How do I test database-related code with NUnit?

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NUnit now has a [Rollback] attribute, but I prefer to do it a different way. I use the TransactionScope class. There are a couple of ways to use it.

[Test]
public void YourTest() 
{
    using (TransactionScope scope = new TransactionScope())
    {
        // your test code here
    }
}

Since you didn’t tell the TransactionScope to commit it will rollback automatically. It works even if an assertion fails or some other exception is thrown.

The other way is to use the [SetUp] to create the TransactionScope and [TearDown] to call Dispose on it. It cuts out some code duplication, but accomplishes the same thing.

[TestFixture]
public class YourFixture
{
    private TransactionScope scope;

    [SetUp]
    public void SetUp()
    {
        scope = new TransactionScope();
    }

    [TearDown]
    public void TearDown()
    {
        scope.Dispose();
    }


    [Test]
    public void YourTest() 
    {
        // your test code here
    }
}

This is as safe as the using statement in an individual test because NUnit will guarantee that TearDown is called.

Having said all that I do think that tests that hit the database are not really unit tests. I still write them, but I think of them as integration tests. I still see them as providing value. One place I use them often is in testing LINQ to SQL code. I don’t use the designer. I hand write the DTO’s and attributes. I’ve been known to get it wrong. The integration tests help catch my mistake.

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