IntelliJ IDEA 2018.3 Help

Run/Debug Configuration: Mocha

Run | Edit Configurations | Add New Configuration | Mocha


In this dialog box, create configurations for running and debugging JavaScript unit tests using the Mocha test framework.

Before you start

  1. Download and install Node.js.

  2. Install the Mocha test framework as described in Mocha.

Mocha-specific configuration settings

Item

Description

Node.js interpreter

In this field, specify the Node.js interpreter to use. Choose one of the configured interpreters or click browseButton.png and configure a new one as described in Configuring a local Node.js interpreter. If you choose the Project alias, IntelliJ IDEA will automatically use the project default interpreter from the Node interpreter field on the Node.js and NPM page.

Node options

In this text box, type the Node.js-specific command line options to be passed to the Node.js executable file. See Node Parameters for details.

Working directory

In this field, specify the working directory of the application.

By default, the Working directory field shows the project root folder. To change this predefined setting, specify the path to the desired folder or choose a previously used folder from the list.

Environment variables

In this field, specify the environment variables for the Node.js executable file, if applicable. Click Browse browseButton.png to the right of the field and configure a list of variables in the Environment Variables dialog box, that opens:
  • To define a new variable, click Add icons general add svg and specify the variable name and value.

  • To discard a variable definition, select it in the list and click Delete icons general remove svg.

  • Click OK, when ready

The definitions of variables are displayed in the Environment variables read-only field with semicolons as separators. The acceptable variables are:

  • NODE_PATH: A :-separated list of directories prefixed to the module search path.

  • NODE_MODULE_CONTEXTS: Set to 1 to load modules in their own global contexts.

  • NODE_DISABLE_COLORS: Set to 1 to disable colors in the REPL.

Mocha package

In this field, specify the Mocha installation home /npm/node_modules/mocha. If you installed Mocha regularly through the Node Package Manager, IntelliJ IDEA detects the Mocha installation home itself. Alternatively, type the path to executable file manually, or click Browse browseButton.png and select the location in the dialog box, that opens.

User interface

From this drop-down list, choose the interface according to which the tests in the test folder are written. IntelliJ IDEA will recognize only tests that comply with the chosen interface. If during test execution IntelliJ IDEA runs against a test of another interface, the test session will be canceled with an error. This means that all the tests in the specified test folder must be written according to the same interface and this interface must be chosen from the drop-down list.

Extra Mocha options

In this field, specify additional Mocha command line options. For example, add a --watch flag to turn on the autotest-like runner. As a result, any test in the current run configuration restarts automatically on changing the related source code, without clicking the Rerun button Rerun.

Tests

In this area, specify the tests to be executed. The available options are:
  • All in directory: choose this option to run all the tests from the files stored in a folder and specify the path to this folder in the Test directory field. To look for tests in the subfolders under the specified directory, select the Include subdirectories checkbox.

  • File pattern: choose this option to look for tests in all the files with the names that match a certain mask and specify the mask in the Test file pattern field.

  • Test file: choose this option to run only the tests from one file and specify the path to this file in the Test file field.

  • Suite: choose this option to run individual suites from a test file and specify the path to this file in the Test file field. Click the Suite name field and configure a list of suites to run. To add a suite to the list, click icons general add and type the name of the required suite. To remove a suite, select it in the list and click minusSign.png

  • Test: choose this option to run individual tests from a test file and specify the path to this file in the Test file field. Click the Test name field and configure a list of tests to run. To add a test to the list, click icons general add and type the name of the required test. To remove a test, select it in the list and click minusSign.png

Common options

When you edit a run configuration (but not a run configuration template), you can specify the following options for it:

Item

Description

Name

In this text box, specify the name for the run/debug configuration. The name will help you identify the created configuration when you choose to edit it later, or when you invoke it, for example, from the Run popup (Shift+Alt+F10).

Share

Select this checkbox to make the run/debug configuration available to other team members.

If the directory-based project format is used, the settings for a run/debug configuration are stored in a separate .xml file in the .idea\runConfigurations folder if the run/debug configuration is shared, or in the .idea\workspace.xml file otherwise.

If the file-based format is used, the settings are stored in the .ipr file for shared configurations, or in the .iws file otherwise.

Allow running in parallel

When disabled, every time a new run/debug configuration is launched, IntelliJ IDEA checks the presence of the other instances of the same run/debug configuration, and displays a confirmation dialog box. If you click OK in the confirmation dialog box, the first instance of the runner will be stopped, and the next one will take its place.

This makes sense when the usage of certain resources can cause conflicts, or when launching two run/debug configurations of the same type consumes too much of the CPU and memory resources.

If this checkbox is selected, it is possible to launch as many instances of the run/debug configuration as required. So doing, each runner will start in its own tab of the Run Tool Window or Debug Tool Window.

Toolbar

The tree view of run/debug configurations has a toolbar that helps you manage configurations available in your project as well as adjust default configurations templates.

Item

Shortcut

Description

icons general add svgAlt+Insert

Create a run/debug configuration.

icons general remove svgAlt+Delete

Delete the selected run/debug configuration. Note that you cannot delete default configurations.

Copy

Ctrl+D

Create a copy of the selected run/debug configuration. Note that you create copies of default configurations.

Edi Templates

Edit Templates

View and edit the default template for the selected run/debug configuration. The templates are used for newly created configurations.

icons actions moveUp svg/icons actions moveDown svg

Alt+Up/Alt+Down

Move the selected run/debug configuration up and down in the list.

The order of configurations in the list defines the order, in which the configurations appear when you choose a run/debug configuration.

Default templates of run/debug configurations are always sorted alphabetically.

Move into new folder / Create new folder

Move into new folder / Create new folder

You can group run/debug configurations by placing them into folders.

To create a folder, select the configurations within a category, click Folder, and specify the folder name. If only a category is in focus, an empty folder is created.

Then, to move a configuration into a folder, between the folders or out of a folder, use drag-and-drop or Move Up and Move Down buttons.

To remove grouping, select a folder and click Remove Configuration.

Sort configurations

Sort configurations

Click this button to sort configurations in the alphabetical order.

Templates

Under the Templates node in the tree view of run configurations, you can select a run configuration template and edit its default settings. This will not affect the configurations that are already created, but will be used as defaults when creating new configurations of the corresponding type.

When you select the Templates node itself, you will be able to adjust general settings that apply to all run/debug configurations:

Item

Description

Configurations available in Run Dashboard

In this section you can create a list of run configurations available in the Run Dashboard — a tool window that helps you execute and manage multiple run/debug configurations.

Note that the dashboard will only display the configuration types for which you have created one ore more configurations.

Thus, if you add a configuration type for which no configurations exist in the project, this type will not be displayed on the dashboard until you create a configuration of this type.

Confirm rerun with process termination

The behavior of this checkbox depends on whether the Single instance only option is selected for a particular run/debug configuration.
  • If this checkbox is selected, in case of a single instance, launching a new process (for example, by clicking Run on the main toolbar) while another process is still running, results in showing a dialog box prompting to terminate the current process before launching a new one.

  • If this checkbox is not selected (or in case of multiple instances), IntelliJ IDEA starts the new process silently.

Temporary configurations limit

Specify the maximum number of temporary configurations to be stored and shown in the Select Run/Debug Configuration drop-down list.

Before Launch options

In this area you can specify tasks that must be be performed before starting the selected run/debug configuration. The tasks are performed in the order they appear in the list.

Item

Shortcut

Description

icons general add svgAlt+Insert

Click this icon to add one of the following available tasks:

  • Run External tool: select to run an external application. In the dialog that opens, select one or multiple applications you want to run. If it is not defined in IntelliJ IDEA yet, add its definition. For more information, see Configuring Third-Party Tools and External Tools.

  • Run Another Configuration: select to execute another run/debug configuration. In the dialog that opens, select the configuration to be run.

  • Build: select to compile the specified module. The Build Module command will be executed.

    If an error occurs during compilation, IntelliJ IDEA won't attempt to start the run/debug configuration.

  • Build Project: select to compile the entire project. The Build Project command will be executed.

    If an error occurs during compilation, IntelliJ IDEA won't attempt to start the run/debug configuration.

  • Build, no error check: the same as the Build option, but IntelliJ IDEA will try to start the run/debug configuration irrespective of the compilation results.

  • Build Artifacts: select this option to build an artifact or artifacts. In the dialog that opens, select the artifact or artifacts that should be built.

  • Run Ant target: select this option to run an Ant target. In the dialog that opens, select the target to be run.

  • Run Grunt task: select this option to run a Grunt task. In the Grunt task dialog box that opens, specify the Gruntfile.js where the required task is defined, select the task to execute, and specify the arguments to pass to the Grunt tool.

    Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter, the parameters to pass to it, and the path to the grunt-cli package.

  • Run Gulp task: select this option to run a Gulp task. In the Gulp task dialog box that opens, specify the Gulpfile.js where the required task is defined, select the task to execute, and specify the arguments to pass to the Gulp tool.

    Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter, the parameters to pass to it, and the path to the gulp package.

  • Run Maven Goal: select this option to run a Maven goal. In the dialog that opens, select the goal to be run.

  • Run npm Script: select this option to execute an npm script. In the NPM Script dialog box that opens, specify the npm run/debug configuration settings.

  • Start React Native Bundler: select this option to run the bundler automatically, as part of a running or debugging session. by default, this is done through react-native start. If your application uses Expo, you need to run the development server via the start npm task. To do that, click Add, then in the Configure React Native dialog, choose npm script and select start from the list.

  • Compile TypeScript: select to run the built-in TypeScript compiler and thus make sure that all the changes you made to your TypeScript code are reflected in the generated JavaScript files. In the TypeScript Compile Settings dialog that opens, select or clear the Check errors checkbox to configure the behaviour of the compiler in case any errors are detected:
    • If the Check errors checkbox is selected, the compiler will show all the errors and the run configuration will not start.

    • If the Check errors checkbox is cleared, the compiler will show all the detected errors but the run configuration still will be launched.

  • Generate CoffeeScript Source Maps: select this option to generate the source maps for your CoffeeScript sources. In the dialog that opens, specify where your CoffeeScript source files are located.

  • Upload files to Remote Host: select this option to have the application files automatically uploaded to the server according to the default server access configuration.

  • Run Remote External tool: adds a remote SSH external tool.

  • Run Rake task: add a Rake task to be executed prior to running or debugging. To choose a Rake task, click the browse button Browse, and select the desired task from the list of available tasks.

    Note that code completion is available here.

    runConfigRakeTask
  • Run JRuby compiler: choose this option to execute JRuby compiler with the specified target path, compiler process heap size, and command line parameters (if any).

icons general remove svgAlt+Delete

Click this icon to remove the selected task from the list.

Edit

Enter

Click this icon to edit the selected task. Make the necessary changes in the dialog that opens.

icons actions moveUp svg/icons actions moveDown svg

Alt+Up/Alt+Down

Click these icons to move the selected task one line up or down in the list. (The tasks are performed in the order that they appear in the list.)

Show this page

Select this checkbox to show the run/debug configuration settings prior to actually starting the run/debug configuration.

Activate tool window

If this checkbox is selected, which it is by default, the Run or the Debug tool window opens when you start the run/debug configuration.

Otherwise, the tool window isn't shown. However, when the configuration is running, you can open the corresponding tool window for it yourself by pressing Alt+4 or Alt+5.

Last modified: 1 February 2019

See Also

Procedures: