How to Test a Kivy App on GitHub Actions MacOS Runner: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you tired of running your Kivy app manually on different devices, only to find that it breaks on one of them? Do you want to automate the testing process and ensure that your app is compatible with various platforms? Look no further! In this article, we’ll show you how to test your Kivy app on GitHub Actions MacOS Runner, making your life as a developer a whole lot easier.

Why Use GitHub Actions?

GitHub Actions is a fantastic tool that allows you to automate repetitive tasks, such as testing and deployment, for your projects. With GitHub Actions, you can:

• Automate testing for different platforms and devices
• Speed up your development cycle
• Ensure consistency across different environments
• Focus on writing code instead of manual testing

Prerequisites

• A Kivy app project set up on your local machine
• A GitHub repository for your project
• Basic knowledge of Python and Kivy
• A MacOS environment (we’ll be using the GitHub Actions MacOS Runner)

Step 1: Create a GitHub Actions Workflow File

In your GitHub repository, create a new file in the `.github/workflows` directory and name it `kivy-testing.yml`. This file will contain the instructions for our GitHub Actions workflow.

mkdir .github/workflows
touch kivy-testing.yml

Step 2: Define the Workflow

In the `kivy-testing.yml` file, add the following code:

name: Kivy App Testing

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: macos-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout code
        uses: actions/checkout@v2

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: |
          pip install kivy

      - name: Run tests
        run: |
          python -m unittest tests

      - name: Test Kivy app
        run: |
          python main.py

Here, we’re defining a workflow that:

• Triggers on push events to the `main` branch
• Runs on the `macos-latest` environment
• Checks out the code
• Installs Kivy dependencies
• Runs unit tests using Python’s unittest module
• Runs the Kivy app using the `main.py` file

Step 3: Configure the Kivy App

Next, we need to configure our Kivy app to run on the MacOS environment. In your `main.py` file, add the following code:

import kivy
kivy.require('1.11.1')

from kivy.app import App
from kivy.uix.label import Label

class MyApp(App):
    def build(self):
        return Label(text='Hello World!')

if __name__ == '__main__':
    MyApp().run()

This code creates a simple Kivy app that displays a “Hello World!” label.

Step 4: Add a Test Script

Create a new file called `tests.py` in the same directory as your `main.py` file. Add the following code:

import unittest
from unittest.mock import patch
from kivy.app import App
from kivy.uix.label import Label

class TestMyApp(unittest.TestCase):
    def test_app_runs(self):
        with patch('kivy.app.App.run') as mock_run:
            main.App().run()
            mock_run.assert_called_once()

if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main()

This test script checks that the Kivy app runs successfully.

Step 5: Configure the MacOS Runner

In your GitHub repository, go to the Settings > Actions > Runner > New runner. Fill in the details as follows:

Field	Value
Name	Kivy MacOS Runner
Image	macos-latest
Labels	kivy,macos

Click “Save” to create the runner.

Step 6: Trigger the Workflow

Make some changes to your code, commit, and push to the `main` branch. This will trigger the GitHub Actions workflow.

git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
git push origin main

The workflow will run, and you should see the test results in the GitHub Actions dashboard.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues, check the following:

• Make sure you have the correct Python version installed on your MacOS environment.
• Verify that your Kivy app is configured correctly and runs locally.
• Check the GitHub Actions logs for any errors or warnings.

Conclusion

And that’s it! You’ve successfully set up a GitHub Actions workflow to test your Kivy app on a MacOS environment. This will save you time and effort in the long run, allowing you to focus on developing amazing apps.

Remember to customize the workflow to fit your specific needs, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need further assistance.

Happy testing!

Frequently Asked Question

Get ready to put your Kivy app to the test on GitHub Actions MacOS Runner! Here are the top 5 questions and answers to ensure your testing process goes smoothly.