Unit Testing ASP.net Web Site Project code stored in App_Code

Question

I have an ASP.net Web Site Project (.net 3.5). Currently all of the non-code behind code files (including Linq2Sql stuff, data contexts, business logic, extension methods, etc) are located in the App_Code folder.

I am interested in introducing Unit Testing (using nunit) in at least some sections of the project moving forward. Any Unit Testing that I would be doing would need to have full access to all of the code that is currently located in the App_Code folder. I have done some initial reading so far, and the consensus seems to be:

• This will not be possible given my current setup
• Unit testing requires referencing classes that are part of a compiled dll, and a Web Site Project by definition only compiles at run time.
• In order to proceed, I will need to either convert my entire project to a Web Application, or move all of the code that I would like to test (ie: the entire contents of App_Code) to a class library project and reference the class library project in the web site project. Either of these will provide access to the classes that I need in compiled dll format, which will allow me to Unit Test them.

Is this correct? Or is there another way that I can Unit Test without restructuring/refactoring my entire project?

Answer 1

Your conclusions seem correct. I would vote for moving functionality into one or several class library projects, since that may open the door for reusing the same functionality in other projects as well.