[SalesForce] Apex Testing – Test Data Factory Quick Question

A fresher question.

As per the Apex guide online,

https://www.salesforce.com/us/developer/docs/apexcode/index_Left.htm#CSHID=apex_testing.htm|StartTopic=Content%2Fapex_testing.htm|SkinName=webhelp

the following is a test factory class

@isTest
                    public class TestDataFactory {
    public static void createTestRecords(Integer numAccts, Integer numContactsPerAcct) {
        List<Account> accts = new List<Account>();

        for(Integer i=0;i<numAccts;i++) {
            Account a = new Account(Name='TestAccount' + i);
            accts.add(a);
        }
        insert accts;

        for (Integer j=0;j<numAccts;j++) {
            Account acct = accts[j];
            List<Contact> cons = new List<Contact>();
            // For each account just inserted, add contacts            for (Integer k=numContactsPerAcct*j;k<numContactsPerAcct*(j+1);k++) {
                cons.add(new Contact(firstname='Test'+k,lastname='Test'+k,AccountId=acct.Id));
            }
            insert cons;
        }
    }
}

This test factory class from above has one sole purpose of creating generic test data and can be called from other test classes like below.

@isTest
                    private class MyTestClass {
    static testmethod void test1() {
        TestDataFactory.createTestRecords(5,3); ///QUESTION
        // Run some tests
    }
}

My question is at "QUESTION" indicated line above.
The "TestDataFactory.createTestRecords()" does not return any data as indicated by "void" in its method definition.
Then how "MyTestClass.test1()" will be able to obtain and test the data generated by the utility class ?

Can someone throw light on this ?

Best Answer

The createTestRecords method commits data to the database using insert.

The records that have been inserted can be retrieved using SOQL:

List<Account> accounts = [SELECT Name FROM Account]; // Will bring back the created accounts
List<Contact> contacts = [SELECT FirstName, LastName FROM Contact]; // Will bring back the created contacts

Personally I prefer to return the records I create in these types of methods as it means I have access to the inserted records (and their Id) without needing the query the database:

public static List<Account> createTestAccounts(Integer numAccts) 
{
    List<Account> accts = new List<Account>();

    for(Integer i = 0; i < numAccts; i++) 
    {
        Account a = new Account(Name = 'TestAccount' + i);
        accts.add(a);
    }

    insert accts;
    return accts;
}
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