installing_and_initializing_framework.md

Installing and initializing the framework

Install dotnet runtime

Install the dotnet runtime (not SDK) from here. Version 8.0 is recommended (the minimum version required is 5.0). The dotnet runtime is required to evaluate the Data Factory expression functions on dotnet just like in Data Factory.

Installing the framework

The framework is available as a Python package on PyPI. You can install it using your preferred package manager: data-factory-testing-framework.

Initializing the framework

To initialize the framework, you need to create a TestFramework instance. This instance is the entry point to the framework and provides access to the pipeline and activity definitions. Specify the type of data factory (i.e. Fabric or DataFactory for Azure Data Factory) and pass the path to the folder containing the pipeline definitions to the TestFramework constructor.

from data_factory_testing_framework import TestFramework, TestFrameworkType

test_framework = TestFramework(
        framework_type=TestFrameworkType.DataFactory,
        root_folder_path='/factory',
    )

The TestFramework will automatically load all the pipeline and activity definitions from the specified folder. It will make them available through the repository property. Pipelines can easily be retrieved by name:

pipeline = test_framework.get_pipeline_by_name("batch_job")

Activities can be retrieved from the pipeline by name:

activity = pipeline.get_activity_by_name("webactivity_name")

See the following pages for more information on how to write tests for activities and pipelines:

1. Activity testing
2. Pipeline testing