What is ts-jest?
ts-jest is an npm package that allows users to run tests written in TypeScript directly, without having to precompile them to JavaScript. It is a Jest transformer with source map support that lets you use Jest to test projects written in TypeScript.
What are ts-jest's main functionalities?
TypeScript testing
This feature allows you to write Jest tests in TypeScript. The code sample demonstrates a simple test for a sum function.
import sum from './sum';
test('adds 1 + 2 to equal 3', () => {
expect(sum(1, 2)).toBe(3);
});
Source map support
Source map support for accurate stack traces in error messages, which is useful for debugging tests.
/* Source maps are automatically handled by ts-jest, so there's no specific code sample for this feature. It works under the hood to provide accurate stack traces in your tests. */
TypeScript configuration
Allows you to use your project's TypeScript configuration or specify a custom one for testing purposes.
/* ts-jest uses the tsconfig.json file in your project to understand how to compile your TypeScript code. You can also specify a different configuration file for ts-jest if needed. */
Coverage reports
Integrates with Jest's coverage reporting to include TypeScript files in coverage statistics.
/* To collect coverage, you can use Jest's built-in coverage collection feature with ts-jest. */
jest --coverage
Other packages similar to ts-jest
babel-jest
babel-jest is a Jest plugin that allows you to use Babel to transform your JavaScript code. It is similar to ts-jest but is focused on JavaScript with Babel transformations rather than TypeScript.
jest
Jest itself is a testing framework that can work with TypeScript when configured with the appropriate preprocessor (like ts-jest). It provides the overall testing framework that ts-jest plugs into.
mocha
Mocha is another testing framework that can be used with TypeScript when combined with a TypeScript compiler like ts-node. It is an alternative to Jest and thus to ts-jest, but it requires additional setup for working with TypeScript.
karma-typescript
karma-typescript is a Karma plugin that compiles and bundles TypeScript on the fly. It is similar to ts-jest in that it allows for testing TypeScript code, but it is designed to work within the Karma test runner ecosystem.