Sample data

The rule

There are two kinds of data, and they never mix.

Sample data is only added when Database:SeedSampleData is true (on in appsettings.local.json and appsettings.docker.json, off in appsettings.json; Lambda turns it on only in docker-compose.yml) and the database is empty. A deployed copy never starts with fake data.

Steps

1. New column on a model? Add a RuleFor to the matching Faker<T> in AddData, and a value to the rows in AddTestData if tests need it.
2. Movie titles and review text come from the Titles and ReviewTexts lists in AddData. Keep them made up, with no real films, characters or brands, and keep a few titles for common searches such as "space" or "love".
3. Keep the fixed Seed and ReferenceDate. Dates come from f.Date.Past(refDate: ReferenceDate), never from the clock, so every run gives the same data.
4. Tests that need a specific row look it up by its known value (Authors.First(a => a.FirstName == "One")), not by position.
5. Presentation integration tests that need a row with children pick one that has them. Bogus spreads reviews at random, so a few movies and authors have none.

Don't

• Seed in a repository constructor or on every request. Seeding happens once, in InitialiseInfrastructure().
• Turn SeedSampleData on in appsettings.json.
• Use DateTime.Now, Guid.NewGuid() or an unseeded Faker in sample data.
• Assert exact counts of sample data in presentation tests. They depend on the random spread; repository tests use the test data for exact counts.

Check

dotnet test