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Using the --pattern option

Use the pattern option to configure RSpec to look for specs in files that match a pattern instead of the default "**/*_spec.rb".

RSpec.configure { |c| c.pattern = '**/*.spec' }

Rather than using require 'spec_helper' at the top of each spec file, ensure that you have --require spec_helper in .rspec. That will always load before the pattern is resolved. With the pattern thus configured, only those spec files that match the pattern will then be loaded.

Background​

Given a file named "spec/example_spec.rb" with:

RSpec.describe "two specs" do
  it "passes" do
  end

  it "passes too" do
  end
end

Override the default pattern in configuration​

Given a file named "spec/spec_helper.rb" with:

RSpec.configure do |config|
  config.pattern = '**/*.spec'
end

And a file named "spec/one_example.spec" with:

RSpec.describe "something" do
  it "passes" do
  end
end

When I run rspec -rspec_helper

Then the output should contain "1 example, 0 failures".

Append to the default pattern in configuration​

Given a file named "spec/spec_helper.rb" with:

RSpec.configure do |config|
  config.pattern += ',**/*.spec'
end

And a file named "spec/two_examples.spec" with:

RSpec.describe "something" do
  it "passes" do
  end

  it "passes again" do
  end
end

When I run rspec -rspec_helper

Then the output should contain "4 examples, 0 failures".