Test Django REST framework API response with nested resources - django

Question

I'm writing an REST APIs for items and the menu endpoint is returning a JSON with items groups inside it the items inside the items any extra the user can add to the item.
serializers.py
====================
class ItemExtraSerializer(serializers.HyperlinkedModelSerializer):
class Meta:
model = ItemExtra
fields = ('id', 'name', 'price')
class ItemSerializer(serializers.HyperlinkedModelSerializer):
extras = ItemExtraSerializer(many=True, read_only=True)
class Meta:
model = Item
fields = ('id', 'url', 'name', 'description', 'image', 'code', 'price', 'extras')
class ItemGroupSerializer(serializers.HyperlinkedModelSerializer):
items = ItemSerializer(many=True, read_only=True)
class Meta:
model = ItemGroup
fields = ('id', 'url', 'name', 'items')
views.py
=========================
class MenuView(ListAPIView):
serializer_class = ItemGroupSerializer
def get_queryset(self):
"""
Return the items inside their groups for search query
Filtering is one Group name and Item name
:return:
"""
queryset = ItemGroup.objects.all()
search_terms = self.request.query_params.get('q', None)
if search_terms:
queryset = Item.objects.search(search_terms)
return queryset
tests.py
========================
class ItemTestCases(APITestCase):
def setUp(self):
self.sandwich_group, created = ItemGroup.objects.get_or_create(name='Sandwiches')
self.meal_group, created = ItemGroup.objects.get_or_create(name='Meals')
self.shawarma_sandwich, created = Item.objects.get_or_create(name='Shawarma Sandwich',
description='Meat Shawarma Sandwich',
price=1.250,
code='SW-01',
group=self.sandwich_group)
self.burger_sandwich, created = Item.objects.get_or_create(name='Cheese Burger',
description='Single cheese burger Sandwich',
price=1.000,
code='SW-02',
group=self.sandwich_group)
self.burger_sandwich_extra, created = ItemExtra.objects.get_or_create(name='Extra cheese',
price=0.100,
item=self.burger_sandwich)
self.sharawma_meal, created = Item.objects.get_or_create(name='Shawarma Meal',
description='Shawarma Sandwich with fries and drink',
price=2.000,
code='ME-01',
group=self.meal_group)
self.burger_meal, created = Item.objects.get_or_create(name='Burger Meal',
description='Single cheese burger Sandwich',
price=2.250,
code='ME-02',
group=self.meal_group)
self.cheese_meal_extra, created = ItemExtra.objects.get_or_create(name='Extra cheese',
price=0.100,
item=self.burger_meal)
self.factory = APIRequestFactory()
def test_menu_GET_request(self):
item_list = reverse('menu')
response = self.client.get(item_list)
self.assertEqual(response.status_code, status.HTTP_200_OK)
groups = ItemGroup.objects.all()
expected = ItemGroupSerializer(groups)
self.assertContains(response, expected.data)
The output of the test is:
AssertionError: HyperlinkedIdentityField requires the request in the serializer context. Add context={'request': request} when instantiating the serializer.
How to render the serlizer to JSON in order to compare it with the API endpoint JSON?
Update 1:
I figure it out but I think there is a cleaner solution
I've created helper function
def render_many_serializer_as_json(serializer, request, instance):
serializer_data = serializer(instance=instance, many=True, context={'request': request}).data
return JSONRenderer().render(serializer_data)
And rewrite my test
def test_menu_GET_request(self):
item_list = reverse('menu')
request = self.factory.get(item_list, format='json')
response = self.client.get(item_list)
groups = ItemGroup.objects.all()
expected = render_many_serializer_as_json(ItemGroupSerializer, request, groups)
self.assertEqual(response.content, expected)

Answer 1

Why do something complex ?
Just explicitly write down the expected JSON output:
expected = {
'id': 1,
'name': ...,
...,
'items': [{
'id': ..,
'url': ...,
}]
}