What is the difference between Mockito.mock(SomeClass) and the @Mock annotation?

Question

What is the difference between Mockito.mock(Class<T> classToMock) method and the @Mock annotation? Are they the same?

For Example, is this:

private TestClass test = Mockito.mock(TestClass.class); 

the same as:

@Mock private TestClass test; 

Answer 1

They both achieve the same result. Using an annotation (@Mock) is usually considered "cleaner", as you don't fill up your code with boilerplate assignments that all look the same.

Note that in order to use the @Mock annotation, your test class should be annotated with @RunWith(MockitoJUnitRunner.class) or contain a call to MockitoAnnotations.initMocks(this) in its @Before method.

Answer 2

The difference is in the lines of code you need to write :) :) :)

Seriously though, using the annotations has the exact same effect as using the Mockito.mock.

To quote the documentation of MockitoAnnotations the use of annotations has the following benefits:

• Allows shorthand creation of objects required for testing.

• Minimizes repetitive mock creation code.

• Makes the test class more readable.

• Makes the verification error easier to read because field name is
  used to identify the mock.

The javadoc for MockitoAnnotations is here