tests.py

tests.py#

What tests.py is for#

In Django, tests.py usually contains:

  • Model tests (does your model logic work?)

  • View tests (does your page/API return correct response?)

  • URL tests (does a URL resolve to the right view?)

  • Form/serializer tests (if you use forms or DRF)

Django uses Python’s unittest style, but Django adds helpers.

How Django runs tests#

From your project folder (where manage.py is):

python manage.py test

Or only this app:

python manage.py test myapp
Django will:

  • create a temporary test database

  • run tests

  • delete the test database

Basic example in tests.py#

1) Simple test

from django.test import TestCase

class SimpleTest(TestCase):
    def test_basic_math(self):
        self.assertEqual(1 + 1, 2)

Run:

python manage.py test

Example: Test a View (page)

views.py

from django.http import HttpResponse

def home(request):
    return HttpResponse("Hello")

urls.py (inside app)

from django.urls import path
from . import views

urlpatterns = [
    path("", views.home, name="home"),
]

tests.py

from django.test import TestCase
from django.urls import reverse

class HomeViewTest(TestCase):
    def test_home_returns_200(self):
        url = reverse("home")
        response = self.client.get(url)

        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
        self.assertContains(response, "Hello")

self.client.get() simulates a browser request.

Example: Test a Model

models.py

from django.db import models

class Product(models.Model):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=100)
    price = models.IntegerField()

    def is_expensive(self):
        return self.price > 100

tests.py

from django.test import TestCase
from .models import Product

class ProductModelTest(TestCase):
    def test_is_expensive(self):
        p = Product.objects.create(name="Phone", price=200)
        self.assertTrue(p.is_expensive())

Best Practice

Even though Django gives a single tests.py, in real projects we often create:

myapp/tests/
    __init__.py
    test_models.py
    test_views.py
    test_urls.py

cleaner when tests grow

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