WP Test: Unit Testing Data for WordPress Themes and Plugins

WP Test is a site that any WordPress theme or plugin developer will want to bookmark. Created by WordPress developer Michael Novotny, WP Test exists to provide test data for WordPress themes and plugins. The site is very simple and includes only a download and a demo button.

What’s in the download package? WP Test sums it up nicely:

A fantastically exhaustive set of test data to measure the integrity of your plugins and themes.

The WP Test data is based off of recommendations from WordPress’ Theme Unit Test data found in the codex. Added into the mix is Novotny’s years of experience supporting themes and plugins.

The Importance of Unit Testing

Unit testing is a recommended practice for developers who create software for other people to use. Essentially, it involves putting your code through the paces using a set of control data. If you want your theme or plugin to provide a smooth experience out of the box, then you need to perform tests before it’s released. WP Test makes unit testing easy. Download the test data and then import it into your test site using the WordPress Importer.

Check out the demo to see the full range of test data in action on a site.

The project is maintained on github if you want to follow the repository or contribute. Novotny emphasizes that WP Test is by no means a fully comprehensive set of test data and will always be evolving to provide more test scenarios. If you think WP Test is missing some important tests, please get in touch via the contact form.