How to combine many Spring test annotations in a single annotation?

Question

I am using Spring Boot's convenient annotations on my test classes, for integration tests.

@RunWith(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.class)
@SpringApplicationConfiguration(classes = Config.class)
@IntegrationTest
@Sql({"classpath:rollback.sql", "classpath:create-tables.sql"})
@Transactional

I found it quite ugly to copy/paste this whole block on each test class, so I have created my own @MyIntegrationTest annotation

@SpringApplicationConfiguration(classes = Config.class)
@IntegrationTest
@Sql({"classpath:database-scripts/rollback.sql", "classpath:database-scripts/create-tables.sql", "classpath:database-scripts/insert-test-data.sql"})
@Transactional
@Target({ElementType.TYPE, ElementType.METHOD})
@Retention(value = RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
@interface MyIntegrationTest {
}

However, if I add the @RunWith(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.class) in my new annotation, then JUnit will run with its default runner - which is not desirable. So for now I have to use two annotations.

@RunWith(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.class)
@MyIntegrationTest

I guess it is fine for now, but is there a way to combine these annotations, so I would be able to use a single annotation?

Answer 1

Meta-annotations are not the only way of code reuse. We use inheritance instead:

@RunWith(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.class)
@SpringApplicationConfiguration(classes = Config.class)
@IntegrationTest
@Sql({"classpath:rollback.sql", "classpath:create-tables.sql"})
@Transactional
public abstract class IntegrationTest {
}

public class FooTest extends IntegrationTest {

}

public class BarTest extends IntegrationTest {

}

Unlike meta-annotations, annotation inheritance from base classes is understood by both Spring and JUnit.