Python Unit vs. Functional Testing: Understanding the Difference + Practical Example

In this video, we explore the difference between unit and functional testing, using the Git Stats project, hosted on our PyBites Open Source org.

Unit testing involves testing individual components in isolation, such as functions or class modules, while functional testing focuses on testing the functionality of the system as a whole and how different components interact.

We demonstrate running both unit tests and functional tests on our Git Stats project, showcasing the significant speed difference between the two.

To effectively organize and run tests, we recommend using separate folders (packages) for unit and functional tests, allowing developers to easily isolate and execute specific sets of tests (e.g. using pytest -k).

We hope this video helps you distinguish better between these two types of testing and gives you an idea how you can structure your code better. As unit testing often involves mocking, we can do a follow up video on that, or anything you want a deep dive on. Just comment below ...

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