Speedup RSpec + Test::Unit + Cucumber by running parallel on multiple CPUs.

Setup

sudo gem install parallel
script/plugin install git://github.com/grosser/parallel_specs.git

1: Add to config/database.yml

test:
  database: xxx_test<%= ENV['TEST_ENV_NUMBER'] %>

2: Create additional database(s)

script/db_console
create database xxx_test2;
...

3: Copy development schema (repeat after migrations)

rake parallel:prepare

4: Run!

rake parallel:spec          # RSpec
rake parallel:test          # Test::Unit
rake parallel:features      # Cucumber

rake parallel:spec[1] --> force 1 CPU --> 86 seconds
rake parallel:spec    --> got 2 CPUs? --> 47 seconds
rake parallel:spec    --> got 4 CPUs? --> 26 seconds
...

Test just a subfolder (e.g. use one integration server per subfolder)

rake parallel:spec[models]
rake parallel:test[something/else]

partial paths are OK too...
rake parallel:test[functional] == rake parallel:test[fun]

Example output

2 processes for 210 specs, ~ 105 specs per process
... test output ...

Results:
877 examples, 0 failures, 11 pending
843 examples, 0 failures, 1 pending

Took 29.925333 seconds

Even process runtimes (for specs only atm)

Add to your spec/spec.opts :

--format ParallelSpecs::SpecRuntimeLogger:tmp/prallel_profile.log

It will log test runtime and partition the test-load accordingly.

TIPS

• if something looks fishy try to delete script/spec
• if script/spec is missing parallel:spec uses just spec (which solves some issues with double-loaded environment.rb)
• 'script/spec_server' or spork do not work in parallel
• ./script/generate rspec if you are running rspec from gems (this plugin uses script/spec which may fail if rspec files are outdated)
• with zsh this would be rake "parallel:prepare[3]"

TODO

• disable --drb for parallel running, so it works while e.g. spork is running
• make spec runtime recording/evaluating work with sub-folders
• add gem + cli interface parallel_specs + parallel_tests + parallel_features -> non-rails projects
• build parallel:bootstrap idea/basics
• make jRuby compatible basics
• make windows compatible (does anyone care ?)

Authors

inspired by pivotal labs

Contributors (alphabetical)

• Charles Finkel -- charles.finkel<$at$>gmail.com
• Jason Morrison -- jason.p.morrison<$at$>gmail.com
• Joakim Kolsjö -- joakim.kolsjo<$at$>gmail.com
• Maksim Horbu -- likonar<$at$>gmail.com
• Kpumuk -- kpumuk<$at$>kpumuk.info
• Tchandy -- tchandy<$at$>gmail.com

Michael Grosser
grosser.michael@gmail.com
Hereby placed under public domain, do what you want, just do not hold me accountable...