How to test abstract class in Java with JUnit?

Question

I am new to Java testing with JUnit. I have to work with Java and I would like to use unit tests.

My problem is: I have an abstract class with some abstract methods.

Answer 1

If you need a solution anyway (e.g. because you have too many implementations of the abstract class and the testing would always repeat the same procedures) then you could create an abstract test class with an abstract factory method which will be excuted by the implementation of that test class. This examples works or me with TestNG:

The abstract test class of Car:

abstract class CarTest {

// the factory method
abstract Car createCar(int speed, int fuel);

// all test methods need to make use of the factory method to create the instance of a car
@Test
public void testGetSpeed() {
    Car car = createCar(33, 44);
    assertEquals(car.getSpeed(), 33);
    ...

Implementation of Car

class ElectricCar extends Car {

    private final int batteryCapacity;

    public ElectricCar(int speed, int fuel, int batteryCapacity) {
        super(speed, fuel);
        this.batteryCapacity = batteryCapacity;
    }

    ...

Unit test class ElectricCarTest of the Class ElectricCar:

class ElectricCarTest extends CarTest {

    // implementation of the abstract factory method
    Car createCar(int speed, int fuel) {
        return new ElectricCar(speed, fuel, 0);
    }

    // here you cann add specific test methods
    ...

Answer 2

My way of testing this is quite simple, within each abstractUnitTest.java. I simply create a class in the abstractUnitTest.java that extend the abstract class. And test it that way.

Answer 3

I would create a jUnit inner class that inherits from the abstract class. This can be instantiated and have access to all the methods defined in the abstract class.

public class AbstractClassTest {
   public void testMethod() {
   ...
   }
}


class ConcreteClass extends AbstractClass {

}

Answer 4

If you have no concrete implementations of the class and the methods aren't static whats the point of testing them? If you have a concrete class then you'll be testing those methods as part of the concrete class's public API.

I know what you are thinking "I don't want to test these methods over and over thats the reason I created the abstract class", but my counter argument to that is that the point of unit tests is to allow developers to make changes, run the tests, and analyze the results. Part of those changes could include overriding your abstract class's methods, both protected and public, which could result in fundamental behavioral changes. Depending on the nature of those changes it could affect how your application runs in unexpected, possibly negative ways. If you have a good unit testing suite problems arising from these types changes should be apparent at development time.