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react-testing-library VS Vitest

Compare react-testing-library VS Vitest and see what are their differences

react-testing-library logo react-testing-library

[`React Testing Library`][gh] builds on top of `DOM Testing Library` by adding

Vitest logo Vitest

A blazing fast unit test framework powered by Vite
  • react-testing-library Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-08-21
  • Vitest Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-30

react-testing-library features and specs

  • Focused on user-centric testing
    React Testing Library encourages tests that closely resemble how users interact with an application. This approach makes tests more reliable and meaningful.
  • Reduces coupling to implementation details
    By encouraging developers to interact with components via the DOM, the library minimizes dependencies on component internals, making tests less prone to breaking from refactors.
  • Improved test readability
    Tests written with React Testing Library are generally easier to read and understand because they focus on what the user sees and does, rather than the internal logic of the components.
  • Comprehensive query options
    The library provides a wide range of query methods (e.g., getByText, getByRole), which makes it easy to select elements in ways that resemble how users think.
  • Active community and well-maintained
    React Testing Library has a strong, active community and it's maintained by experienced developers who keep the library up-to-date with React's evolution.

Possible disadvantages of react-testing-library

  • Limited support for non-DOM testing
    The library is heavily focused on DOM interactions, making it less suited for testing non-DOM logic or scenarios that don't involve user interactions.
  • Can be slower
    Tests that involve the DOM can be slower compared to tests that interact directly with component methods and state, which can lead to longer test execution times.
  • Learning curve for traditional testers
    Developers who are used to testing implementation details with other tools (like Enzyme) might find it challenging to adjust to the user-centric approach advocated by React Testing Library.
  • Potential for less granular control
    Because the library encourages testing through the UI, developers might find it harder to test specific, isolated internal behaviors of components that aren't directly visible to users.
  • Dependencies on browser APIs
    The library's reliance on browser APIs means that tests may behave differently in different environments or may require polyfills for certain features, leading to potential inconsistencies.

Vitest features and specs

  • Performance
    Vitest is known for its fast performance due to its deep integration with Vite, enabling it to leverage Hot Module Replacement and other optimizations.
  • Ease of Use
    Vitest has an easy-to-understand syntax and setup, which makes it straightforward for developers to write and maintain tests.
  • TypeScript Support
    It has excellent TypeScript support, allowing developers to write tests in TypeScript without additional configuration.
  • Modern Features
    Vitest supports modern testing features like parallel test execution, snapshot testing, and mock capabilities, which are typically needed in contemporary web development.
  • Seamless Vite Integration
    As a companion tool to Vite, it integrates seamlessly, making it a natural choice for developers already using Vite in their projects.

Possible disadvantages of Vitest

  • Limited Ecosystem
    Compared to more established testing frameworks like Jest, Vitest has a smaller ecosystem, which might limit the availability of plugins and community support.
  • Young Project
    As a relatively new tool in the testing landscape, Vitest may have less documentation, fewer tutorials, and potential undiscovered bugs compared to more mature solutions.
  • Compatibility
    While Vitest is designed with modern apps in mind, it may face compatibility issues with some legacy applications or libraries not optimized for Vite.
  • Learning Curve for Non-Vite Users
    Developers who are not familiar with Vite may face an additional learning curve as Vitest leverages many concepts from Vite.

react-testing-library videos

React unit testing with Jest & React-testing-library

More videos:

  • Review - Test a React Component that renders a list with react-testing-library

Vitest videos

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to react-testing-library and Vitest)
Developer Tools
67 67%
33% 33
Dev Ops
0 0%
100% 100
Automated Testing
63 63%
37% 37
Javascript UI Libraries
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, react-testing-library should be more popular than Vitest. It has been mentiond 133 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

react-testing-library mentions (133)

  • Migrating from AngularJS to React
    Additionally, I wrote Jest and Enzyme unit tests to demonstrate how to go about unit testing the components, as test driven development (TDD) is another methodology my organization subscribes to. Jest is a unit testing framework that actually shipped with React if you use the Create React App CLI to make a new React project. And at the time, Enzyme was created by Airbnb and added additional functionality to Jest... - Source: dev.to / 29 days ago
  • How To Convert HTML CSS JS To React JS
    After converting your components, take some time to test your application. Make sure everything is working as expected. React’s development server automatically reloads your application whenever you save changes, which makes testing a lot easier. Tools like Jest and React Testing Library are also available to help you write tests for your components. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • How To Write Unit Test Cases In React JS
    React Testing Library: For testing React components from a user’s point of view, visit the React Testing Library documentation. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Top 20 Modern React Libraries To Supercharge Your Next Big Project
    Resource: React Testing Library Documentation. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Next.js Testing Guide: Unit and E2E Tests with Vitest & Playwright
    In this article, you will write unit tests in Next.js client components and synchronous server components using Vitest and React Testing Library, and you will write end-to-end tests for your async server components using Playwright. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
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Vitest mentions (72)

  • 🚀PushForge: Modern Web Push Notifications Made Simple🚀
    Comprehensive test coverage using Vitest:. - Source: dev.to / 9 days ago
  • Writing an LLM Eval with Vercel's AI SDK and Vitest
    To make sure that Xata Agent still works well after modifying a prompt or switching LLM models we decided to test it with an Eval. Here, we'll explain how we used Vercel's AI SDK and Vitest to build an Eval in TypeScript. - Source: dev.to / 29 days ago
  • Initial Setup for a React + Hono Project
    Install Vitest and related packages:. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Starting a Modern Angular Application
    For unit tests, I recommend Vitest. If you prefer something else — pick a tool that runs tests in a real browser (headless). That makes a huge difference. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Matanuska ADR 017 - Vitest, Vite, Grabthar, Oh My!
    I began searching for a new test framework, and at the recommendation of Nuck, I gave Vitest a shot. It's by the developers of Vite, which I loved. I don't do a lot of frontend development, but when I do, Vite is often my choice. Unlike many other solutions to frontend builds I've tried in the past, Vite "just works" and involves minimal baggage (looking at you, Angular). - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing react-testing-library and Vitest, you can also consider the following products

Enzyme - Enzyme is a JavaScript testing utility for React.

Vite - Next Generation Frontend Tooling

Jest - Jest is a delightful JavaScript Testing Framework with a focus on simplicity.

Playwright - Playwright is automation software for Chromium, Firefox, Webkit using the Node.js library having a single API in place.

EyeJS - A JavaScript testing framework for the real world.

Storybook - Storybook is an open source tool for developing UI components in isolation for React, Vue, and Angular. It makes building stunning UIs organized and efficient.