Understanding Extrinsic Submissions

Oct 13, 2025 by pinkandtrash.com 11 views

Introduction

When developing a blockchain network on Substrate, ensuring the integrity and reliability of your codebase is crucial. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through thorough testing. However, testing can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, especially when dealing with complex extrinsic submissions. In this article, we will explore the best ways to automate extrinsic submissions for testing, making it easier to run integration tests against specific sets of extrinsic submissions when the network is running in development mode.

Understanding Extrinsic Submissions

Before we dive into the automation process, it's essential to understand what extrinsic submissions are. In the context of Substrate, extrinsic submissions refer to external calls made to the blockchain, such as transactions or messages. These submissions can be used to interact with the blockchain, update the state, or trigger specific events. When testing a blockchain network, it's often necessary to simulate these extrinsic submissions to ensure that the code behaves as expected.

Challenges of Manual Testing

Manual testing of extrinsic submissions can be a tedious and error-prone process. It requires a significant amount of time and effort to create and execute test cases, especially when dealing with complex scenarios. Moreover, manual testing can lead to inconsistencies and inaccuracies, which can compromise the reliability of the test results. To overcome these challenges, automation is the way forward.

Benefits of Automation

Automating extrinsic submissions for testing offers several benefits, including:

Increased efficiency: Automation saves time and effort, allowing developers to focus on more critical tasks.
Improved accuracy: Automated tests are less prone to errors and inconsistencies, ensuring reliable test results.
Enhanced scalability: Automation enables developers to run multiple test cases simultaneously, making it easier to test complex scenarios.
Better code coverage: Automation helps ensure that all aspects of the codebase are thoroughly tested, reducing the risk of bugs and errors.

Best Practices for Automating Extrinsic Submissions

To automate extrinsic submissions effectively, follow these best practices:

1. Use a Testing Framework

Choose a testing framework that supports Substrate, such as substrate-test or wasm-test. These frameworks provide a set of tools and utilities to simplify the testing process.

2. Define Test Cases

Create test cases that cover various scenarios, including happy paths, edge cases, and error scenarios. Use a testing framework to define and execute these test cases.

3. Use Mocking Libraries

Use mocking libraries to simulate extrinsic submissions and interactions with the blockchain. This helps isolate dependencies and makes it easier to test complex scenarios.

4. Leverage CI/CD Pipelines

Integrate automated testing into your CI/CD pipeline to ensure that tests are run automatically whenever code changes are made.

5. Monitor and Analyze Test Results

Use tools to monitor and analyze test results, identifying areas for improvement and optimizing the testing process.

Implementing Automation with Substrate

To automate extrinsic submissions with Substrate, follow these steps:

1. Install the Substrate Test Framework

Install the substrate-test framework using the following command:

cargo add substrate-test

2. Define Test Cases

Create a test file using the substrate-test framework. Define test cases that cover various scenarios, including happy paths, edge cases, and error scenarios.

use substrate_test::prelude::*;
#[test]
fn test_extrinsic_submission() {
// Define test case
let extrinsic = Extrinsic::new(
// Set extrinsic data
vec![],
// Set extrinsic signature
vec![],
);
// Execute extrinsic submission
let result = extrinsic.submit();

// Assert result
assert!(result.is_ok());

}

3. Use Mocking Libraries

Use a mocking library to simulate extrinsic submissions and interactions with the blockchain. For example, you can use the mockito library to mock the Extrinsic type.

use mockito::mock;
#[test]
fn test_extrinsic_submission() {
// Define test case
let extrinsic = Extrinsic::new(
// Set extrinsic data
vec![],
// Set extrinsic signature
vec![],
);
// Mock extrinsic submission
let mock_extrinsic = mock!(Extrinsic);

// Execute extrinsic submission
let result = mock_extrinsic.submit();

// Assert result
assert!(result.is_ok());

}

Conclusion

Automating extrinsic submissions for testing is a crucial step in ensuring the reliability and integrity of your blockchain network. By following the best practices outlined in this article, you can simplify the testing process, increase efficiency, and improve accuracy. Remember to use a testing framework, define test cases, use mocking libraries, leverage CI/CD pipelines, and monitor and analyze test results. With automation, you can ensure that your blockchain network is thoroughly tested, reducing the risk of bugs and errors.

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored the best ways to automate extrinsic submissions for testing on Substrate. However, we understand that there may be many questions and concerns regarding this process. In this article, we will address some of the most frequently asked questions about automating extrinsic submissions for testing.

Q&A

Q: What is the best way to automate extrinsic submissions for testing on Substrate?

A: The best way to automate extrinsic submissions for testing on Substrate is to use a testing framework such as substrate-test or wasm-test. These frameworks provide a set of tools and utilities to simplify the testing process.

Q: How do I define test cases for extrinsic submissions?

A: To define test cases for extrinsic submissions, you can use a testing framework to create test files that cover various scenarios, including happy paths, edge cases, and error scenarios. For example, you can use the substrate-test framework to define test cases for extrinsic submissions.

Q: What is the difference between a testing framework and a mocking library?

A: A testing framework is a set of tools and utilities that simplify the testing process, while a mocking library is a tool that allows you to simulate interactions with external dependencies. In the context of automating extrinsic submissions for testing, a testing framework is used to define test cases, while a mocking library is used to simulate extrinsic submissions and interactions with the blockchain.

Q: How do I use a mocking library to simulate extrinsic submissions?

A: To use a mocking library to simulate extrinsic submissions, you can use a library such as mockito to mock the Extrinsic type. This allows you to simulate extrinsic submissions and interactions with the blockchain, making it easier to test complex scenarios.

Q: What is the benefit of using a CI/CD pipeline to automate testing?

A: Using a CI/CD pipeline to automate testing ensures that tests are run automatically whenever code changes are made. This helps to catch bugs and errors early in the development process, reducing the risk of downstream problems.

Q: How do I monitor and analyze test results?

A: To monitor and analyze test results, you can use tools such as substrate-test to track test results and identify areas for improvement. You can also use other tools such as jest or mocha to analyze test results and optimize the testing process.

Q: What are some common pitfalls to avoid when automating extrinsic submissions for testing?

A: Some common pitfalls to avoid when automating extrinsic submissions for testing include:

Insufficient test coverage: Make sure to cover all scenarios, including happy paths, edge cases, and error scenarios.
Inadequate mocking: Use a mocking library to simulate extrinsic submissions and interactions with the blockchain.
Inconsistent test results: Use tools to track test results and identify areas for improvement.
Inadequate error handling: Make sure to handle errors and exceptions properly.

Conclusion

Automating extrinsic submissions for testing is a crucial step in ensuring the reliability and integrity of your blockchain network. By following the best practices outlined in this article and addressing common pitfalls, you can simplify the testing process, increase efficiency, and improve accuracy. Remember to use a testing framework, define test cases, use mocking libraries, leverage CI/CD pipelines, and monitor and analyze test results. With automation, you can ensure that your blockchain network is thoroughly tested, reducing the risk of bugs and errors.

Additional Resources

Substrate Test Framework: A testing framework for Substrate that provides a set of tools and utilities to simplify the testing process.
Mockito: A mocking library that allows you to simulate interactions with external dependencies.
Jest: A testing framework that provides a set of tools and utilities to simplify the testing process.
Mocha: A testing framework that provides a set of tools and utilities to simplify the testing process.

FAQs

Q: What is the best way to automate extrinsic submissions for testing on Substrate? A: The best way to automate extrinsic submissions for testing on Substrate is to use a testing framework such as substrate-test or wasm-test.
Q: How do I define test cases for extrinsic submissions? A: To define test cases for extrinsic submissions, you can use a testing framework to create test files that cover various scenarios, including happy paths, edge cases, and error scenarios.
Q: What is the difference between a testing framework and a mocking library? A: A testing framework is a set of tools and utilities that simplify the testing process, while a mocking library is a tool that allows you to simulate interactions with external dependencies.