Head-to-Head: Ava vs Mocha Analysis

ava

v6.1.3(3 months ago)

This package is actively maintained.Types definitions are bundled with the npm packageNumber of direct dependencies: 40Monthly npm downloads

AVA is a minimalistic and futuristic test runner for Node.js and browser environments. It is known for its concise syntax, fast execution, and parallel test runs, making it ideal for efficient and reliable testing of JavaScript code. AVA provides a simple and intuitive API for writing tests, with support for async functions, generators, and promises. It also offers built-in support for ES modules and TypeScript, ensuring compatibility with modern JavaScript development practices.

Alternatives:
jest+
mocha+
chai+
jasmine+
tape+
qunit+
jest-circus+
vitest+
cypress+
playwright-test+

Tags: javascripttestingtest-runnernode.jsbrowser

mocha

v10.7.0(6 days ago)

This package is actively maintained.Types definitions are provided via a separate npm package: @types/mochaNumber of direct dependencies: 20Monthly npm downloads

Mocha is a feature-rich JavaScript test framework for Node.js and browsers, offering a flexible and developer-friendly testing experience. It supports various testing styles, including BDD (Behavior Driven Development) and TDD (Test Driven Development), and provides a wide range of assertion libraries for making test assertions. Mocha's asynchronous testing capabilities, along with its support for running tests in parallel, make it a popular choice for testing JavaScript applications.

Alternatives:
jest+
jasmine+
ava+
tape+
chai+
jest-circus+
qunit+
karma+
cypress+
vitest+

Tags: javascripttestingframeworkBDDTDD

Fight!

Popularity

Mocha has been around for longer and has a larger user base and community support compared to Ava. Mocha is widely used and has become a standard choice for many JavaScript projects. Ava, on the other hand, has gained popularity in recent years and has a growing community.

Testing Style

Mocha follows a more traditional testing style with a global test runner and uses assertion libraries like Chai or Should.js for assertions. Ava, on the other hand, promotes a more modern and concise testing style with an asynchronous test runner and built-in assertion library.

Syntax

Mocha uses a BDD (Behavior-Driven Development) style syntax with keywords like `describe` and `it` to structure tests. Ava uses a more straightforward and minimalistic syntax with `test` functions.

Concurrency

Ava is known for its built-in support for concurrent test execution, which allows tests to run in parallel, resulting in faster test execution times. Mocha, on the other hand, runs tests sequentially by default, but it can be configured to run tests in parallel using additional tools or plugins.

Configuration

Mocha provides more configuration options and flexibility, allowing developers to customize the test environment and behavior. Ava, on the other hand, aims for simplicity and minimal configuration, providing a more opinionated and out-of-the-box experience.

Integration

Both Mocha and Ava can be easily integrated with other testing libraries, frameworks, and tools. They have extensive plugin ecosystems and support various testing frameworks, assertion libraries, and code coverage tools.

Developer Experience

Mocha has been around for a long time and has a mature ecosystem, extensive documentation, and a large number of resources and tutorials available. Ava, although newer, also has good documentation and a growing community, but it may have fewer resources and tutorials compared to Mocha.