1_rspec_for_testing

# 1. Use rspec for testing

Date: October 2021

## Context

Prior to October 2021, there were very few tests for the API checking functionality of the `SearchItemReq` and `SearchItemRes` classes written in minitest.

## Decision

We will use rspec for our tests

### RSpec

Pros:

- `rspec-rails` imitates rails app file loading
- describe / context / it statements provide self-documentation of features and behavior
- well supported and used by many
- extremely powerful mocking / stubbing and request functionality

Cons:

- fairly heavy application
- documentation can be confusing

### Minitest

Pros:

- very lightweight library
- default for Rails

Cons:

- more basic in functionality

## Consequences

This change required us to migrate our existing tests from minitest to rspec. Additionally, this adds the dependency of rspec and several rspec-* libraries, rather than the built-in minitest. However, it will allow us to more thoroughly test the API in the future when we have time to think through and write tests!