# How to test a ruby class

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-test-a-ruby-class/65519>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [February 10, 2006, 8:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-test-a-ruby-class/65519 "2006-02-10T20:08:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 8:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-test-a-ruby-class/65519/1 "2006-02-10T20:08:32Z")

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> Hi: I just installed Ruby and have FreeRIDE open. In Ruby, is there a  
> method comparable to the “main” method in java that will run the class for  
> testing?  
> I would like to run my class from the IDE.
> 
> Thanks,  
> Doug

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**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 8:44pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-test-a-ruby-class/65519/2 "2006-02-10T20:44:41Z")

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On Feb 10, 2006, at 2:08 PM, removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid wrote:

> > Hi: I just installed Ruby and have FreeRIDE open. In Ruby, is  
> > there a  
> > method comparable to the “main” method in java that will run the  
> > class for  
> > testing?  
> > I would like to run my class from the IDE.

An alternative to ad-hoc testing in an IDE or via the command line is  
using independent, repeatable tests, i.e., unit testing. Mike C.  
has a good, brief introduction to unit tests as learning tests here:  
[http://www.clarkware.com/cgi/blosxom/2005/03/18](http://www.clarkware.com/cgi/blosxom/2005/03/18). Also, you can find  
the docs for Test::Unit, Ruby’s built-in unit testing framework,  
here: [http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/test/unit/rdoc/classes/](http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/test/unit/rdoc/classes/)  
Test/Unit.html.

Regards,  
Craig

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**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-test-a-ruby-class/65519/3 "2006-02-10T20:47:26Z")

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DÅ?a Piatok 10 Február 2006 20:08 removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid napísal:

> > Hi: I just installed Ruby and have FreeRIDE open. In Ruby, is there a  
> > method comparable to the “main” method in java that will run the class  
> > for testing?  
> > I would like to run my class from the IDE.
> > 
> > Thanks,  
> > Doug

My two cents follow: I can’t stand the very sight of people making a  
script or  
class executable for the sake of testing - main() methods and the like  
are  
supposed to execute a standalone program, and that’s that. If you want  
to  
test, then do it properly, create a separate hierarchy of files with  
unit  
tests. It’s just as easy, if not easier to write, and you don’t clutter  
your  
business logic with test code.

David V.