> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://coldbox.ortusbooks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://coldbox.ortusbooks.com/the-basics/testing-quick-start/integration-testing.md).

# Integration Testing

Integration testing loads a virtual ColdBox application to test real requests with execute() and request().

## Integration Testing

We will begin our adventure with integration testing. Integration testing allows you to test a real life request to your application without using a browser. Your test bundle class will load a new virtual application for you to test each specification under it; all aspects of your application are loaded: caching, dependency injection, AOP, etc. Then you can target an event to test and verify its behavior accordingly. First of all, these type of tests go in your `integration` folder of your test harness or in the specific module folder if you are testing modules.

### Basics

![](https://content.gitbook.com/content/XMVfvHPJ9ZanT1mSFxLz/blobs/xQwe7QPyBVu6kHyrE7Hd/handlertotestrelationship.png)

Here are the basics to follow for integration testing:

* Create one test bundle class for each event handler you would like to test or base it off your BDD requirements
* Bundle class inherits from `coldbox.system.testing.BaseTestCase`
* The bundle class can have some annotations that tell the testing framework to what ColdBox application to connect to and test
* Execution of the event is done via the `execute()` method, which returns a request context object
* Execution of API requests can be done via the convenience `request()` method or the HTTP method aliases: `get(), post(), put(), patch(), head(), options()`
* Most verifications and assertions are done via the contents of the request context object (request collections)

```javascript


it( "can do a relocation", () => {
	var event = execute( event = "main.doSomething" );
	expect( event.getValue( "relocate_event", "" ) ).toBe( "main.index" );
} );

it( "can startup executable code", () => {
	var event = execute( "main.onAppInit" );
} );

it( "can handle exceptions", () => {
	// You need to create an exception bean first and place it on the request context FIRST as a setup.
	var exceptionBean = createMock( "coldbox.system.web.context.ExceptionBean" ).init(
		erroStruct   = structNew(),
		extramessage = "My unit test exception",
		extraInfo    = "Any extra info, simple or complex"
	);
	prepareMock( getRequestContext() ).setValue(
			name    = "exception",
			value   = exceptionBean,
			private = true
		)
		.$( "setHTTPHeader" );

	// TEST EVENT EXECUTION
	var event = execute( "main.onException" );
} );

describe( "Request Events", () => {
	it( "fires on start", () => {
		var event = execute( "main.onRequestStart" );
	} );

	it( "fires on end", () => {
		var event = execute( "main.onRequestEnd" );
	} );
} );

describe( "Session Events", () => {
	it( "fires on start", () => {
		var event = execute( "main.onSessionStart" );
	} );

	it( "fires on end", () => {
		// Place a fake session structure here, it mimics what the handler receives
		URL.sessionReference     = structNew();
		URL.applicationReference = structNew();
		var event                = execute( "main.onSessionEnd" );
	} );
} );

```

We will explain later the life-cycle methods and the `run()` method where you will be writing your specs.

> **Hint** Please refer to our BDD primer to start: <http://testbox.ortusbooks.com/content/primers/bdd/index.html>

### CommandBox Generation

Also remember that you can use CommandBox to generate integration tests with a few simple commands:

```
coldbox create integration-test handler=main actions=index,save,run --open
# help
coldbox create integration-test help
```

> **Info** Please also note that whenever you create a handler, interceptor or model with CommandBox it will automatically create the integration or unit test for you.

### Going Further: Real Browsers

Integration tests never run a browser: no HTML is parsed, no JavaScript runs and no cookies travel between requests. On BoxLang, [Browser Testing](/the-basics/testing-quick-start/browser-testing.md) adds the `@browser` annotation to a `BaseTestCase` spec, so it drives a real browser against your running application while keeping access to your routes and settings.


---

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