How to mock Python static methods and class methods

Question 1

C#, Java and C++ programmers tend to overuse class and static methods in Python. The Pythonic approach is to use module functions.

So first, here is the refactored software under test, with methods increment() and decrement() as module functions. The interface does change, but the functionality is the same:

# Module machines

class Calculator(object):
    def __init__(self, multiplier):
        self._multiplier = multiplier
    def multiply(self, n):
        return self._multiplier * n

def increment(n):
    return n + 1

def decrement(n):
    return n - 1

calculator = Calculator(2)
assert calculator.multiply(3) == 6
assert increment(3) == 4
assert decrement(3) == 2


class Machine(object):
    '''A larger machine that has a calculator.'''
    def __init__(self, calculator):
        self._calculator = calculator
    def mult(self, n):
        return self._calculator.multiply(n)
    def incr(self, n):
        return increment(n)
    def decr(self, n):
        return decrement(n)

machine = Machine(Calculator(3))
assert machine.mult(3) == 9
assert machine.incr(3) == 4
assert machine.decr(3) == 2

Add functions increment_mock() and decrement_mock() to mock increment() and decrement():

from mock import Mock
import machines

def MockCalculator(multiplier):
    mock = Mock(spec=machines.Calculator, name='MockCalculator')

    def multiply_proxy(n):
        '''Multiply by 2*multiplier instead of multiplier so we can see the
        difference.
        '''
        return 2 * multiplier * n
    mock.multiply = multiply_proxy

    return mock

def increment_mock(n):
    '''Increment by 2 instead of 1 so we can see the difference.'''
    return n + 2

def decrement_mock(n):
    '''Decrement by 2 instead of 1 so we can see the difference.'''
    return n - 2

And now for the good part. Patch increment() and decrement() to replace them with their mocks:

import unittest
from mock import patch
import machines

@patch('machines.increment', increment_mock)
@patch('machines.decrement', decrement_mock)
class TestMachine(unittest.TestCase):
    def test_mult(self):
        '''The bound method of Calculator is replaced with MockCalculator'''
        machine = machines.Machine(MockCalculator(3))
        self.assertEqual(machine.mult(3), 18)

    def test_incr(self):
        '''increment() is replaced with increment_mock()'''
        machine = machines.Machine(MockCalculator(3))
        self.assertEqual(machine.incr(3), 5)

    def test_decr(self):
        '''decrement() is replaced with decrement_mock()'''
        machine = machines.Machine(MockCalculator(3))
        self.assertEqual(machine.decr(3), 1)

Question 2

You were patching the wrong object. You must patch the Calculator from the Machine class, not the general Calculator class. Read about it here.

from mock import patch
import unittest

from calculator import Calculator
from machine import Machine


class TestMachine(unittest.TestCase):
    def my_mocked_mult(self, multiplier):
        return 2 * multiplier * 3
    def test_bound(self):
        '''The bound methods of Calculator are replaced with MockCalculator'''
        machine = Machine(Calculator(3))
        with patch.object(machine, "mult") as mocked_mult:
            mocked_mult.side_effect = self.my_mocked_mult
            self.assertEqual(machine.mult(3), 18)
            self.assertEqual(machine.incr_bound(3), 5)
            self.assertEqual(machine.decr_bound(3), 1)

    def test_unbound(self):
        '''Machine.incr_unbound() and Machine.decr_unbound() are still using
        Calculator.increment() and Calculator.decrement(n), which is wrong.
        '''
        machine = Machine(Calculator(3))
        self.assertEqual(machine.incr_unbound(3), 4)    # I wish this was 5
        self.assertEqual(machine.decr_unbound(3), 2)    # I wish this was 1

Question 3

One way to do it is

def test_increment(mocker):
    mocker.patch.object(Calculator, attribute='increment', return_value=10)
    ...actual test code...

Question 4

I just did something that could be translated to your case like this:

class Calculator_Mock(object):
    def __init__(self, multiplier):
        ... # add whatever you need here

    def multiply(self, n):
        ... # add whatever you need here

    @classmethod
    def increment(self, n):
        ... # add whatever you need here

Then, in your test, something as simple as this:

class TestCalculator(TestCase):

    def test_increment_or_whatever(self):
        with patch.object(Calculator,
                          "increment",
                          return_value=Calculator_Mock.increment()) as increment_mock:
        ... # call whatever your calls Calculator.increment, the mock should run instead the Calculator.increment