Groovy

What is Groovy?

Groovy is an object-oriented dynamic programming language that runs on a JVM. It has features similar to other dynamic languages such as Perl, Ruby, Python and Smalltalk. You can read more about Groovy on the official website

Why have a dynamic language in Twist?

Dynamic languages are traditionally considered easier for non-developers to adopt. They provide a lot of functionality with a gentler learning curve than Java for instance. Dynamic languages often provide terse and meaningful ways of stating things, thus making code more readable. Groovy is a good choice since it is easy for both Java developers and those with little or no programming experience to pick up.

What can I do with Groovy in Twist?

Twist allows test intent to be backed up by Groovy implementations. This means that the underlying code used to drive your tests can now be in Groovy. Given that Groovy is a dynamic language and can control several aspects of a program at runtime, it places a greater deal of power at the user's hands. Groovy's syntax also means that code is easier to maintain with time. Groovy seamlessly integrates with all existing Java objects and libraries. You can use Java libraries seamlessly with Groovy making it possible for you to leverage any existing Java code you may have.

How can I install Groovy on Twist?

There are two ways to install the Groovy feature.

  • To install Groovy using an installer go here
  • To install Groovy using an update site go here(only in case you have downloaded a version of Twist that did not have Groovy support in it)

Note: The Groovy plugin patches JDT which is also used for Java. This doesn't impact Java directly and you will be able to use Groovy and Java with Twist without any issues.

How can I use Groovy with Twist?

  • To use Groovy on your projects, you need to install
  • Use the instructions given here, and choose Groovy as the language.

Why is the Twist installer that supports Groovy different from the default Twist installer?

The Groovy Eclipse plugin uses its own version of the JDT which conflicts with the Java version that we bundle. This is the reason we have to ship the Groovy Twist installer separately.

Can I do everything in Twist with Groovy that I used to do on Java?

Mostly yes. We do not currently support the "Refactor from Code" feature that Twist provides. We support every other feature that we provide with our Java release.