# Bats-Core — Bash Automated Testing System

> Bats-Core is a TAP-compliant testing framework for Bash scripts, letting you write and run unit tests for shell code with familiar test syntax.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# Bats-Core — Bash Automated Testing System

## Quick Use
```bash
# Install via npm, Homebrew, or git clone
npm install -g bats

# Write a test file: test.bats
# @test "addition" { result="$(echo 2+2 | bc)"; [ "$result" -eq 4 ]; }

bats test.bats
```

## Introduction
Bats-Core is the community-maintained successor to the original Bats project. It provides a simple way to verify that shell scripts and command-line programs behave as expected, using a clean syntax that extends Bash with test annotations.

## What Bats-Core Does
- Runs test files written in a Bash-compatible syntax with @test annotations
- Outputs results in TAP (Test Anything Protocol) format for CI integration
- Supports setup and teardown functions at both file and test level
- Provides helper libraries for assertions, file operations, and output matching
- Executes tests in parallel for faster feedback on large test suites

## Architecture Overview
Each .bats file is preprocessed into a valid Bash script where @test blocks become functions. The Bats runner discovers test functions, executes each in a subshell for isolation, captures exit codes and output, then formats results as TAP. Helper libraries like bats-assert and bats-support are sourced into tests as needed.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via npm, Homebrew, or by cloning the repository
- Place test files with .bats extension in a test directory
- Load helper libraries with bats_load_library in setup functions
- Configure parallel execution with the --jobs flag
- Integrate with CI by parsing TAP output or using JUnit formatters

## Key Features
- Minimal syntax that feels natural to shell script authors
- Test isolation through subshell execution prevents side effects
- TAP and JUnit output formats for CI pipeline compatibility
- Extensible helper ecosystem for assertions and file checks
- Parallel test execution for large test suites

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **ShellCheck** — static analysis for shell scripts; Bats tests runtime behavior
- **shunit2** — xUnit-style shell testing; Bats uses a simpler annotation-based syntax
- **pytest** — Python testing framework; Bats is purpose-built for Bash and shell scripts
- **Bash itself** — manual test scripts with set -e; Bats adds structure and reporting
- **Make** — task runner that can run tests; Bats provides proper test isolation and output

## FAQ
**Q: Can Bats test non-Bash programs?**
A: Yes, any command-line program can be tested since Bats runs commands and checks exit codes and output.

**Q: How do I skip a test conditionally?**
A: Use the skip command inside a test block with an optional reason string.

**Q: Does it support test fixtures?**
A: Yes, setup and teardown functions run before and after each test. File-level setup_file and teardown_file run once per file.

**Q: Can I use it in CI/CD pipelines?**
A: Yes, Bats outputs TAP format by default and supports JUnit XML via the --formatter flag.

## Sources
- https://github.com/bats-core/bats-core
- https://bats-core.readthedocs.io

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-d7e8d9e0
Author: Script Depot