Test2::Workflow(3pm) Perl Programmers Reference Guide Test2::Workflow(3pm)

# [NAME](#NAME)

Test2::Workflow - A test workflow is a way of structuring tests using composable units.

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

A test workflow is a way of structuring tests using composable units. A well known example of a test workflow is RSPEC <http://rspec.info/>. RSPEC is implemented using Test2::Workflow in Test2::Tools::Spec along with several extensions.

# [IMPORTANT CONCEPTS](#IMPORTANT_CONCEPTS)

## [BUILD](#BUILD)

Test2::Workflow::Build

A Build is used to compose tasks. Usually a build object is pushed to the stack before running code that adds tasks to the build. Once the build sub is complete the build is popped and returned. Usually a build is converted into a root task or task group.

## [RUNNER](#RUNNER)

Test2::Workflow::Runner

A runner takes the composed tasks and executes them in the proper order.

## [TASK](#TASK)

Test2::Workflow::Task

A task is a unit of work to accomplish. There are 2 main types of task.

*ACTION*

An action is the most simple unit used in composition. An action is essentially a name and a codeblock to run.

*GROUP*

A group is a task that is composed of other tasks.

# [EXPORTS](#EXPORTS)

All exports are optional, you must request the ones you want.

$parsed = parse\_args(args => \\@args)

$parsed = parse\_args(args => \\@args, level => $L)

$parsed = parse\_args(args => \\@args, caller => \[caller($L)])

This will parse a "typical" task builders arguments. The @args array MUST contain a name (plain scalar containing text) and also a single CODE reference. The @args array MAY also contain any quantity of line numbers or hashrefs. The resulting data structure will be a single hashref with all the provided hashrefs squashed together, and the 'name', 'code', 'lines' and 'frame' keys set from other arguments.

```
    {
        # All hashrefs from @args get squashed together:
        %squashed_input_hashref_data,
        # @args must have exactly 1 plaintext scalar that is not a number, it
        # is considered the name:
        name => 'name from input args'
        # Integer values are treated as line numbers
        lines => [ 35, 44 ],
        # Exactly 1 coderef must be provided in @args:
        code => \&some_code,
        # 'frame' contains the 'caller' data. This may be passed in directly,
        # obtained from the 'level' parameter, or automatically deduced.
        frame => ['A::Package', 'a_file.pm', 42, ...],
    }
    
```

$build = init\_root($pkg, %args)

This will initialize (or return the existing) a build for the specified package. %args get passed into the Test2::Workflow::Build constructor. This uses the following defaults (which can be overridden using %args):

```
    name    => $pkg,
    flat    => 1,
    iso     => 0,
    async   => 0,
    is_root => 1,
    
```

Note that %args is completely ignored if the package build has already been initialized.

$build = root\_build($pkg)

This will return the root build for the specified package.

$build = **current\_build()**

This will return the build currently at the top of the build stack (or undef).

$build = build($name, \\%params, sub { ... })

This will push a new build object onto the build stash then run the provided codeblock. Once the codeblock has finished running the build will be popped off the stack and returned.

See parse\_args() for details about argument processing.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[Test2::Tools::Spec](#Test2::Tools::Spec)

Test2::Tools::Spec is an implementation of RSPEC using this library.

# [SOURCE](#SOURCE)

The source code repository for Test2-Workflow can be found at *https://github.com/Test-More/test-more/*.

# [MAINTAINERS](#MAINTAINERS)

[Chad Granum <exodist@cpan.org>](#Chad)

# [AUTHORS](#AUTHORS)

[Chad Granum <exodist@cpan.org>](#Chad~2)

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright Chad Granum <exodist7@gmail.com>.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

See *http://dev.perl.org/licenses/*

2026-08-31 perl v5.44.0

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Document: Test2::Workflow(3pm) from perl 5.44.0-r1 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/Perl/perl5.git