How to change mock implementation on a per single test basis [Jestjs]

Question

I'd like to change the implementation of a mocked dependency on a per single test basis by extending the default mock's behaviour and reverting it back to the original implementation when the next test executes.

More briefly this is what I'm trying to achieve:

1. mock dependency
2. change/extend mock implementation in a single test
3. revert back to original mock when next test executes

I'm currently using Jest v21.

Here is what a typical Jest test would look like:

__mocks__/myModule.js

const myMockedModule = jest.genMockFromModule('../myModule');

myMockedModule.a = jest.fn(() => true);
myMockedModule.b = jest.fn(() => true);

export default myMockedModule;

__tests__/myTest.js

import myMockedModule from '../myModule';

// Mock myModule
jest.mock('../myModule');

beforeEach(() => {
  jest.clearAllMocks();
});

describe('MyTest', () => {
  it('should test with default mock', () => {
    myMockedModule.a(); // === true
    myMockedModule.b(); // === true
  });

  it('should override myMockedModule.b mock result (and leave the other methods untouched)', () => {
    // Extend change mock
    myMockedModule.a(); // === true
    myMockedModule.b(); // === 'overridden'
    // Restore mock to original implementation with no side effects
  });

  it('should revert back to default myMockedModule mock', () => {
    myMockedModule.a(); // === true
    myMockedModule.b(); // === true
  });
});

Here is what I've tried so far:

---

1 - mockFn.mockImplementationOnce(fn)

pros

• Reverts back to original implementation after first call

cons

• It breaks if the test calls b multiple times
• It doesn't revert to original implementation until b is not called (leaking out in the next test)

code:

it('should override myModule.b mock result (and leave the other methods untouched)', () => {

  myMockedModule.b.mockImplementationOnce(() => 'overridden');

  myModule.a(); // === true
  myModule.b(); // === 'overridden'
});

---

2 - jest.doMock(moduleName, factory, options)

pros

• Explicitly re-mocks on every test

cons

• Cannot define default mock implementation for all tests
• Cannot extend default implementation forcing to re-declare each mocked method

code:

it('should override myModule.b mock result (and leave the other methods untouched)', () => {

  jest.doMock('../myModule', () => {
    return {
      a: jest.fn(() => true,
      b: jest.fn(() => 'overridden',
    }
  });

  myModule.a(); // === true
  myModule.b(); // === 'overridden'
});

---

3 - Manual mocking with setter methods (as explained here)

pros

• Full control over mocked results

cons

• Lot of boilerplate code
• Hard to maintain on long term

code:

__mocks__/myModule.js

const myMockedModule = jest.genMockFromModule('../myModule');

let a = true;
let b = true;

myMockedModule.a = jest.fn(() => a);
myMockedModule.b = jest.fn(() => b);

myMockedModule.__setA = (value) => { a = value };
myMockedModule.__setB = (value) => { b = value };
myMockedModule.__reset = () => {
  a = true;
  b = true;
};
export default myMockedModule;

__tests__/myTest.js

it('should override myModule.b mock result (and leave the other methods untouched)', () => {
  myModule.__setB('overridden');

  myModule.a(); // === true
  myModule.b(); // === 'overridden'

  myModule.__reset();
});

---

4 - jest.spyOn(object, methodName)

cons

• I can't revert back mockImplementation to the original mocked return value, therefore affecting the next tests

code:

beforeEach(() => {
  jest.clearAllMocks();
  jest.restoreAllMocks();
});

// Mock myModule
jest.mock('../myModule');

it('should override myModule.b mock result (and leave the other methods untouched)', () => {

  const spy = jest.spyOn(myMockedModule, 'b').mockImplementation(() => 'overridden');

  myMockedModule.a(); // === true
  myMockedModule.b(); // === 'overridden'

  // How to get back to original mocked value?
});

Answer 1

A nice pattern for writing test is to create a setup factory function that returns the data you need for testing the current module.

Below is some sample code following your second example although allows the provision of default and override values in a reusable way.

const spyReturns = returnValue => jest.fn(() => returnValue);

describe("scenario", () => {
  const setup = (mockOverrides) => {
    const mockedFunctions =  {
      a: spyReturns(true),
      b: spyReturns(true),
      ...mockOverrides
    }
    return {
      mockedModule: jest.doMock('../myModule', () => mockedFunctions)
    }
  }

  it("should return true for module a", () => {
    const { mockedModule } = setup();
    expect(mockedModule.a()).toEqual(true)
  });

  it("should return override for module a", () => {
    const EXPECTED_VALUE = "override"
    const { mockedModule } = setup({ a: spyReturns(EXPECTED_VALUE)});
    expect(mockedModule.a()).toEqual(EXPECTED_VALUE)
  });
});