Custom Modules

Catcher has a flexible modular system. If built-in modules functionality is not enough you can use your own modules.
Read How to write a test cheat sheet for more info about running and naming steps, registering and using variables.

Built-in

There are build in modules, shipped with catcher. You can learn about their usage in internal_modules.

Additional

There are additional catcher modules available in this repository: Catcher-Modules

External

Python module

Writing external scripts in Python is a bit easier. All you need is:

  1. Inherit from catcher.steps.external_step.ExternalStep()

  2. Use catcher.steps.step.update_variables() annotation on your action method implementation.

  3. Your function should return variables (from input) and output (optional). Do not modify variables inside function (it is bad practice)

  4. Include path/to/your/module to catcher: catcher -i intentory.yaml test.yaml -m my.python.package

You can use catcher.steps.external_step.ExternalStep.simple_input() to fill all templates.

hello.py example:

from catcher.steps.external_step import ExternalStep
from catcher.steps.step import update_variables


class HelloStep(ExternalStep):
    """
    Very important and useful step. Says hello to input. Return as a string.
    Example usage.
    ::
        hello:
            say: 'John Doe'
            register: {greeting='{{ OUTPUT }}'}

    """
    @update_variables
    def action(self, includes: dict, variables: dict) -> (dict, str):
        body = self.simple_input(variables)
        person = body['say']
        return variables, 'hello {}'.format(person)

Other languages - executable

You can easily write your own modules and plug them to catcher:

  1. write your module (it should be executable)

  2. use it in your test script

  3. tell catcher where it is

For example you’ve developed a math module:

#!/bin/bash
one=$(echo ${1} | jq -r '.add.the')
two=$(echo ${1} | jq -r '.add.to')
echo $((${one} + ${two}))

to sum the and to. Then in test script you will write:

---
variables:
  one: 1
  two: 2
steps:
    - math:
        add: {the: '{{ one }}', to: '{{ two }}'}
        register: {sum: '{{ OUTPUT }}'}
To run it just tell the Catcher where your script is:
catcher your_test.yaml -m path/to/your/module
Catcher will find your math module (by the step name) in path/to/your/module directory and call it with {“add”: {“the”: “1”,”to”: “2”}} argument. Your file’s stdout will be the step’s OUTPUT.

Other languages - compiled/VM

Catcher also supports not-executable (can’t be run as ./your_step) external steps. F.e. java files compiled in a Jar:

variables:
    person: 'John Doe'
steps:
    - MyClass.jar:
        say: '{{ person }}'
        register: {greeting: '{{ OUTPUT }}'}
    - check: {equals: {the: '{{ greeting.strip() }}', is: 'hello John Doe'}}

Catcher will run MyClass.jar (should be in resources directory) with local java (should be installed). In this case all arguments (like say in this example) will be passed as command-line arguments in JSON format (argv in main function on Java-side) while all variables will be accessible as environmental variables (System.getenv on Java-side).

To output any value stdout should be used. In case of Json you can access fields directly (f.e. OUTPUT.your_field). If Catcher fails to parse json - it will use the whole output as a plain text.

In case of java script based step Catcher will run nodeJs (should be installed)

In case of Java/Kotlin source code files - Catcher will compile them first (javac/kotlinc should be installed). It is extremely useful when you debug your step. Source code files should be placed in the root of resources folder. In case of multiple classes - Catcher will compile them all.

MyClass:

package jtest;

import jtest.OtherClass;

public class MyClass {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // works only with {"say": "<name>"}
        String name = args[0].split(":")[1].split("\"")[1];
        System.out.println(new OtherClass("hello " + name).arg);
    }
}

OtherClass:

package jtest;

public class OtherClass {

    public String arg;

    public OtherClass(String arg) {
        this.arg = arg;
    }
}

Test:

variables:
    person: 'John Doe'
steps:
    - MyClass.java:
        say: '{{ person }}'
        register: {greeting: '{{ OUTPUT }}'}
    - check: {equals: {the: '{{ greeting.strip() }}', is: 'hello John Doe'}}