org.springframework.test.context

Annotation Type ContextConfiguration

@Documented
 @Inherited
 @Retention(value=RUNTIME)
 @Target(value=TYPE)
public @interface ContextConfiguration

@ContextConfiguration defines class-level metadata that is used to determine how to load and configure an ApplicationContext for integration tests.

Supported Resource Types

Prior to Spring 3.1, only path-based resource locations (typically XML configuration files) were supported. As of Spring 3.1, context loaders may choose to support either path-based or class-based resources. As of Spring 4.0.4, context loaders may choose to support path-based and class-based resources simultaneously. Consequently @ContextConfiguration can be used to declare either path-based resource locations (via the locations() or value() attribute) or annotated classes (via the classes() attribute). Note, however, that most implementations of SmartContextLoader only support a single resource type. As of Spring 4.1, path-based resource locations may be either XML configuration files or Groovy scripts (if Groovy is on the classpath). Of course, third-party frameworks may choose to support additional types of path-based resources.

Annotated Classes

The term annotated class can refer to any of the following.

• A class annotated with @Configuration
• A component (i.e., a class annotated with @Component, @Service, @Repository, etc.)
• A JSR-330 compliant class that is annotated with javax.inject annotations
• Any other class that contains @Bean-methods

Consult the Javadoc for @Configuration and @Bean for further information regarding the configuration and semantics of annotated classes.

As of Spring Framework 4.0, this annotation may be used as a meta-annotation to create custom composed annotations.

Since:

2.5

Author:

Sam Brannen

See Also:

ContextHierarchy, ActiveProfiles, TestPropertySource, ContextLoader, SmartContextLoader, ContextConfigurationAttributes, MergedContextConfiguration, ApplicationContext

Optional Element Summary

Optional Elements

Modifier and Type	Optional Element and Description
java.lang.Class<?>[]	classes The annotated classes to use for loading an ApplicationContext.
boolean	inheritInitializers Whether or not context initializers from test superclasses should be inherited.
boolean	inheritLocations Whether or not resource locations or annotated classes from test superclasses should be inherited.
java.lang.Class<? extends ApplicationContextInitializer<? extends ConfigurableApplicationContext>>[]	initializers The application context initializer classes to use for initializing a ConfigurableApplicationContext.
java.lang.Class<? extends ContextLoader>	loader The type of SmartContextLoader (or ContextLoader) to use for loading an ApplicationContext.
java.lang.String[]	locations The resource locations to use for loading an ApplicationContext.
java.lang.String	name The name of the context hierarchy level represented by this configuration.
java.lang.String[]	value Alias for locations().

Element Detail

value

@AliasFor(attribute="locations")
public abstract java.lang.String[] value

Alias for locations().

This attribute may not be used in conjunction with locations(), but it may be used instead of locations().

Since:

3.0

See Also:

inheritLocations()

Default:

{}

locations

@AliasFor(attribute="value")
public abstract java.lang.String[] locations

The resource locations to use for loading an ApplicationContext.

Check out the Javadoc for AbstractContextLoader.modifyLocations() for details on how a location will be interpreted at runtime, in particular in case of a relative path. Also, check out the documentation on AbstractContextLoader.generateDefaultLocations() for details on the default locations that are going to be used if none are specified.

Note that the aforementioned default rules only apply for a standard AbstractContextLoader subclass such as GenericXmlContextLoader or GenericGroovyXmlContextLoader which are the effective default implementations used at runtime if locations are configured. See the documentation for loader() for further details regarding default loaders.

This attribute may not be used in conjunction with value(), but it may be used instead of value().

Since:

2.5

See Also:

inheritLocations()

Default:

{}

classes

public abstract java.lang.Class<?>[] classes

The annotated classes to use for loading an ApplicationContext.

Check out the Javadoc for AnnotationConfigContextLoader.detectDefaultConfigurationClasses() for details on how default configuration classes will be detected if no annotated classes are specified. See the documentation for loader() for further details regarding default loaders.

Since:

3.1

See Also:

Configuration, AnnotationConfigContextLoader, inheritLocations()

Default:

{}

initializers

public abstract java.lang.Class<? extends ApplicationContextInitializer<? extends ConfigurableApplicationContext>>[] initializers

The application context initializer classes to use for initializing a ConfigurableApplicationContext.

The concrete ConfigurableApplicationContext type supported by each declared initializer must be compatible with the type of ApplicationContext created by the SmartContextLoader in use.

SmartContextLoader implementations typically detect whether Spring's Ordered interface has been implemented or if the @Order annotation is present and sort instances accordingly prior to invoking them.

Since:

3.2

See Also:

ApplicationContextInitializer, ConfigurableApplicationContext, inheritInitializers(), loader()

Default:

{}

inheritLocations

public abstract boolean inheritLocations

Whether or not resource locations or annotated classes from test superclasses should be inherited.

The default value is true. This means that an annotated class will inherit the resource locations or annotated classes defined by test superclasses. Specifically, the resource locations or annotated classes for a given test class will be appended to the list of resource locations or annotated classes defined by test superclasses. Thus, subclasses have the option of extending the list of resource locations or annotated classes.

If inheritLocations is set to false, the resource locations or annotated classes for the annotated class will shadow and effectively replace any resource locations or annotated classes defined by superclasses.

In the following example that uses path-based resource locations, the ApplicationContext for ExtendedTest will be loaded from "base-context.xml" and "extended-context.xml", in that order. Beans defined in "extended-context.xml" may therefore override those defined in "base-context.xml".

 @ContextConfiguration("base-context.xml")
 public class BaseTest {
     // ...
 }

 @ContextConfiguration("extended-context.xml")
 public class ExtendedTest extends BaseTest {
     // ...
 }
 

Similarly, in the following example that uses annotated classes, the ApplicationContext for ExtendedTest will be loaded from the BaseConfig and ExtendedConfig configuration classes, in that order. Beans defined in ExtendedConfig may therefore override those defined in BaseConfig.

 @ContextConfiguration(classes=BaseConfig.class)
 public class BaseTest {
     // ...
 }

 @ContextConfiguration(classes=ExtendedConfig.class)
 public class ExtendedTest extends BaseTest {
     // ...
 }
 

Since:

2.5

Default:

true

inheritInitializers

public abstract boolean inheritInitializers

Whether or not context initializers from test superclasses should be inherited.

The default value is true. This means that an annotated class will inherit the application context initializers defined by test superclasses. Specifically, the initializers for a given test class will be added to the set of initializers defined by test superclasses. Thus, subclasses have the option of extending the set of initializers.

If inheritInitializers is set to false, the initializers for the annotated class will shadow and effectively replace any initializers defined by superclasses.

In the following example, the ApplicationContext for ExtendedTest will be initialized using BaseInitializer and ExtendedInitializer. Note, however, that the order in which the initializers are invoked depends on whether they implement Ordered or are annotated with @Order.

 @ContextConfiguration(initializers = BaseInitializer.class)
 public class BaseTest {
     // ...
 }

 @ContextConfiguration(initializers = ExtendedInitializer.class)
 public class ExtendedTest extends BaseTest {
     // ...
 }
 

Since:

3.2

Default:

true

loader

public abstract java.lang.Class<? extends ContextLoader> loader

The type of SmartContextLoader (or ContextLoader) to use for loading an ApplicationContext.

If not specified, the loader will be inherited from the first superclass that is annotated with @ContextConfiguration and specifies an explicit loader. If no class in the hierarchy specifies an explicit loader, a default loader will be used instead.

The default concrete implementation chosen at runtime will be either DelegatingSmartContextLoader or WebDelegatingSmartContextLoader depending on the absence or presence of @WebAppConfiguration. For further details on the default behavior of various concrete SmartContextLoaders, check out the Javadoc for AbstractContextLoader, GenericXmlContextLoader, GenericGroovyXmlContextLoader, AnnotationConfigContextLoader, GenericXmlWebContextLoader, GenericGroovyXmlWebContextLoader, and AnnotationConfigWebContextLoader.

Since:

2.5

Default:

org.springframework.test.context.ContextLoader.class

name

public abstract java.lang.String name

The name of the context hierarchy level represented by this configuration.

If not specified the name will be inferred based on the numerical level within all declared contexts within the hierarchy.

This attribute is only applicable when used within a test class hierarchy that is configured using @ContextHierarchy, in which case the name can be used for merging or overriding this configuration with configuration of the same name in hierarchy levels defined in superclasses. See the Javadoc for @ContextHierarchy for details.

Since:

3.2.2

Default:

""