Testpaths configuration in PyTest - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output of pytest testpaths effect

Given the pytest configuration below, what tests will pytest discover and run?

PyTest

[pytest]
testpaths = tests/integration

# Directory structure:
# tests/
# ├── integration/
# │   └── test_api.py
# └── unit/
#     └── test_utils.py

# Both test_api.py and test_utils.py contain valid test functions.

A No tests will run because testpaths is misconfigured.

B Both tests/integration/test_api.py and tests/unit/test_utils.py will run.

C Only tests in tests/integration/test_api.py will run.

D Only tests in tests/unit/test_utils.py will run.

💡 Hint

The testpaths setting limits pytest to look only inside specified directories.

The testpaths option tells pytest to only look for tests inside the specified directory 'tests/integration'. Therefore, tests in 'tests/unit' are ignored.

❓ assertion

intermediate

Assertion to verify testpaths filtering

You want to write a pytest test that verifies pytest only collects tests from the 'tests/functional' directory as set in testpaths. Which assertion correctly checks this behavior?

PyTest

import pytest

collected = pytest.main(['--collect-only'])
# Assume collected_tests is a list of test node ids collected by pytest

A assert 'tests/functional' not in collected_tests

B assert any('tests/functional' in test for test in collected_tests)

C assert all('tests/unit' in test for test in collected_tests)

D assert all('tests/functional' in test for test in collected_tests)

💡 Hint

To confirm filtering, all collected tests should be inside the specified directory.

Using all() ensures every collected test path includes 'tests/functional', confirming pytest only collected tests from that directory.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Why are tests outside testpaths not running?

You configured pytest with testpaths = ['tests/api'] but tests in 'tests/api' and 'tests/db' exist. Only tests in 'tests/api' run. You want tests in both directories to run. What is the cause?

PyTest

[pytest]
testpaths = tests/api

A testpaths restricts pytest to only the specified directory; 'tests/db' is excluded because it is not listed.

B testpaths only accepts one directory; multiple directories must be comma-separated in one string.

C pytest ignores testpaths if multiple test directories exist.

D testpaths must be set in pytest.ini, not in pyproject.toml.

💡 Hint

Check how testpaths limits test discovery.

The testpaths option limits pytest to only look inside the specified directories. Since 'tests/db' is not listed, its tests are not discovered or run.

❓ framework

advanced

Configuring multiple testpaths in pytest.ini

How should you correctly configure pytest.ini to include both 'tests/unit' and 'tests/integration' directories in testpaths?

A

[pytest]
testpaths = tests/unit, tests/integration

B

[pytest]
testpaths =
    tests/unit
    tests/integration

C

[pytest]
testpaths = tests/unit tests/integration

D

[pytest]
testpaths = ['tests/unit', 'tests/integration']

💡 Hint

Check pytest.ini syntax for multi-line values.

pytest.ini supports multi-line values for options. Listing each directory on its own indented line under testpaths is the correct way to specify multiple paths.

🧠 Conceptual

expert

Effect of testpaths on pytest test collection order

Which statement about the effect of the testpaths configuration on pytest test collection order is true?

A testpaths only filters directories but does not guarantee the order in which tests are collected or run.

B testpaths causes pytest to run tests in alphabetical order regardless of directory order.

C testpaths enforces tests to run in the order directories are listed.

D testpaths disables test collection order and runs tests randomly.

💡 Hint

Consider what testpaths controls versus test order.

testpaths limits where pytest looks for tests but does not control the order of test collection or execution. Test order is controlled by other pytest options or plugins.