Grammar Testing

Grammar tests are data-driven instead of being specified explicitly. This document explains how to add a new grammar test.

Adding a grammar test

1. Create a new file with the extension .sdsdev in the tests/resources/grammar directory or any subdirectory. Give the file a descriptive name, since the file name becomes part of the test name.

   Naming convention

   By convention, the names of files that should not contain syntax errors should be prefixed with good- and the names of files that should contain syntax errors with bad-. This is irrelevant for the test runner, but it helps to keep the tests organized.

   Skipping a test

   If you want to skip a test, add the prefix skip- to the file name.

2. If you want to assert that a file is parsed without a syntax error¹, add the following comment to the file:

   // $TEST$ no_syntax_error
   

   If you instead want to assert that the parser detects a syntax error, add the following comment to the file:

   // $TEST$ syntax_error
   

   Warning

   The two comments are mutually exclusive. You must have exactly one in a grammar test file.

   Comment placement

   By convention, the comment should be placed at the start of the file.

3. Add the Safe-DS code that you want to test to the file.

4. Run the tests. The test runner will automatically pick up the new test.

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1. We do not differentiate whether the error originated in the lexer (error code lexing-error) or the actual parser (error code parsing-error). Both are treated as syntax errors. ↩