advanced~2h
Testing Decision Framework: Mocks, Slices, and Full Context
A direct comparison of the tools that often get reached for interchangeably but aren't: a raw Mockito mock versus Spring's @MockBean versus a real bean, and a thin test slice like @DataJpaTest versus a full @SpringBootTest versus Testcontainers — with a decision table and worked examples for picking the right one under real constraints.
Learning objectives
- Explain the mechanical difference between a plain Mockito @Mock and a Spring @MockBean
- Decide when a real bean beats mocking a collaborator entirely
- Choose correctly between @DataJpaTest, a full @SpringBootTest, and Testcontainers for a given scenario
- Apply the golden rule of starting at the cheapest layer that can prove what's actually in question
- Work through realistic scenarios and justify the testing approach for each one
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Testing Decision Framework: Mocks, Slices, and Full Context