/unit-test-caching

name: unit-test-caching
description: "Provides patterns for unit testing Spring Cache annotations (@Cacheable, @CachePut, @CacheEvict). Generates test code that mocks cache managers, verifies cache hit/miss behavior, tests cache key generation with SpEL expressions, validates eviction strategies, and checks conditional caching scenarios. Triggers: caching tests, test Spring cache, mock cache, Spring Boot caching, cache hit/miss verification, @Cacheable testing."
allowed-tools: Read, Write, Bash, Glob, Grep

Unit Testing Spring Caching

Overview

This skill provides patterns for unit testing Spring caching annotations (`@Cacheable`, `@CacheEvict`, `@CachePut`) without full Spring context. It covers cache hits/misses, invalidation, key generation, and conditional caching using in-memory `ConcurrentMapCacheManager`.

When to Use

• Writing unit tests for `@Cacheable` method behavior
• Verifying `@CacheEvict` cache invalidation works correctly
• Testing `@CachePut` cache updates
• Validating cache key generation from SpEL expressions
• Testing conditional caching with `unless`/`condition` parameters
• Mocking cache managers in fast unit tests without Redis

Instructions

1. **Configure in-memory CacheManager**: Use `ConcurrentMapCacheManager` for tests 2. **Set up test fixtures**: Mock repository and create service instance in `@BeforeEach` 3. **Verify repository call counts**: Use `times(n)` assertions to confirm cache behavior 4. **Test cache hit**: Call method twice, verify repository called once 5. **Test cache miss**: Verify repository called on each invocation 6. **Test eviction**: After `@CacheEvict`, verify repository called again on next read 7. **Test key generation**: Verify compound keys from SpEL expressions 8. **Validate conditional caching**: Test `unless` (null results) and `condition` (parameter-based)

**Validation checkpoints:**

• Run test → If cache not working: verify `@EnableCaching` annotation present
• If proxy issues: ensure method calls go through Spring proxy (no direct `this` calls)
• If key mismatches: log actual cache key and compare with `@Cacheable(key="...")` expression

Examples

Maven

<dependency>
  <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
  <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-cache</artifactId>
</dependency>
<dependency>
  <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
  <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-test</artifactId>
  <scope>test</scope>
</dependency>

Gradle

dependencies {
  implementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-cache")
  testImplementation("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test")
}

Testing `@Cacheable` (Cache Hit/Miss)

// Service
@Service
public class UserService {
  private final UserRepository userRepository;

  public UserService(UserRepository userRepository) {
    this.userRepository = userRepository;
  }

  @Cacheable("users")
  public User getUserById(Long id) {
    return userRepository.findById(id).orElse(null);
  }
}

// Test
class UserServiceCachingTest {

  private UserRepository userRepository;
  private UserService userService;

  @BeforeEach
  void setUp() {
    userRepository = mock(UserRepository.class);
    userService = new UserService(userRepository);
  }

  @Test
  void shouldCacheUserAfterFirstCall() {
    User user = new User(1L, "Alice");
    when(userRepository.findById(1L)).thenReturn(Optional.of(user));

    // First call - hits database
    User firstCall = userService.getUserById(1L);
    // Second call - hits cache
    User secondCall = userService.getUserById(1L);

    assertThat(firstCall).isEqualTo(secondCall);
    verify(userRepository, times(1)).findById(1L); // Only once due to cache
  }

  @Test
  void shouldInvokeRepositoryOnCacheMiss() {
    when(userRepository.findById(1L)).thenReturn(Optional.of(new User(1L, "Bob")));

    userService.getUserById(1L);
    userService.getUserById(1L);

    verify(userRepository, times(2)).findById(1L); // No caching occurred
  }
}

Testing `@CacheEvict`

// Service
@Service
public class ProductService {
  private final ProductRepository productRepository;

  public ProductService(ProductRepository productRepository) {
    this.productRepository = productRepository;
  }

  @Cacheable("products")
  public Product getProductById(Long id) {
    return productRepository.findById(id).orElse(null);
  }

  @CacheEvict("products")
  public void deleteProduct(Long id) {
    productRepository.deleteById(id);
  }
}

// Test
class ProductCacheEvictTest {

  private ProductRepository productRepository;
  private ProductService productService;

  @BeforeEach
  void setUp() {
    productRepository = mock(ProductRepository.class);
    productService = new ProductService(productRepository);
  }

  @Test
  void shouldEvictProductFromCacheWhenDeleted() {
    Product product = new Product(1L, "Laptop", 999.99);
    when(productRepository.findById(1L)).thenReturn(Optional.of(product));

    productService.getProductById(1L); // Cache the product
    productService.deleteProduct(1L); // Evict from cache

    // Repository called again after eviction
    productService.getProductById(1L);
    verify(productRepository, times(2)).findById(1L);
  }

  @Test
  void shouldClearAllEntriesWithAllEntriesTrue() {
    Product product1 = new Product(1L, "Laptop", 999.99);
    Product product2 = new Product(2L, "Mouse", 29.99);
    when(productRepository.findById(anyLong())).thenAnswer(i ->
      Optional.of(new Product(i.getArgument(0), "Product", 10.0)));

    productService.getProductById(1L);
    productService.getProductById(2L);

    // Use reflection or clear() on ConcurrentMapCache
    productService.clearAllProducts();

    productService.getProductById(1L);
    productService.getProductById(2L);

    verify(productRepository, times(4)).findById(anyLong());
  }
}

Testing `@CachePut`

@Service
public class OrderService {
  private final OrderRepository orderRepository;

  pu