how to test react-select with react-testing-library

Question

App.js

import React, { Component } from "react";
import Select from "react-select";

const SELECT_OPTIONS = ["FOO", "BAR"].map(e => {
  return { value: e, label: e };
});

class App extends Component {
  state = {
    selected: SELECT_OPTIONS[0].value
  };

  handleSelectChange = e => {
    this.setState({ selected: e.value });
  };

  render() {
    const { selected } = this.state;
    const value = { value: selected, label: selected };
    return (
      <div className="App">
        <div data-testid="select">
          <Select
            multi={false}
            value={value}
            options={SELECT_OPTIONS}
            onChange={this.handleSelectChange}
          />
        </div>
        <p data-testid="select-output">{selected}</p>
      </div>
    );
  }
}

export default App;

App.test.js

import React from "react";
import {
  render,
  fireEvent,
  cleanup,
  waitForElement,
  getByText
} from "react-testing-library";
import App from "./App";

afterEach(cleanup);

const setup = () => {
  const utils = render(<App />);
  const selectOutput = utils.getByTestId("select-output");
  const selectInput = document.getElementById("react-select-2-input");
  return { selectOutput, selectInput };
};

test("it can change selected item", async () => {
  const { selectOutput, selectInput } = setup();
  getByText(selectOutput, "FOO");
  fireEvent.change(selectInput, { target: { value: "BAR" } });
  await waitForElement(() => getByText(selectOutput, "BAR"));
});

This minimal example works as expected in the browser but the test fails. I think the onChange handler in is not invoked. How can I trigger the onChange callback in the test? What is the preferred way to find the element to fireEvent at? Thank you

Answer 1

This got to be the most asked question about RTL :D

The best strategy is to use jest.mock (or the equivalent in your testing framework) to mock the select and render an HTML select instead.

For more info on why this is the best approach, I wrote something that applies to this case too. The OP asked about a select in Material-UI but the idea is the same.

Original question and my answer:

Because you have no control over that UI. It's defined in a 3rd party module.

So, you have two options:

You can figure out what HTML the material library creates and then use container.querySelector to find its elements and interact with it. It takes a while but it should be possible. After you have done all of that you have to hope that at every new release they don't change the DOM structure too much or you might have to update all your tests.

The other option is to trust that Material-UI is going to make a component that works and that your users can use. Based on that trust you can simply replace that component in your tests for a simpler one.

Yes, option one tests what the user sees but option two is easier to maintain.

In my experience the second option is just fine but of course, your use-case might be different and you might have to test the actual component.

This is an example of how you could mock a select:

jest.mock("react-select", () => ({ options, value, onChange }) => {
  function handleChange(event) {
    const option = options.find(
      option => option.value === event.currentTarget.value
    );
    onChange(option);
  }
  return (
    <select data-testid="select" value={value} onChange={handleChange}>
      {options.map(({ label, value }) => (
        <option key={value} value={value}>
          {label}
        </option>
      ))}
    </select>
  );
});

You can read more here.