[Java] Educate about io.crate:crate-testing package (crate-java-testing)

[amotl]

Problem

Both patches reflecting upon software packages which can be used for testing CrateDB did not include presenting the io.crate:crate-testing package for Java.

• Testcontainers for Java: Add showcase examples for different scenarios #54
• Testing: Demonstrate Python test layer implementations #280

However, the package is well alive.

Backlog

• Add a relevant snippet to cratedb-examples.
• Add a corresponding documentation section to cratedb-guide, at Software Testing with CrateDB.

[amotl]

The example java-qa uses crate-testing already.

-- by-language/java-qa/pom.xml

[amotl]

Update 2025Q01

@kneth published release 0.12.1 (thanks!), and we added a little documentation section about the package where it was missing yet.

• Testing/Java: Add section about io.crate:crate-testing package cratedb-guide#178

Thoughts I

@kneth: In the spirit of completing LoDs for advertisement purposes, can the package be added to some 3rd party resources, like corresponding adapter support for JUnit/PostgreSQL is doing it?

An example landscape exploration query is junit+postgresql, where I was able to discover Embedded PostgreSQL for Java. Its documentation is certainly impressive, and probably also its features/robustness/viability. I think io.crate:crate-testing is not necessarily behind, but could receive being highlighted better within our documentation realms. wdyt?

Thoughts II

I have been able to discover another project that provided an "embedded" PostgreSQL instance to integration tests in Java, see https://github.com/yandex-qatools/postgresql-embedded. It has been archived, and there is a relevant note:

Please be adviced that the main maintainer of this project has successfuly migrated to the use of Test Containers project. This is the best possible alternative nowadays.

In this spirit, shall we better invest into the Testcontainers/Java CrateDB Module instead, and/or feature it more prominently on the canonical documentation page? wdyt?

[amotl]

The section that has been added is published now. Therefore, I am closing this.

https://cratedb.com/docs/guide/integrate/testing.html