05-command-line.md

CLI

Translations: Français

ava [<pattern>...]
ava debug [<pattern>...]
ava reset-cache

Commands:
  ava [<pattern>...]        Run tests                                  [default]
  ava debug [<pattern>...]  Activate Node.js inspector and run a single test
                            file
  ava reset-cache           Reset AVA's compilation cache and exit

Positionals:
  pattern  Glob patterns to select what test files to run. Leave empty if you
           want AVA to run all test files instead                       [string]

Options:
  --version               Show version number                          [boolean]
  --color                 Force color output                           [boolean]
  --config                Specific JavaScript file for AVA to read its config
                          from, instead of using package.json or ava.config.*
                          files
  --help                  Show help                                    [boolean]
  --concurrency, -c       Max number of test files running at the same time
                          (default: CPU cores)                          [number]
  --fail-fast             Stop after first test failure                [boolean]
  --match, -m             Only run tests with matching title (can be repeated)
                                                                        [string]
  --node-arguments        Additional Node.js arguments for launching worker
                          processes (specify as a single string)        [string]
  --serial, -s            Run tests serially                           [boolean]
  --tap, -t               Generate TAP output                          [boolean]
  --timeout, -T           Set global timeout (milliseconds or human-readable,
                          e.g. 10s, 2m)                                 [string]
  --update-snapshots, -u  Update snapshots                             [boolean]
  --verbose, -v           Enable verbose output                        [boolean]
  --watch, -w             Re-run tests when files change               [boolean]

Examples:
  ava
  ava test.js

Note that the CLI will use your local install of AVA when available, even when run globally.

AVA searches for test files using the following patterns:

• test.js
• src/test.js
• source/test.js
• **/test-*.js
• **/*.spec.js
• **/*.test.js
• **/test/**/*.js
• **/tests/**/*.js
• **/__tests__/**/*.js

Files inside node_modules are always ignored. So are files starting with _ or inside of directories that start with a single _. Additionally, files matching these patterns are ignored by default, unless different patterns are configured:

• **/__tests__/**/__helper__/**/*
• **/__tests__/**/__helpers__/**/*
• **/__tests__/**/__fixture__/**/*
• **/__tests__/**/__fixtures__/**/*
• **/test/**/helper/**/*
• **/test/**/helpers/**/*
• **/test/**/fixture/**/*
• **/test/**/fixtures/**/*
• **/tests/**/helper/**/*
• **/tests/**/helpers/**/*
• **/tests/**/fixture/**/*
• **/tests/**/fixtures/**/*

When using npm test, you can pass positional arguments directly npm test test2.js, but flags needs to be passed like npm test -- --verbose.

Running tests with matching titles

The --match flag allows you to run just the tests that have a matching title. This is achieved with simple wildcard patterns. Patterns are case insensitive. See matcher for more details.

Match titles ending with foo:

npx ava --match='*foo'

Match titles starting with foo:

npx ava --match='foo*'

Match titles containing foo:

npx ava --match='*foo*'

Match titles that are exactly foo (albeit case insensitively):

npx ava --match='foo'

Match titles not containing foo:

npx ava --match='!*foo*'

Match titles starting with foo and ending with bar:

npx ava --match='foo*bar'

Match titles starting with foo or ending with bar:

npx ava --match='foo*' --match='*bar'

Note that a match pattern takes precedence over the .only modifier. Only tests with an explicit title are matched. Tests without titles or whose title is derived from the implementation function will be skipped when --match is used.

Here's what happens when you run AVA with a match pattern of *oo* and the following tests:

test('foo will run', t => {
	t.pass();
});

test('moo will also run', t => {
	t.pass();
});

test.only('boo will run but not exclusively', t => {
	t.pass();
});

// Won't run, no title
test(function (t) {
	t.fail();
});

// Won't run, no explicit title
test(function foo(t) {
	t.fail();
});

Resetting AVA's cache

AVA may cache certain files, especially when you use our @ava/babel provider. If it seems like your latest changes aren't being picked up by AVA you can reset the cache by running:

npx ava reset-cache

This deletes all files in the node_modules/.cache/ava directory.

Reporters

By default AVA uses a minimal reporter:

Use the --verbose flag to enable the verbose reporter. This is always used in CI environments unless the TAP reporter is enabled.

TAP reporter

AVA supports the TAP format and thus is compatible with any TAP reporter. Use the --tap flag to enable TAP output.

$ npx ava --tap | npx tap-nyan

Please note that the TAP reporter is unavailable when using watch mode.

Node arguments

The --node-arguments argument may be used to specify additional arguments for launching worker processes. These are combined with the nodeArguments configuration and any arguments passed to the node binary when starting AVA.

Only pass trusted values.

Specify the arguments as a single string:

npx ava --node-arguments="--throw-deprecation --zero-fill-buffers"

Only pass trusted values.