hughes-property-based-testing

Property-based testing generates thousands of random inputs to verify defined invariants, catching edge cases missed by example-based tests. Instead of specifying exact inputs, you define properties that must hold true for all generated data.

To write tests, define properties or algebraic laws that should hold true, then use custom generators to produce random complex data structures. The testing framework automatically verifies these invariants across all generated inputs.

Input shrinking minimizes failing generated inputs to pinpoint the exact cause of bugs. When a property fails, shrinking automatically reduces the complex random input to its simplest form that still triggers the failure.

Yes, property-based testing supports stateful testing scenarios alongside standard stateless property verification. You can define properties and use custom generators to model and test complex stateful systems.

Example-based testing checks specific fixed inputs, while property-based testing defines invariants and generates thousands of random inputs automatically. This increases test coverage and catches bugs traditional example-based testing might miss.