Namespace Codebelt.Extensions.Xunit.Hosting

Exercise a real .NET application entry point, hosted service, or dependency-injection graph without rebuilding its host setup inside the test project. The Codebelt.Extensions.Xunit.Hosting namespace applies the same test model to console apps, workers, and Generic Host applications: bootstrap the application's Program assembly, customize the host for the scenario, inspect configuration and services, and dispose the test host through one IHostTest abstraction.

For a focused test, start with ApplicationTestFactory.Create<TEntryPoint>. It is the non-web counterpart to the entry-point pattern commonly associated with ASP.NET Core's WebApplicationFactory<TEntryPoint>: the generic argument identifies the application assembly, while the returned test context exposes the resulting host, configuration, and environment. Use the fixture/base-class form when several xUnit tests should share that application context.

Availability: .NET 10, .NET 9 and .NET Standard 2.0

Complements: xUnit: Shared Context between Tests 🔗

Choose a Hosting Path

When you need to	Start with	Why
Bootstrap an existing console, worker, or Generic Host application for one test	`ApplicationTestFactory.Create<TEntryPoint>`	Runs the application's entry-point setup and returns an owned `IHostTest` context that the caller disposes.
Share an existing application across an xUnit test class	`ApplicationTest<TEntryPoint, TFixture>` with `BlockingManagedApplicationFixture<TEntryPoint>`	Moves application startup and disposal into xUnit's fixture lifecycle while retaining configuration and service access.
Build a conventional Generic Host entirely inside the test	`HostTestFactory`	Configures `IServiceCollection` and `IHostBuilder` directly without requiring an application entry point.
Build with the modern `IHostApplicationBuilder` model	`MinimalHostTestFactory`	Keeps minimal-host tests focused on services and application-builder configuration.
Configure the host now but decide when it starts	A `SelfManaged` fixture	Leaves startup under test control so observers and pre-start assertions can be attached first.

Fixture Naming Convention

Host fixtures follow a lifecycle naming convention:

Prefix	Convention
`Managed`	The fixture owns host creation, configuration, startup and disposal using the default host runner.
`SelfManaged`	The fixture owns host creation and configuration, but leaves host startup to the test.
`BlockingManaged`	The fixture owns the host lifecycle and starts the host synchronously before returning control to the test.

Application-entry-point fixtures use the BlockingManaged prefix by default. Existing application entry points are discovered and built from their Program assembly, so tests receive a ready host after fixture initialization. Use BlockingManagedApplicationFixture<TEntryPoint> when testing a console, worker, or Generic Host application from an existing entry point.

Extension Members

Type	Ext	Methods
IApplicationFixture<TEntryPoint>	⬇️	`HasValidState<TEntryPoint>`
IGenericHostFixture	⬇️	`HasValidState`
ILogger	⬇️	`GetTestStore`
ILogger<T>	⬇️	`GetTestStore<T>`
IMinimalHostFixture	⬇️	`HasValidState`
IServiceCollection	⬇️	`AddXunitTestLogging` · `AddXunitTestLoggingOutputHelperAccessor` · `AddXunitTestLoggingOutputHelperAccessor<T>`
IServiceProvider	⬇️	`GetRequiredScopedService<T>`

Classes

ApplicationFixtureExtensions: Extension methods for the IApplicationFixture<TEntryPoint> interface.

ApplicationHostFactory: Provides factory methods for creating application hosts from an entry point assembly.

ApplicationTestFactory: Provides a set of static methods for IHost testing that bootstraps an existing .NET application entry point.

ApplicationTest<TEntryPoint, T>: Represents a base class from which all implementations of unit testing, that uses Microsoft Dependency Injection and depends on an existing .NET application entry point, should derive.

BlockingManagedApplicationFixture<TEntryPoint>: Provides a blocking managed implementation of the IApplicationFixture<TEntryPoint> interface.

GenericHostFixtureExtensions: Extension methods for the IGenericHostFixture interface.

HostFixture: Represents the base class from which all implementations of xUnit fixture concept should derive.

HostTest: Represents the non-generic base class from where its generic equivalent should derive.

HostTestFactory: Provides a set of static methods for IHost unit testing.

HostTest<T>: Represents a base class from which all implementations of unit testing, that uses Microsoft Dependency Injection, should derive.

LoggerExtensions: Extension methods for the ILogger<TCategoryName> interface.

ManagedHostFixture: Provides a default implementation of the IGenericHostFixture interface.

ManagedMinimalHostFixture: Provides a default implementation of the IMinimalHostFixture interface.

MinimalHostFixtureExtensions: Extension methods for the IMinimalHostFixture interface.

MinimalHostTest: Represents the non-generic base class from where its generic equivalent should derive.

MinimalHostTestFactory: Provides a set of static methods for IHost unit testing (minimal style).

MinimalHostTest<T>: Represents a base class from which all implementations of unit testing, that uses Microsoft Dependency Injection (minimal style), should derive.

SelfManagedHostFixture: Represents a self-managed implementation of the ManagedHostFixture class.

SelfManagedMinimalHostFixture: Represents a self-managed implementation of the ManagedMinimalHostFixture class.

ServiceCollectionExtensions: Extension methods for the IServiceCollection interface.

ServiceProviderExtensions: Provides extension methods for the IServiceProvider interface.

XunitTestLoggerEntry: Represents a captured log-entry for testing purposes. This record encapsulates the LogLevel, EventId and message.

Interfaces

IApplicationFixture<TEntryPoint>: Provides a way to use Microsoft Dependency Injection in tests that bootstrap an existing .NET application entry point.

IConfigurationTest: Represents the members needed for DI testing with support for Configuration.

IEnvironmentTest: Represents the members needed for DI testing with support for IHostEnvironment.

IGenericHostFixture: Provides a way to use Microsoft Dependency Injection in unit tests.

IHostFixture: Provides a way to support app and lifetime management in unit tests.

IHostTest: Represents the members needed for bare-bone DI testing with support for IHost.