jQuery QUnit

QUnit is a highly favored tool of jQuery developers. In gist, QUnit is a form of testing tool for the framework. QUnit checks for functions that may not work in jQuery and readily provides this information to the user. With an efficient logging system, developers will be able to pinpoint the source of problem through QUnit.

But many developers are clamoring for something else in QUnit. It's true that the tester can work well with jQuery but the tester is only limited to said framework. The testing tool is too good to be limited to one framework.

The concern of exclusivity with jQuery is nearly ending with the recent update of QUnit. This testing unit is slowly moving towards universality as it will try to be adaptable to various frameworks or any JavaScript and Ajax based application. John Resig, the creator of jQuery highly recommended this function since its inception and continues to do so with this update.

This move for jQuery is very impressive considering jQuery is trying to become the "it" framework.

New features in QUnit

The functions and advantages found in QUnit did not made any significant changes. However, some features have increased the functionality of QUnit:

• Standalone feature - the biggest change of QUnit is its detachment to jQuery. As already indicated, QUnit is moving towards universal adaptation and it cannot do that if it will be limited to jQuery. By being standalone, QUnit will be able to work with almost any framework and even in manual JavaScript coding.

The only challenge to this update is on its inability to work with upcoming coding. There is also the possibility that the QUnit will be exploited and will be used to attack other websites.

• Browser independent - Another impressive feature coming to QUnit is in its ability to work even without the browser. QUnit can be installed in the local device and will be able to work with JavaScript and Ajax outside the browser. This feature significantly improves the speed of QUnit as it will no longer require any internet connection.

This feature in QUnit answers the previous concern on security. Since it might be possible that JavaScript will be attacked with a tweaked QUnit, building the tester outside the browser should decrease required connection. The tester will just focus on the functions and log the errors for the developers to interpret.

Logging Challenges

While QUnit is now a smarter tool, concern about global functions still exists. This happens since QUnit will use the same global function to log errors. This is essential since it is only through global functions that each log can be understood.

But there is actually a small trick to prevent this problem. The logs are not actually required to be placed as methods. An override is possible and the methods would simply be directly implemented in QUnit.

The well known tester for jQuery can now be used for various Ajax and JavaScript based application. It's smarter and faster and will certainly help developers detect any problems with the application.