angular / angular/angular-cli

Schematics for Component spec should use test host component when created with `-cd OnPush`

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#10,482 2 comments 5 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
area: @schematics/angular feature feature: insufficient votes
Dominant language
TypeScript
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Description

### Versions
```
Angular CLI: 1.7.3
Node: 8.9.1
OS: win32 x64
Angular: 5.2.1
... animations, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms
... http, language-service, platform-browser
... platform-browser-dynamic, platform-server, router

@angular/cli: 1.7.3
@angular-devkit/build-optimizer: 0.3.2
@angular-devkit/core: 0.3.2
@angular-devkit/schematics: 0.3.2
@ngtools/json-schema: 1.2.0
@ngtools/webpack: 1.10.2
@schematics/angular: 0.3.2
@schematics/package-update: 0.3.2
typescript: 2.4.2
webpack: 3.11.0
```

### Repro steps
* `ng generate component test -cd OnPush`
* Edit the test.component.html to be
```
{{ checkMe() }}
```
* Add the checkMe method to test.component.ts:
```TypeScript
checkMe() {
console.log('change detection was invoked!');
}
```
* Edit the generated .spec file to include the following test:
```TypeScript
fit('runs change detection', () => {
fixture.detectChanges();
fixture.detectChanges();
fixture.detectChanges();
});
```
* Run unit test

### Observed behavior

'change detection was invoked!' is logged only once (the initial check on creation of the component) rather than 4 times. That is to say, invoking `fixture.detectChanges()` does not actually run change detection. This is a known issue and is discussed in https://github.com/angular/angular/issues/12313
```
LOG: 'change detection was invoked!'
Chrome 65.0.3325 (Windows 10 0.0.0): Executed 1 of 478 SUCCESS (0 secs / 0.138 secs)
```

### Desired behavior

As discussed in the thread linked above, the solution for testing OnPush components is to use the "test host component" pattern as described in the [angular.io testing docs](https://angular.io/guide/testing#component-inside-a-test-host).

Therefore, the Angular CLI should use a schematic which uses the test host component when the `-cd OnPush` flag has been used. Otherwise we get a default test setup which is not fit for purpose (and will cause many wasted hours for devs like me 😓)

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Run `ng generate component test -cd OnPush` and inspect the generated component files and `.spec` file, focusing on how the Angular component schematic sets up tests. Use the linked Angular testing guidance as context, then verify that the generated test uses the test host component pattern and that repeated `fixture.detectChanges()` calls invoke change detection.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
angular, typescript
Domain
testing, tooling
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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