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For a new Angular CLI project, the current documented default is Vitest with jsdom; run ng test to start tests in watch mode. Choose the test boundary to match the behavior: test plain logic directly, use Angular’s TestBed for dependency injection and providers, test components through the DOM when templates or user interaction matter, and use browser mode when actual browser APIs or rendering are part of the requirement.
Which kind of Angular test should you write?
Start with the narrowest test that can verify the behavior. The practical trade-off is how much of Angular and the browser the test exercises—not a documented speed ranking.
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| Test boundary | What it exercises | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Plain class or function | Isolated logic, without Angular’s dependency injection or a rendered template | The behavior can be checked without Angular services, providers, or DOM interaction. |
| Service configured with TestBed | Angular’s testing environment and dependency injection | The service relies on injected dependencies or configured providers. Test substitutes can replace dependencies, and Angular’s testing utilities can help control HTTP responses. |
| Component DOM test | The component class working with its template in a DOM environment | Rendering, input, or interaction affects the behavior you need to verify. Angular describes the component as the template and class working together; a class-only test does not establish that they work together. |
| Browser-mode test | Execution in a browser through a configured provider | The behavior depends on browser-specific APIs, actual rendering, or browser debugging. |
How do you test Angular services?
Use Angular’s service-testing guidance when a service’s behavior depends on Angular injection or providers. TestBed configures an isolated testing environment and lets a test retrieve injected services. Configure substitute dependencies when you want to control what collaborators do, rather than relying on their real behavior.
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How should you test components?
A component is more than its class: its template and class work together. Use a DOM test when the question is whether rendered content, user input, or interactions behave correctly. A test that instantiates or calls the class alone can still be useful for logic that does not depend on the DOM, but it cannot verify the template’s behavior.
For setup and component-testing scenarios, see Angular’s component-testing basics and its linked testing scenarios. Use the DOM boundary when a defect could arise from the connection between template and class, rather than assuming a class-level assertion covers that connection.
What test runner does Angular use?
Angular’s current testing overview says new Angular CLI projects use Vitest with jsdom by default. In that setup, ng test builds in watch mode and launches the test runner. jsdom supplies a simulated DOM; it is not the same as testing in an actual browser.
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This default applies to new CLI projects described by the current guide, not automatically to every Angular application. Existing projects may have a different runner or configuration. Check the project’s CLI version and test setup before copying commands or changing its runner.
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Karma with Jasmine remains supported. If an existing project uses Karma, keep using its configured setup or follow Angular’s migration guidance; do not assume that a new-project default has already been applied to it.
When should tests run in a real browser?
Use browser mode when the result depends on browser-specific APIs, rendering fidelity, or browser debugging. Angular’s overview documents Playwright and WebdriverIO providers, which must be installed and configured. For many tests, the default jsdom environment may be sufficient; browser mode adds an actual-browser boundary when the behavior calls for it.
Choosing browser mode is about what the test needs to represent, not a general claim that one environment is better. A service’s isolated logic usually does not require a browser; a test of browser-dependent rendering may.
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- Start the configured test runner: run
ng testfrom the Angular project. In the current new-project setup documented by Angular, this runs in watch mode. - Generate coverage: run
ng test --coverage. Angular’s overview says the coverage report is produced in thecoverage/directory. - Run a non-interactive single pass: set the
CIenvironment variable totruefor the standard command, or useng test --no-watch --no-progresswhen you need to disable watch mode and progress output explicitly.
Commands can depend on the project’s configured runner. In particular, Angular’s Karma guidance documents a Chrome Headless command for Karma-based CI; it is not a universal replacement for the test command in every Angular project.
How do you run Karma tests in CI?
For a project configured with Karma, Angular documents this CI command:
ng test --no-watch --no-progress --browsers=ChromeHeadlessUse it for the Karma setup it describes. A project using Vitest or another configuration should follow its own runner’s options rather than assuming Karma-specific browser flags apply.
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What should you check when a testing example does not fit your project?
- Confirm the Angular CLI version and the runner already configured in the project; the current new-project default may not match an older application.
- Check whether the behavior needs only isolated logic, Angular injection, a rendered DOM, or a real browser, then choose the corresponding boundary.
- Check the runner context of older examples. Angular notes that some utility API descriptions and examples still reflect Karma and Jasmine while being updated for Vitest, so runner-specific guidance may be needed.
- For CI, distinguish the general non-watch options from the Chrome Headless flag documented specifically for Karma.
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