugs

C Preventing hanging tests

D Improving test speed

pytest-timeout does not fix bugs; it only stops tests that run too long.

How do you install pytest-timeout?

A pip install pytest-timeout

B pip install timeout-pytest

C pip install pytest-time

D pip install timeout

The correct package name is pytest-timeout.

Explain how to set a timeout for a single test and what happens if the test exceeds this timeout.

Think about the decorator and test failure behavior.

Describe how to configure a global timeout for all tests in pytest using pytest-timeout.

Consider pytest configuration files.