User-defined metadata

You can attach user-defined metadata to any example group or example. Pass a hash as the last argument (before the block) to describe, context or it. RSpec supports many configuration options that apply only to certain examples or groups based on the metadata.

Metadata defined on an example group is available (and can be overridden) by any sub-group or from any example in that group or a sub-group.

In addition, you can specify metadata using just symbols. Each symbol passed as an argument to describe, context or it will be a key in the metadata hash, with a corresponding value of true.

Define group metadata using a hash

Given a file named "define_group_metadata_with_hash_spec.rb" with:

RSpec.describe "a group with user-defined metadata", :foo => 17 do
  it 'has access to the metadata in the example' do |example|
    expect(example.metadata[:foo]).to eq(17)
  end

  it 'does not have access to metadata defined on sub-groups' do |example|
    expect(example.metadata).not_to include(:bar)
  end

  describe 'a sub-group with user-defined metadata', :bar => 12 do
    it 'has access to the sub-group metadata' do |example|
      expect(example.metadata[:bar]).to eq(12)
    end

    it 'also has access to metadata defined on parent groups' do |example|
      expect(example.metadata[:foo]).to eq(17)
    end
  end
end

When I run rspec define_group_metadata_with_hash_spec.rb

Then the examples should all pass.

Define example metadata using a hash

Given a file named "define_example_metadata_with_hash_spec.rb" with:

RSpec.describe "a group with no user-defined metadata" do
  it 'has an example with metadata', :foo => 17 do |example|
    expect(example.metadata[:foo]).to eq(17)
    expect(example.metadata).not_to include(:bar)
  end

  it 'has another example with metadata', :bar => 12, :bazz => 33 do |example|
    expect(example.metadata[:bar]).to eq(12)
    expect(example.metadata[:bazz]).to eq(33)
    expect(example.metadata).not_to include(:foo)
  end
end

When I run rspec define_example_metadata_with_hash_spec.rb

Then the examples should all pass.

Override user-defined metadata

Given a file named "override_metadata_spec.rb" with:

RSpec.describe "a group with user-defined metadata", :foo => 'bar' do
  it 'can be overridden by an example', :foo => 'bazz' do |example|
    expect(example.metadata[:foo]).to eq('bazz')
  end

  describe "a sub-group with an override", :foo => 'goo' do
    it 'can be overridden by a sub-group' do |example|
      expect(example.metadata[:foo]).to eq('goo')
    end
  end
end

When I run rspec override_metadata_spec.rb

Then the examples should all pass.

Less verbose metadata

Given a file named "less_verbose_metadata_spec.rb" with:

RSpec.describe "a group with simple metadata", :fast, :simple, :bug => 73 do
  it 'has `:fast => true` metadata' do |example|
    expect(example.metadata[:fast]).to eq(true)
  end

  it 'has `:simple => true` metadata' do |example|
    expect(example.metadata[:simple]).to eq(true)
  end

  it 'can still use a hash for metadata' do |example|
    expect(example.metadata[:bug]).to eq(73)
  end

  it 'can define simple metadata on an example', :special do |example|
    expect(example.metadata[:special]).to eq(true)
  end
end

When I run rspec less_verbose_metadata_spec.rb

Then the examples should all pass.