How to reuse test code in imported package?

Question

Here is my directory hierarchy:

/
|-- main.go // package main, an HTTP server which accepts request and calls C/U APIs in pkg1 to finish certain task
|-- main_test.go // wants to call veryfyTaskNumber in pkg1_test
|-- pkg1 // package pkg1, CRUD APIs with Retrieve&Delete unexported for safety
    |-- pkg1_test.go // contains a function verifyTaskNumber(*testing.T, taskName string, expectedNo int) which calls internal Retrieve function in pkg1

I have some utility functions for tests only in pkg1_test.go. main.go imports pkg1. Now I want to use these functions in my main_test.go. After searching I found two possible solutions, but both of them have some drawbacks:

• Move these functions into pkg1.go. However these functions might be contained in binaries generated by go build.
• Move these functions into a separate testutility package, then import it in *_test.go manually. The problem is that these functions use some internal methods in pkg1.

So I was wondering whether there is a better solution to this problem.

Solution

If you use this function in *_test.go file throughout the project it's a good idea to move it to a utils package and import this package in your *_test.go. Moreover since this util package is used only for testing purposes I suggest to save the output of the internal function of pkg1 in a support file and load it when you call the support package's function which should use the private function of pkg1.

Comments

[cmp]

A package with the utilities for testing is the best way here.

[Subhas]

A package with test utility will help everyone else except the package where those relevant testing sources actually exist, due to cycling import issue. i.e. "pkg1" has a bunch of structs that you want to test, and a "util" package has some testing utilities which depend on this package. This "util" can be used everywhere else except "pkg1" due to cyclic import.

[Bestbug]

Maybe I wasn't clear when I wrote the first answer but I really don't see the point to create a utils package for testing without a proper isolation for pkg1. We should have a little bit more of comprehation about how the pkg1 was developed and how the test function call the pkg1 function before discussing about the possible cycling import. If you have a similar problem and you want an opinion feel free to ask :)