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Overview

Bubble Tea applications are highly testable thanks to their functional architecture. The framework provides options for mocking input/output and controlling the test environment.

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Test Program Options

Bubble Tea provides several options for creating testable programs:

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WithInput

Mock keyboard input:
options.go:36-45
import "bytes"

func TestApp(t *testing.T) {
    var buf bytes.Buffer
    var in bytes.Buffer
    
    // Simulate typing "q" to quit
    in.Write([]byte("q"))
    
    p := tea.NewProgram(model{},
        tea.WithInput(&in),
        tea.WithOutput(&buf),
    )
}

​
WithOutput

Capture program output:
options.go:28-34
import "bytes"

func TestApp(t *testing.T) {
    var buf bytes.Buffer
    
    p := tea.NewProgram(model{},
        tea.WithOutput(&buf),
    )
    
    if _, err := p.Run(); err != nil {
        t.Fatal(err)
    }
    
    output := buf.String()
    if !strings.Contains(output, "expected text") {
        t.Errorf("expected output to contain 'expected text', got: %s", output)
    }
}

​
WithoutRenderer

Disable the renderer for simpler testing:
options.go:98-102
func TestLogic(t *testing.T) {
    p := tea.NewProgram(model{},
        tea.WithoutRenderer(),
    )
    
    // Output is sent directly without rendering
}

​
WithWindowSize

Set initial window dimensions:
options.go:159-168
func TestResponsiveLayout(t *testing.T) {
    p := tea.NewProgram(model{},
        tea.WithWindowSize(80, 24),
    )
    
    // Program starts with 80x24 terminal
}

​
WithContext

Control program lifecycle with context:
options.go:19-26
import "context"

func TestTimeout(t *testing.T) {
    ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 3*time.Second)
    defer cancel()
    
    p := tea.NewProgram(&testModel{},
        tea.WithContext(ctx),
    )
    
    if _, err := p.Run(); err != nil {
        t.Fatal(err)
    }
}

​
Complete Test Example

Here’s a full test from the Bubble Tea source:
tea_test.go:68-88
func TestTeaModel(t *testing.T) {
    var buf bytes.Buffer
    var in bytes.Buffer
    in.Write([]byte("q"))

    ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(t.Context(), 3*time.Second)
    defer cancel()

    p := NewProgram(&testModel{},
        WithContext(ctx),
        WithInput(&in),
        WithOutput(&buf),
    )
    if _, err := p.Run(); err != nil {
        t.Fatal(err)
    }

    if buf.Len() == 0 {
        t.Fatal("no output")
    }
}

​
Testing Update Logic

Test your Update method in isolation: 
func TestUpdate(t *testing.T) {
    m := model{counter: 0}
    
    // Test key press
    newModel, cmd := m.Update(tea.KeyPressMsg{
        Code: tea.KeyEnter,
    })
    
    m = newModel.(model)
    if m.counter != 1 {
        t.Errorf("expected counter=1, got %d", m.counter)
    }
    
    if cmd == nil {
        t.Error("expected command to be returned")
    }
}

​
Testing View Output

Test View rendering: 
func TestView(t *testing.T) {
    m := model{
        items: []string{"Item 1", "Item 2"},
        cursor: 0,
    }
    
    view := m.View()
    output := view.String()
    
    if !strings.Contains(output, "Item 1") {
        t.Error("expected view to contain 'Item 1'")
    }
    
    if !strings.Contains(output, "Item 2") {
        t.Error("expected view to contain 'Item 2'")
    }
}

​
Testing Commands

Test command execution: 
func TestCommand(t *testing.T) {
    // Execute command
    msg := fetchData()
    
    // Check result
    switch msg := msg.(type) {
    case dataMsg:
        if len(msg.items) == 0 {
            t.Error("expected data to be loaded")
        }
    case errMsg:
        t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", msg)
    default:
        t.Errorf("unexpected message type: %T", msg)
    }
}

​
Testing with Mock Data

type mockHTTPClient struct {
    response *http.Response
    err      error
}

func (m *mockHTTPClient) Get(url string) (*http.Response, error) {
    return m.response, m.err
}

func TestHTTPCommand(t *testing.T) {
    // Create mock response
    mock := &mockHTTPClient{
        response: &http.Response{
            StatusCode: 200,
            Body:       io.NopCloser(strings.NewReader(`{"status":"ok"}`)),
        },
    }
    
    // Test command with mock
    msg := fetchWithClient(mock)
    
    switch msg := msg.(type) {
    case successMsg:
        if msg.status != "ok" {
            t.Errorf("expected status=ok, got %s", msg.status)
        }
    default:
        t.Errorf("unexpected message type: %T", msg)
    }
}

​
Table-Driven Tests

func TestKeyHandling(t *testing.T) {
    tests := []struct {
        name     string
        key      string
        expected model
    }{
        {
            name: "arrow up",
            key:  "up",
            expected: model{cursor: 0},
        },
        {
            name: "arrow down",
            key:  "down",
            expected: model{cursor: 1},
        },
        {
            name: "enter key",
            key:  "enter",
            expected: model{selected: true},
        },
    }
    
    for _, tt := range tests {
        t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
            m := model{cursor: 0}
            
            msg := tea.KeyPressMsg{}
            // Set key...
            
            newModel, _ := m.Update(msg)
            result := newModel.(model)
            
            if result.cursor != tt.expected.cursor {
                t.Errorf("expected cursor=%d, got %d", 
                    tt.expected.cursor, result.cursor)
            }
        })
    }
}

​
Testing with Specific Color Profiles

Test how your app looks with different color support: 
import "github.com/charmbracelet/colorprofile"

func TestWithAscii(t *testing.T) {
    var buf bytes.Buffer
    
    p := tea.NewProgram(model{},
        tea.WithOutput(&buf),
        tea.WithColorProfile(colorprofile.Ascii),
    )
    
    if _, err := p.Run(); err != nil {
        t.Fatal(err)
    }
    
    // Output should not contain ANSI codes
    output := buf.String()
    if strings.Contains(output, "\x1b[") {
        t.Error("expected no ANSI codes in Ascii mode")
    }
}

func TestWithTrueColor(t *testing.T) {
    p := tea.NewProgram(model{},
        tea.WithColorProfile(colorprofile.TrueColor),
    )
    
    // Test with full color support
}

​
Testing Message Flow

func TestMessageSequence(t *testing.T) {
    m := model{}
    var receivedMsgs []tea.Msg
    
    // Simulate message sequence
    messages := []tea.Msg{
        tea.KeyPressMsg{Code: tea.KeyEnter},
        statusMsg(200),
        dataMsg{items: []string{"item"}},
    }
    
    for _, msg := range messages {
        var cmd tea.Cmd
        m, cmd = m.Update(msg)
        receivedMsgs = append(receivedMsgs, msg)
        
        // Execute command if returned
        if cmd != nil {
            resultMsg := cmd()
            receivedMsgs = append(receivedMsgs, resultMsg)
        }
    }
    
    // Verify final state
    if len(m.(model).items) != 1 {
        t.Errorf("expected 1 item, got %d", len(m.(model).items))
    }
}

​
Testing Init

func TestInit(t *testing.T) {
    m := model{}
    cmd := m.Init()
    
    if cmd == nil {
        t.Error("expected Init to return a command")
    }
    
    // Execute the command
    msg := cmd()
    
    // Verify the message type
    if _, ok := msg.(tickMsg); !ok {
        t.Errorf("expected tickMsg, got %T", msg)
    }
}

​
Disable Input for Tests

Disable input entirely:
options.go:36-45
func TestWithoutInput(t *testing.T) {
    p := tea.NewProgram(model{},
        tea.WithInput(nil),
    )
    
    // No input will be processed
}

​
Integration Tests

Test the full program flow: 
func TestFullProgram(t *testing.T) {
    var buf bytes.Buffer
    var in bytes.Buffer
    
    // Simulate user interaction
    in.WriteString("down\n")  // Move cursor down
    in.WriteString("down\n")  // Move cursor down again
    in.WriteString(" ")       // Select item
    in.WriteString("q")       // Quit
    
    ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
    defer cancel()
    
    p := tea.NewProgram(initialModel(),
        tea.WithContext(ctx),
        tea.WithInput(&in),
        tea.WithOutput(&buf),
    )
    
    finalModel, err := p.Run()
    if err != nil {
        t.Fatal(err)
    }
    
    m := finalModel.(model)
    if m.cursor != 2 {
        t.Errorf("expected cursor at position 2, got %d", m.cursor)
    }
    
    if !m.selected[2] {
        t.Error("expected item 2 to be selected")
    }
}

​
Best Practices

Your Update function is pure - test it directly without running the full program:
func TestUpdate(t *testing.T) {
    m := model{}
    m, cmd := m.Update(tea.KeyPressMsg{Code: tea.KeyEnter})
    // Assert expectations
}
Create interfaces for external services:
type HTTPClient interface {
    Get(url string) (*http.Response, error)
}

// Use mock in tests
func TestWithMock(t *testing.T) {
    mock := &mockHTTPClient{...}
    // Test with mock
}
Always use context.WithTimeout in tests to prevent hanging:
tea_test.go:73-74
ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(t.Context(), 3*time.Second)
defer cancel()
Commands are just functions - test them directly:
func TestFetchData(t *testing.T) {
    msg := fetchData()
    // Verify message
}
Test multiple scenarios efficiently:
tests := []struct{
    name string
    input tea.Msg
    expected model
}{
    // Test cases...
}
for _, tt := range tests {
    t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
        // Test logic
    })
}

​
Test Utilities

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Helper Functions

// Helper to create test program
func newTestProgram(t *testing.T, m tea.Model) (*tea.Program, *bytes.Buffer) {
    var buf bytes.Buffer
    var in bytes.Buffer
    
    p := tea.NewProgram(m,
        tea.WithInput(&in),
        tea.WithOutput(&buf),
        tea.WithoutRenderer(),
    )
    
    return p, &buf
}

// Helper to simulate key press
func pressKey(t *testing.T, m tea.Model, key string) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
    msg := tea.KeyPressMsg{}
    // Configure msg based on key string
    return m.Update(msg)
}

​
Golden Files

Compare output against golden files: 
func TestViewGolden(t *testing.T) {
    m := model{items: []string{"Item 1", "Item 2"}}
    view := m.View()
    got := view.String()
    
    golden := filepath.Join("testdata", "view.golden")
    
    if *update {
        os.WriteFile(golden, []byte(got), 0644)
    }
    
    want, err := os.ReadFile(golden)
    if err != nil {
        t.Fatal(err)
    }
    
    if got != string(want) {
        t.Errorf("output mismatch\ngot:\n%s\nwant:\n%s", got, want)
    }
}

​
Common Pitfalls

Race Conditions: Never access model from goroutines. Always send messages:
// Bad: Race condition
go func() {
    m.data = fetch()  // Don't do this!
}()

// Good: Send message
go func() {
    p.Send(dataMsg{data: fetch()})
}()
Blocking Commands: Commands that block forever will hang tests. Always use timeouts:
ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
defer cancel()

p := tea.NewProgram(m, tea.WithContext(ctx))

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