Angular Testing

Test Angular v21+ applications with Vitest (recommended) or Jasmine, focusing on signal-based components and modern patterns.

Vitest Setup (Angular v20+)

Angular v20+ has native Vitest support through the @angular/build package.

Installation

npm install -D vitest jsdom

Configuration

// angular.json - update test architect
{
  "projects": {
    "your-app": {
      "architect": {
        "test": {
          "builder": "@angular/build:unit-test",
          "options": {
            "tsConfig": "tsconfig.spec.json",
            "buildTarget": "your-app:build"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

// tsconfig.spec.json
{
  "extends": "./tsconfig.json",
  "compilerOptions": {
    "types": ["vitest/globals"]
  },
  "include": ["src/**/*.spec.ts"]
}

Running Tests

# Run tests
ng test

# Watch mode
ng test --watch

# Coverage
ng test --code-coverage

Vitest Test Example

import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach } from "vitest";
import { ComponentFixture, TestBed } from "@angular/core/testing";
import { Counter } from "./counter.component";

describe("Counter", () => {
  let component: Counter;
  let fixture: ComponentFixture<Counter>;

  beforeEach(async () => {
    await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      imports: [Counter],
    }).compileComponents();

    fixture = TestBed.createComponent(Counter);
    component = fixture.componentInstance;
    fixture.detectChanges();
  });

  it("should create", () => {
    expect(component).toBeTruthy();
  });

  it("should increment count", () => {
    expect(component.count()).toBe(0);

    component.increment();

    expect(component.count()).toBe(1);
  });
});

Vitest Mocking

import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from "vitest";

describe("UserCmpt", () => {
  const mockUserService = {
    getUser: vi.fn(),
    updateUser: vi.fn(),
    user: signal<User | null>(null),
  };

  beforeEach(async () => {
    vi.clearAllMocks();
    mockUserService.getUser.mockReturnValue(of({ id: "1", name: "Test" }));

    await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      imports: [UserCmpt],
      providers: [{ provide: User, useValue: mockUserService }],
    }).compileComponents();
  });

  it("should call getUser on init", () => {
    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(UserCmpt);
    fixture.detectChanges();

    expect(mockUserService.getUser).toHaveBeenCalledWith("1");
  });
});

Vitest with HTTP Testing

import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
import {
  HttpTestingController,
  provideHttpClientTesting,
} from "@angular/common/http/testing";
import { provideHttpClient } from "@angular/common/http";

describe("User", () => {
  let service: User;
  let httpMock: HttpTestingController;

  beforeEach(() => {
    TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      providers: [provideHttpClient(), provideHttpClientTesting()],
    });

    service = TestBed.inject(User);
    httpMock = TestBed.inject(HttpTestingController);
  });

  afterEach(() => {
    httpMock.verify();
  });

  it("should fetch user", () => {
    const mockUser = { id: "1", name: "Test User" };

    service.getUser("1").subscribe((user) => {
      expect(user).toEqual(mockUser);
    });

    const req = httpMock.expectOne("/api/users/1");
    expect(req.request.method).toBe("GET");
    req.flush(mockUser);
  });
});

---

Basic Component Test

import { ComponentFixture, TestBed } from "@angular/core/testing";
import { Counter } from "./counter.component";

describe("Counter", () => {
  let component: Counter;
  let fixture: ComponentFixture<Counter>;

  beforeEach(async () => {
    await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      imports: [Counter], // Standalone component
    }).compileComponents();

    fixture = TestBed.createComponent(Counter);
    component = fixture.componentInstance;
    fixture.detectChanges();
  });

  it("should create", () => {
    expect(component).toBeTruthy();
  });

  it("should increment count", () => {
    expect(component.count()).toBe(0);

    component.increment();

    expect(component.count()).toBe(1);
  });

  it("should display count in template", () => {
    component.count.set(5);
    fixture.detectChanges();

    const element = fixture.nativeElement.querySelector(".count");
    expect(element.textContent).toContain("5");
  });
});

Testing Signals

Direct Signal Testing

import { signal, computed } from "@angular/core";

describe("Signal logic", () => {
  it("should update computed when signal changes", () => {
    const count = signal(0);
    const doubled = computed(() => count() * 2);

    expect(doubled()).toBe(0);

    count.set(5);
    expect(doubled()).toBe(10);

    count.update((c) => c + 1);
    expect(doubled()).toBe(12);
  });
});

Testing Component Signals

@Component({
  selector: "app-todo-list",
  template: `
    <ul>
      @for (todo of filteredTodos(); track todo.id) {
        <li>{{ todo.text }}</li>
      }
    </ul>
    <p>{{ remaining() }} remaining</p>
  `,
})
export class TodoList {
  todos = signal<Todo[]>([]);
  filter = signal<"all" | "active" | "done">("all");

  filteredTodos = computed(() => {
    const todos = this.todos();
    switch (this.filter()) {
      case "active":
        return todos.filter((t) => !t.done);
      case "done":
        return todos.filter((t) => t.done);
      default:
        return todos;
    }
  });

  remaining = computed(() => this.todos().filter((t) => !t.done).length);
}

describe("TodoList", () => {
  let component: TodoList;
  let fixture: ComponentFixture<TodoList>;

  beforeEach(async () => {
    await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      imports: [TodoList],
    }).compileComponents();

    fixture = TestBed.createComponent(TodoList);
    component = fixture.componentInstance;
  });

  it("should filter active todos", () => {
    component.todos.set([
      { id: "1", text: "Task 1", done: false },
      { id: "2", text: "Task 2", done: true },
      { id: "3", text: "Task 3", done: false },
    ]);

    component.filter.set("active");

    expect(component.filteredTodos().length).toBe(2);
    expect(component.remaining()).toBe(2);
  });

  it("should render filtered todos", () => {
    component.todos.set([
      { id: "1", text: "Active Task", done: false },
      { id: "2", text: "Done Task", done: true },
    ]);
    component.filter.set("active");
    fixture.detectChanges();

    const items = fixture.nativeElement.querySelectorAll("li");
    expect(items.length).toBe(1);
    expect(items[0].textContent).toContain("Active Task");
  });
});

Testing OnPush Components

OnPush components require explicit change detection:

@Component({
  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.OnPush,
  template: `
    <span>{{ data().name }}</span>
  `,
})
export class OnPush {
  data = input.required<{ name: string }>();
}

describe("OnPush", () => {
  it("should update when input signal changes", () => {
    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(OnPush);

    // Set input using setInput (for signal inputs)
    fixture.componentRef.setInput("data", { name: "Initial" });
    fixture.detectChanges();

    expect(fixture.nativeElement.textContent).toContain("Initial");

    // Update input
    fixture.componentRef.setInput("data", { name: "Updated" });
    fixture.detectChanges();

    expect(fixture.nativeElement.textContent).toContain("Updated");
  });
});

Testing Services

Basic Service Test

import { TestBed } from "@angular/core/testing";

@Injectable({ providedIn: "root" })
export class CounterSvc {
  private _count = signal(0);
  readonly count = this._count.asReadonly();

  increment() {
    this._count.update((c) => c + 1);
  }

  reset() {
    this._count.set(0);
  }
}

describe("CounterSvc", () => {
  let service: CounterSvc;

  beforeEach(() => {
    TestBed.configureTestingModule({});
    service = TestBed.inject(CounterSvc);
  });

  it("should increment count", () => {
    expect(service.count()).toBe(0);

    service.increment();
    expect(service.count()).toBe(1);

    service.increment();
    expect(service.count()).toBe(2);
  });

  it("should reset count", () => {
    service.increment();
    service.increment();

    service.reset();

    expect(service.count()).toBe(0);
  });
});

Service with Dependencies

@Injectable({ providedIn: "root" })
export class User {
  private http = inject(HttpClient);

  getUser(id: string) {
    return this.http.get<User>(`/api/users/${id}`);
  }
}

describe("User", () => {
  let service: User;
  let httpMock: HttpTestingController;

  beforeEach(() => {
    TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      providers: [provideHttpClient(), provideHttpClientTesting()],
    });

    service = TestBed.inject(User);
    httpMock = TestBed.inject(HttpTestingController);
  });

  afterEach(() => {
    httpMock.verify(); // Verify no outstanding requests
  });

  it("should fetch user by id", () => {
    const mockUser: User = { id: "1", name: "Test User" };

    service.getUser("1").subscribe((user) => {
      expect(user).toEqual(mockUser);
    });

    const req = httpMock.expectOne("/api/users/1");
    expect(req.request.method).toBe("GET");
    req.flush(mockUser);
  });
});

Mocking Dependencies

Using Jasmine Spies

describe("ComponentWithDependency", () => {
  let userServiceSpy: jasmine.SpyObj<User>;

  beforeEach(async () => {
    userServiceSpy = jasmine.createSpyObj("User", ["getUser", "updateUser"]);
    userServiceSpy.getUser.and.returnValue(of({ id: "1", name: "Test" }));

    await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      imports: [UserProfile],
      providers: [{ provide: User, useValue: userServiceSpy }],
    }).compileComponents();
  });

  it("should call getUser on init", () => {
    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(UserProfile);
    fixture.detectChanges();

    expect(userServiceSpy.getUser).toHaveBeenCalledWith("1");
  });
});

Mock Signal-Based Service

// Create mock with signal
const mockAuth = {
  user: signal<User | null>(null),
  isAuthenticated: computed(() => mockAuth.user() !== null),
  login: jasmine.createSpy("login"),
  logout: jasmine.createSpy("logout"),
};

beforeEach(async () => {
  await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
    imports: [Protected],
    providers: [{ provide: Auth, useValue: mockAuth }],
  }).compileComponents();
});

it("should show content when authenticated", () => {
  mockAuth.user.set({ id: "1", name: "Test User" });

  const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(Protected);
  fixture.detectChanges();

  expect(
    fixture.nativeElement.querySelector(".protected-content"),
  ).toBeTruthy();
});

Testing Inputs and Outputs

@Component({
  selector: "app-item",
  template: `
    <div (click)="select()">{{ item().name }}</div>
  `,
})
export class Item {
  item = input.required<Item>();
  selected = output<Item>();

  select() {
    this.selected.emit(this.item());
  }
}

describe("Item", () => {
  it("should emit selected event on click", () => {
    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(Item);
    const item: Item = { id: "1", name: "Test Item" };

    fixture.componentRef.setInput("item", item);
    fixture.detectChanges();

    // Subscribe to output
    let emittedItem: Item | undefined;
    fixture.componentInstance.selected.subscribe((i) => (emittedItem = i));

    // Trigger click
    fixture.nativeElement.querySelector("div").click();

    expect(emittedItem).toEqual(item);
  });
});

Testing Async Operations

Using fakeAsync

import { fakeAsync, tick, flush } from "@angular/core/testing";

it("should debounce search", fakeAsync(() => {
  const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(Search);
  fixture.detectChanges();

  // Type in search
  fixture.componentInstance.query.set("test");

  // Advance time for debounce
  tick(300);
  fixture.detectChanges();

  expect(fixture.componentInstance.results().length).toBeGreaterThan(0);

  // Flush any remaining timers
  flush();
}));

Using waitForAsync

import { waitForAsync } from "@angular/core/testing";

it("should load data", waitForAsync(() => {
  const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(Data);
  fixture.detectChanges();

  fixture.whenStable().then(() => {
    fixture.detectChanges();
    expect(fixture.componentInstance.data()).toBeDefined();
  });
}));

Testing HTTP Resources

@Component({
  template: `
    @if (userResource.isLoading()) {
      <p>Loading...</p>
    } @else if (userResource.hasValue()) {
      <p>{{ userResource.value().name }}</p>
    }
  `,
})
export class UserCmpt {
  userId = signal("1");
  userResource = httpResource<UserData>(() => `/api/users/${this.userId()}`);
}

describe("UserCmpt", () => {
  let httpMock: HttpTestingController;

  beforeEach(async () => {
    await TestBed.configureTestingModule({
      imports: [UserCmpt],
      providers: [provideHttpClient(), provideHttpClientTesting()],
    }).compileComponents();

    httpMock = TestBed.inject(HttpTestingController);
  });

  it("should display user name after loading", () => {
    const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(UserCmpt);
    fixture.detectChanges();

    // Initially loading
    expect(fixture.nativeElement.textContent).toContain("Loading");

    // Respond to request
    const req = httpMock.expectOne("/api/users/1");
    req.flush({ id: "1", name: "John Doe" });
    fixture.detectChanges();

    expect(fixture.nativeElement.textContent).toContain("John Doe");
  });
});

Vitest vs Jasmine Comparison

Feature	Vitest	Jasmine/Karma
Speed	Faster (native ESM)	Slower
Watch mode	Instant feedback	Slower rebuilds
Mocking	vi.fn(), vi.mock()	jasmine.createSpy()
Assertions	expect() (Chai-style)	expect() (Jasmine)
UI	Built-in UI mode	Karma browser
Config	angular.json	karma.conf.js

Migration from Jasmine to Vitest

// Jasmine
const spy = jasmine.createSpy("callback");
spy.and.returnValue("value");
expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith("arg");

// Vitest
const spy = vi.fn();
spy.mockReturnValue("value");
expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith("arg");

// Jasmine
spyOn(service, "method").and.returnValue(of(data));

// Vitest
vi.spyOn(service, "method").mockReturnValue(of(data));

For advanced testing patterns, see references/testing-patterns.md.