In software development, mocking is a popular technique used to simulate dependencies and test behaviour without relying on external systems. However, as with any technique, there are pros and cons to using mocks.
In this talk, I’ll discuss why using mocks may not be the best approach and why we should instead use fakes or in-memory implementations of well-defined interfaces. We will explore the drawbacks of mocks, including how they can lead to brittle tests, slow down development, and make it difficult to refactor code.
By contrast, we will see how using fakes or in-memory implementations can provide faster feedback, increase confidence in the code, and make it easier to maintain tests as the codebase evolves. We will look at some examples of how to implement these alternatives, and how to make them useful in different testing scenarios.