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Getting started

Requirements​

Mockolate generates its mocks with C# 14 extension members, so you need the .NET 10 SDK to build your tests. Your test projects can still target any supported framework: .NET Standard 2.0, .NET 8, .NET 10 or .NET Framework 4.8.

note

If your test project pins <LangVersion>, it must be 14 or later (or latest).

Install the package​

dotnet add package Mockolate

Mockolate works with every test framework (xUnit, NUnit, MSTest, TUnit, …). The package contains the source generator and the analyzers, so there is nothing else to configure.

Write your first test​

Suppose your code depends on a chocolate dispenser:

Production code
public interface IChocolateDispenser
{
    bool Dispense(string type, int amount);
}

public class VendingMachine(IChocolateDispenser dispenser)
{
    public string Buy(string type, int amount)
        => dispenser.Dispense(type, amount) ? "Enjoy!" : "Sold out";
}

To test VendingMachine without a real dispenser, create a mock of IChocolateDispenser, tell it how to behave, and check afterwards how it was used:

Test
using Mockolate;
using Mockolate.Verify;

// Arrange: create the mock and set up its behavior
IChocolateDispenser dispenser = IChocolateDispenser.CreateMock();
dispenser.Mock.Setup.Dispense("Dark", It.IsAny<int>()).Returns(true);
VendingMachine sut = new VendingMachine(dispenser);

// Act
string result = sut.Buy("Dark", 4);

// Assert: result is "Enjoy!", and the dispenser was called exactly once
dispenser.Mock.Verify.Dispense("Dark", 4).Once();
  • CreateMock() is generated for every type you mock, so IntelliSense shows it as soon as you type IChocolateDispenser..
  • Every mock has a Mock property that gives access to Setup, Verify and Raise.
  • It.IsAny<int>() is a parameter matcher. Plain values like "Dark" match by equality.
  • .Once() throws a MockVerificationException when the call count does not match. It lives in the Mockolate.Verify namespace.
tip

If you use aweXpect, the aweXpect.Mockolate extension lets you write verifications as awaitable expectations: await That(dispenser.Mock.Verify.Dispense("Dark", 4)).Once();.

Next steps​

  • Core concepts explains how mocks, setups and verifications fit together.
  • A complete example combines properties, indexers, events and methods in one test.
  • The cheat sheet lists the most common calls on one page.