migrating-from-android-test-classes

Migrating Off android.test.* — From the Platform's Legacy Test Classes to AndroidX Test

The android.test.* package shipped in the Android SDK (InstrumentationTestCase, ActivityInstrumentationTestCase2, AndroidTestCase, ServiceTestCase, MoreAsserts, TouchUtils, android.test.mock.*, …) is @Deprecated — the platform's own Javadoc routes every class to AndroidX Test. Old codebases still carry these, and they actively hold back JUnit4, Espresso, ActivityScenario, and the AndroidX runner. This skill is the class-by-class replacement map and the mechanical migration patterns.

When to use this skill

• The IDE flags android.test.InstrumentationTestCase / AndroidTestCase / ActivityInstrumentationTestCase2 / ServiceTestCase / MoreAsserts / ViewAsserts / TouchUtils / android.test.mock.* as @Deprecated.
• A module's testInstrumentationRunner is android.test.InstrumentationTestRunner and tests behave oddly under AndroidJUnitRunner (or won't be discovered).
• The user asks how to replace a specific legacy base class: "getInstrumentation() outside a TestCase", "getActivity() / setActivityIntent() without ActivityInstrumentationTestCase2", "getContext() without AndroidTestCase".
• A test extends junit.framework.TestCase (JUnit3 style: setUp() override, testFoo() naming, assertEquals from junit.framework.Assert) and the team wants JUnit4.
• The user mentions MoreAsserts.assertContentsInAnyOrder / assertEquals(int[], int[]) / assertContainsRegex, ViewAsserts.assertOnScreen, TouchUtils.tapView/dragQuarterScreenDown, or android.test.suitebuilder.annotation.SmallTest.

When NOT to use this skill

• The codebase is already on AndroidX Test and the question is about using it (the runner, ActivityScenario, Espresso, ServiceTestRule) — go straight to ../../../instrumentation/runner/running-instrumented-tests-with-androidjunit4/SKILL.md, ../../../instrumentation/scenarios/launching-activities-with-activityscenario/SKILL.md, ../../../instrumentation/espresso/writing-espresso-tests/SKILL.md.
• The question is about kotlin.test assertions (assertEquals, assertFailsWith) — use ../../../kotlin/kotlin-test/writing-tests-with-kotlin-test/SKILL.md. (kotlin.test is one valid target for MoreAsserts calls.)
• The legacy class in question is a Robolectric shadow or a JUnit3 non-Android TestCase in pure-JVM code — for the JVM/Robolectric side use ../../../jvm-tests/robolectric/using-robolectric-correctly/SKILL.md and ../../../jvm-tests/runner/configuring-junit4-on-android/SKILL.md.
• The user wants to write a new test — do not start from android.test.* at all; use the AndroidX skills directly.

Prerequisites

• AndroidX Test on the test classpath — see ../../../instrumentation/runner/running-instrumented-tests-with-androidjunit4/SKILL.md for the exact coordinate matrix (androidx.test:core, :runner, :rules, androidx.test.ext:junit). For host/JVM tests, ../../../jvm-tests/runner/configuring-junit4-on-android/SKILL.md.
• JUnit4 on the classpath (junit:junit:4.13.2 or via kotlin("test")). The legacy classes are JUnit3-shaped (extends TestCase); the migration target is JUnit4 (@Test + @RunWith).
• Espresso (androidx.test.espresso:espresso-core) for anything that was using TouchUtils / ViewAsserts / ActivityInstrumentationTestCase2's UI poking.

The replacement map

The platform's own @deprecated Javadoc often points at the old "Android Testing Support Library" / android.support.test.* names (e.g. ActivityTestRule). Those became androidx.test.*, and several have since been re-deprecated again — ActivityTestRule → ActivityScenario. Migrate to the current target in the table above, not to whatever the platform Javadoc literally says.

Workflow

• 1. Flip the runner first. Set android.defaultConfig.testInstrumentationRunner = "androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner" and add the AndroidX Test deps. Until this is done, JUnit4/Espresso/ActivityScenario cannot run. (../../../instrumentation/runner/running-instrumented-tests-with-androidjunit4/SKILL.md.)

• 2. Convert one test class at a time, JUnit3 → JUnit4. Drop extends …TestCase, add @RunWith(AndroidJUnit4::class), annotate test methods @Test, convert setUp()/tearDown() overrides to @Before/@After (no super call), and rename testFoo → foo if you like. Replace each legacy accessor with its AndroidX equivalent from the table.

• 3. Replace base-class superpowers with explicit AndroidX entry points. getContext() → ApplicationProvider.getApplicationContext(); getInstrumentation() → InstrumentationRegistry.getInstrumentation(); getActivity() → ActivityScenario + onActivity { }; getService() → ServiceTestRule.bindService(...).

• 4. Swap the assertion helpers. MoreAsserts.* → Truth/kotlin.test; ViewAsserts.* → Espresso ViewAssertions; TouchUtils.* → Espresso ViewActions.

• 5. Swap the mock contexts. Anything extending android.test.mock.MockContext/MockResources/MockPackageManager → a real test context where possible, otherwise a Mockito/MockK mock. (../../../jvm-tests/mocking/mocking-with-mockito/SKILL.md.)

• 6. Delete the legacy imports and confirm nothing references android.test.* or android.test.mock.* any more. A clean module compiles with zero import android.test. lines.

Patterns

Pattern: ActivityInstrumentationTestCase2 → ActivityScenario

// WRONG — deprecated base class
class LoginActivityTest : ActivityInstrumentationTestCase2<LoginActivity>(LoginActivity::class.java) {
    fun testTitleShown() {
        val activity = activity                       // getActivity()
        assertEquals("Sign in", activity.title)
    }
}
// WRONG because: android.test.ActivityInstrumentationTestCase2 is @Deprecated; it ties the test to
// the legacy InstrumentationTestRunner, blocks JUnit4/Espresso, and getActivity() leaks the Activity
// off the main thread.

// RIGHT — ActivityScenario + JUnit4
@RunWith(AndroidJUnit4::class)
class LoginActivityTest {
    @get:Rule val scenario = ActivityScenarioRule(LoginActivity::class.java)

    @Test fun titleShown() {
        scenario.scenario.onActivity { activity ->
            assertEquals("Sign in", activity.title)
        }
        onView(withId(R.id.title)).check(matches(withText("Sign in")))   // or assert via Espresso
    }
}

Pattern: AndroidTestCase → @RunWith(AndroidJUnit4) + ApplicationProvider

// WRONG
class FormatterTest : AndroidTestCase() {
    fun testCurrency() {
        val s = CurrencyFormatter(context).format(1099)   // getContext()
        assertEquals("$10.99", s)
    }
}
// WRONG because: android.test.AndroidTestCase is @Deprecated; getContext() and the TestCase shape
// are the legacy world.

// RIGHT
@RunWith(AndroidJUnit4::class)
class FormatterTest {
    private val context: Context = ApplicationProvider.getApplicationContext()

    @Test fun currency() {
        assertEquals("$10.99", CurrencyFormatter(context).format(1099))
    }
}

Pattern: MoreAsserts / TouchUtils calls

// WRONG
MoreAsserts.assertContentsInAnyOrder(ids, 3L, 1L, 2L)         // android.test.MoreAsserts (deprecated)
TouchUtils.tapView(this, listView)                            // android.test.TouchUtils (deprecated)
ViewAsserts.assertOnScreen(rootView, listView)                // android.test.ViewAsserts (deprecated)

// RIGHT
assertThat(service.ids()).containsExactly(1L, 2L, 3L)         // Google Truth (order-insensitive)
onView(withId(R.id.list)).perform(click())                    // Espresso ViewActions
onView(withId(R.id.list)).check(matches(isCompletelyDisplayed()))   // Espresso ViewAssertions

Pattern: android.test.mock.MockContext subclass → real context or Mockito

// WRONG
class FakeContext : MockContext() {                            // android.test.mock.MockContext (deprecated)
    override fun getPackageName() = "com.example"
    // every other method throws UnsupportedOperationException
}

// RIGHT — a real test context if the SUT just reads from it
val context: Context = ApplicationProvider.getApplicationContext()

// RIGHT — a mock if you must control specific calls in isolation
val context = mock<Context> { on { packageName } doReturn "com.example" }

Mandatory rules

• MUST NOT add new tests using any android.test.* or android.test.mock.* class — all are @Deprecated. New tests use AndroidX Test (AndroidJUnit4, ActivityScenario, ServiceTestRule, ProviderTestRule, Espresso) and org.junit/kotlin.test assertions.
• MUST switch testInstrumentationRunner to androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner before (or as the first step of) migrating any test class — the legacy InstrumentationTestRunner does not run JUnit4/Espresso.
• MUST replace getActivity()/setActivityIntent() with ActivityScenario (launch, onActivity { }), not with ActivityTestRule — ActivityTestRule is itself deprecated.
• MUST replace android.test.mock.MockContext/MockResources/MockPackageManager/MockContentResolver subclasses with a real test context where the SUT only reads from it, otherwise a Mockito/MockK mock — never re-derive a new hand-stub from MockContext.
• MUST convert JUnit3 shape (extends TestCase, testFoo(), setUp()/tearDown() overrides, junit.framework.Assert) to JUnit4 (@RunWith(AndroidJUnit4), @Test, @Before/@After, org.junit.Assert/kotlin.test) — do not leave a class half-migrated.
• MUST NOT trust the platform @deprecated Javadoc's literal target (it often names the obsolete android.support.test.* API); migrate to the current AndroidX target in this skill's table.
• PREFERRED: migrate one test class fully per change, with the runner flip landing first; a half-migrated module (some classes on android.test.*, some on AndroidX) is hard to reason about.
• PREFERRED: Google Truth (androidx.test.ext:truth for the Android subjects) over Hamcrest as the MoreAsserts replacement — better failure messages.

Verification

• git grep -n 'import android.test\.' -- '*.java' '*.kt' is empty (or limited to a tracked, justified holdout list).
• No module's testInstrumentationRunner is android.test.InstrumentationTestRunner; all are androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner.
• No test class extends ActivityInstrumentationTestCase2 / AndroidTestCase / InstrumentationTestCase / ServiceTestCase / ProviderTestCase2 / junit.framework.TestCase.
• No MoreAsserts. / ViewAsserts. / TouchUtils. references remain.
• No subclass of android.test.mock.MockContext / MockResources / MockPackageManager / MockContentResolver remains.
• Migrated instrumentation tests run green under ./gradlew :module:connectedDebugAndroidTest; migrated host tests under ./gradlew :module:testDebugUnitTest.

References

• developer.android.com/training/testing — AndroidX Test overview; the migration destination for everything in android.test.*.
• developer.android.com/reference/android/test/package-summary — the android.test package reference, every class marked deprecated with its replacement pointer.
• frameworks/base/test-base/src/android/test/AndroidTestCase.java, InstrumentationTestCase.java, UiThreadTest.java, FlakyTest.java (AOSP) — @Deprecated classes whose Javadoc routes to InstrumentationRegistry / androidx.test.annotation.UiThreadTest / androidx.test.filters.FlakyTest.
• frameworks/base/test-runner/src/android/test/ActivityInstrumentationTestCase2.java, ServiceTestCase.java, ProviderTestCase2.java, InstrumentationTestRunner.java, MoreAsserts.java, ViewAsserts.java, TouchUtils.java (AOSP) — the deprecated runner/base classes; Javadocs name ActivityTestRule/ServiceTestRule/AndroidJUnitRunner/Hamcrest/Espresso as replacements.
• frameworks/base/test-mock/src/android/test/mock/MockContext.java, MockPackageManager.java, MockContentResolver.java, MockResources.java, MockCursor.java (AOSP) — the stub-context bases; MockPackageManager's Javadoc explicitly says "use a mocking framework like Mockito".
• Cross-set: ../../../instrumentation/runner/running-instrumented-tests-with-androidjunit4/SKILL.md — the AndroidJUnitRunner / AndroidX Test coordinate matrix to land first.
• Cross-set: ../../../instrumentation/scenarios/launching-activities-with-activityscenario/SKILL.md — ActivityScenario / ActivityScenarioRule, the replacement for ActivityInstrumentationTestCase2.
• Cross-set: ../../../instrumentation/scenarios/launching-fragments-with-fragmentscenario/SKILL.md — FragmentScenario for any home-grown fragment-test bases.
• Cross-set: ../../../instrumentation/espresso/writing-espresso-tests/SKILL.md — Espresso ViewMatchers/ViewActions/ViewAssertions, the replacement for ViewAsserts/TouchUtils.
• Cross-set: ../../../jvm-tests/mocking/mocking-with-mockito/SKILL.md — mocking Context/PackageManager/Resources, the replacement for android.test.mock.*.
• Cross-set: ../../../jvm-tests/robolectric/using-robolectric-correctly/SKILL.md — real Android stubs on the JVM, an alternative to a mock context.
• Cross-set: ../../../kotlin/kotlin-test/writing-tests-with-kotlin-test/SKILL.md — kotlin.test assertions (assertEquals, assertContentEquals, assertFailsWith), one valid replacement for MoreAsserts and junit.framework.Assert.
• Cross-set: ../../../fundamentals/strategies/organizing-test-source-sets/SKILL.md — src/test/ vs src/androidTest/, which the migrated classes need to be sorted into.