dotnet-test-frameworks

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Reference data for .NET test framework detection patterns, assertion APIs, skip annotations, setup/teardown methods, and common test smell indicators across MSTest, xUnit, NUnit, and TUnit. DO NOT USE directly — loaded by test analysis skills (test-anti-patterns, exp-test-smell-detection, exp-assertion-quality, exp-test-maintainability, exp-test-tagging) when they need framework-specific lookup tables.

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.NET Test Framework Reference

Language-specific detection patterns for .NET test frameworks (MSTest, xUnit, NUnit, TUnit).

Test File Identification

FrameworkTest class markersTest method markers
MSTest
[TestClass]
[TestMethod]
, 
[DataTestMethod]
xUnit(none — convention-based)
[Fact]
, 
[Theory]
NUnit
[TestFixture]
[Test]
, 
[TestCase]
, 
[TestCaseSource]
TUnit
[ClassDataSource]
[Test]

Assertion APIs by Framework

CategoryMSTestxUnitNUnit
Equality
Assert.AreEqual
Assert.Equal
Assert.That(x, Is.EqualTo(y))
Boolean
Assert.IsTrue
/ 
Assert.IsFalse
Assert.True
/ 
Assert.False
Assert.That(x, Is.True)
Null
Assert.IsNull
/ 
Assert.IsNotNull
Assert.Null
/ 
Assert.NotNull
Assert.That(x, Is.Null)
Exception
Assert.Throws<T>()
/ 
Assert.ThrowsExactly<T>()
Assert.Throws<T>()
Assert.That(() => ..., Throws.TypeOf<T>())
Collection
CollectionAssert.Contains
Assert.Contains
Assert.That(col, Has.Member(x))
String
StringAssert.Contains
Assert.Contains(str, sub)
Assert.That(str, Does.Contain(sub))
Type
Assert.IsInstanceOfType
Assert.IsAssignableFrom
Assert.That(x, Is.InstanceOf<T>())
Inconclusive
Assert.Inconclusive()
skip via 
[Fact(Skip)]
Assert.Inconclusive()
Fail
Assert.Fail()
Assert.Fail()
(.NET 10+)
Assert.Fail()
Third-party assertion libraries: 
Should*
(Shouldly), 
.Should()
(FluentAssertions / AwesomeAssertions), 
Verify()
(Verify).

Sleep/Delay Patterns

PatternExample
Thread sleep
Thread.Sleep(2000)
Task delay
await Task.Delay(1000)
SpinWait
SpinWait.SpinUntil(() => condition, timeout)

Skip/Ignore Annotations

FrameworkAnnotationWith reason
MSTest
[Ignore]
[Ignore("reason")]
xUnit
[Fact(Skip = "reason")]
(reason is required)
NUnit
[Ignore("reason")]
(reason is required)
TUnit
[Skip("reason")]
(reason is required)
Conditional
#if false
/ 
#if NEVER
(no reason possible)

Exception Handling — Idiomatic Alternatives

When a test uses 
try
/
catch
to verify exceptions, suggest the framework-native alternative:
MSTest:
csharp
// Instead of try/catch (matches exact type):
var ex = Assert.ThrowsExactly<InvalidOperationException>(
    () => processor.ProcessOrder(emptyOrder));
Assert.AreEqual("Order must contain at least one item", ex.Message);

// Or (also matches derived types):
var ex = Assert.Throws<InvalidOperationException>(
    () => processor.ProcessOrder(emptyOrder));
Assert.AreEqual("Order must contain at least one item", ex.Message);
xUnit:
csharp
var ex = Assert.Throws<InvalidOperationException>(
    () => processor.ProcessOrder(emptyOrder));
Assert.Equal("Order must contain at least one item", ex.Message);
NUnit:
csharp
var ex = Assert.Throws<InvalidOperationException>(
    () => processor.ProcessOrder(emptyOrder));
Assert.That(ex.Message, Is.EqualTo("Order must contain at least one item"));

Mystery Guest — Common .NET Patterns

Smell indicatorWhat to look for
File system
File.ReadAllText
, 
File.Exists
, 
File.WriteAllBytes
, 
Directory.GetFiles
, 
Path.Combine
with hard-coded paths
Database
SqlConnection
, 
DbContext
(without in-memory provider), 
SqlCommand
Network
HttpClient
without 
HttpMessageHandler
override, 
WebRequest
, 
TcpClient
Environment
Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable
, 
Environment.CurrentDirectory
Acceptable
MemoryStream
, 
StringReader
, 
InMemory
database providers, custom 
DelegatingHandler

Integration Test Markers

Recognize these as integration tests (adjust smell severity accordingly):
  • Class name contains 
    Integration
    , 
    E2E
    , 
    EndToEnd
    , or 
    Acceptance
  • [TestCategory("Integration")]
    (MSTest)
  • [Trait("Category", "Integration")]
    (xUnit)
  • [Category("Integration")]
    (NUnit)
  • Project name ending in 
    .IntegrationTests
    or 
    .E2ETests

Setup/Teardown Methods

FrameworkSetupTeardown
MSTest
[TestInitialize]
or constructor
[TestCleanup]
or 
IDisposable.Dispose
/ 
IAsyncDisposable.DisposeAsync
xUnitconstructor
IDisposable.Dispose
/ 
IAsyncDisposable.DisposeAsync
NUnit
[SetUp]
[TearDown]
MSTest (class)
[ClassInitialize]
[ClassCleanup]
NUnit (class)
[OneTimeSetUp]
[OneTimeTearDown]
xUnit (class)
IClassFixture<T>
fixture's 
Dispose