77 lines
4.3 KiB
Markdown
77 lines
4.3 KiB
Markdown
# Overview #
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`xdist` works by spawning one or more **workers**, which are controlled
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by the **master**. Each **worker** is responsible for performing
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a full test collection and afterwards running tests as dictated by the **master**.
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The execution flow is:
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1. **master** spawns one or more **workers** at the beginning of
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the test session. The communication between **master** and **worker** nodes makes use of
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[execnet](http://codespeak.net/execnet/) and its [gateways](http://codespeak.net/execnet/basics.html#gateways-bootstrapping-python-interpreters).
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The actual interpreters executing the code for the **workers** might
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be remote or local.
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1. Each **worker** itself is a mini pytest runner. **workers** at this
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point perform a full test collection, sending back the collected
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test-ids back to the **master** which does not
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perform any collection itself.
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1. The **master** receives the result of the collection from all nodes.
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At this point the **master** performs some sanity check to ensure that
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all **workers** collected the same tests (including order), bailing out otherwise.
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If all is well, it converts the list of test-ids into a list of simple
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indexes, where each index corresponds to the position of that test in the
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original collection list. This works because all nodes have the same
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collection list, and saves bandwidth because the **master** can now tell
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one of the workers to just *execute test index 3* index of passing the
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full test id.
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1. If **dist-mode** is **each**: the **master** just sends the full list
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of test indexes to each node at this moment.
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1. If **dist-mode** is **load**: the **master** takes around 25% of the
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tests and sends them one by one to each **worker** in a round robin
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fashion. The rest of the tests will be distributed later as **workers**
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finish tests (see below).
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1. Note that `pytest_xdist_make_scheduler` hook can be used to implement custom tests distribution logic.
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1. **workers** re-implement `pytest_runtestloop`: pytest's default implementation
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basically loops over all collected items in the `session` object and executes
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the `pytest_runtest_protocol` for each test item, but in xdist **workers** sit idly
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waiting for **master** to send tests for execution. As tests are
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received by **workers**, `pytest_runtest_protocol` is executed for each test.
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Here it worth noting an implementation detail: **workers** always must keep at
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least one test item on their queue due to how the `pytest_runtest_protocol(item, nextitem)`
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hook is defined: in order to pass the `nextitem` to the hook, the worker must wait for more
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instructions from master before executing that remaining test. If it receives more tests,
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then it can safely call `pytest_runtest_protocol` because it knows what the `nextitem` parameter will be.
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If it receives a "shutdown" signal, then it can execute the hook passing `nextitem` as `None`.
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1. As tests are started and completed at the **workers**, the results are sent
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back to the **master**, which then just forwards the results to
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the appropriate pytest hooks: `pytest_runtest_logstart` and
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`pytest_runtest_logreport`. This way other plugins (for example `junitxml`)
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can work normally. The **master** (when in dist-mode **load**)
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decides to send more tests to a node when a test completes, using
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some heuristics such as test durations and how many tests each **worker**
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still has to run.
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1. When the **master** has no more pending tests it will
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send a "shutdown" signal to all **workers**, which will then run their
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remaining tests to completion and shut down. At this point the
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**master** will sit waiting for **workers** to shut down, still
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processing events such as `pytest_runtest_logreport`.
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## FAQ ##
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> Why does each worker do its own collection, as opposed to having
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the master collect once and distribute from that collection to the workers?
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If collection was performed by master then it would have to
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serialize collected items to send them through the wire, as workers live in another process.
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The problem is that test items are not easily (impossible?) to serialize, as they contain references to
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the test functions, fixture managers, config objects, etc. Even if one manages to serialize it,
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it seems it would be very hard to get it right and easy to break by any small change in pytest.
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