Unit testing controller which has a $state.go method in controller

Question

How can I write unit tests for a function that has a $state.go () and which is expected to redirect to that particular sate?

           $scope.inviteMembers = (id)=> {
                $state.go('invite', {deptId: id});
                }

Answer 1

Since it is a unit test, you just need to make sure that the function is being called, nothing more.

Something along this lines:

it('should move to the invite page after inviting someone', function() {
  spyOn($state, 'go');

  $scope.inviteMembers(1);

  expect($state.go).toHaveBeenCalledWith('invite', {deptId: 1});
});

So the main idea here is to spy on the go method of $state and when we call the method, we just need to verify that the $state.go method have been called and with what parameters.

Before you ask me back... Yes but I want to be sure that the state change as well. Well you don't need to do that.

This is a unit test, that means that your only concern is to test this controller and nothing else, and its responsibility ends which just calling that method. What happens after that is the responsibility of someone else, in this case ui-router and I bet that ui-router is well tested :)