---
id: softest
version: "1.2.0.0"
license: unclear
license_treatment: unclear
maintenance: abandoned
---

# softest — Supports lightweight soft assertions by extending the unittest.TestCase class

License: unclear · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 88.9K/mo

## What it is and what it does

Softest is a unittest extension that implements soft assertions—a testing pattern where multiple assertion failures within a single test method are collected and reported together at the end, rather than stopping execution at the first failure. It wraps standard unittest assertion methods (assertEqual, assertTrue, etc.) and exception-checking methods (assertRaises, assertRaisesRegex) through soft_assert() and soft_assert_raises() calls, then aggregates all failures and their stack traces for a final assert_all() call that reports them as a batch.

The package enhances stack traces to show the call hierarchy within the test class, making it easier to understand where each failure occurred. It has no runtime dependencies and installs as a pure Python wheel, making it lightweight to add to existing test suites. However, it has been abandoned since mid-2018 and receives no maintenance or updates.

Use it for:

- Run all assertions in a test method without stopping at the first failure, to see the full scope of what broke.
- Collect and format multiple related assertion failures for a single comprehensive test report.
- Test objects with many properties where you want to verify all of them before the test fails.
- Replace hard-stop assertions in integration tests where you want to gather all mismatches before stopping.
- Debug test failures faster by seeing all assertion errors at once instead of fixing them one by one.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Softest extends unittest.TestCase to allow multiple assertions to fail within a single test method, collecting and reporting all failures together instead of stopping at the first one.

Yes, if you need soft assertions and are comfortable with an unmaintained package. The code is simple, has no dependencies, and the concept is stable—soft assertions are a well-established testing pattern. However, verify it works with your Python version and test framework before committing to it in a new project, and be prepared to fork or patch it if issues arise.

## Install

pip install softest
uv add softest
poetry add softest

## Installing softest

Before you install: Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. However, the package is abandoned—last release was 2018-07-26 and no commits or activity since then. Use only if you need soft assertions and are willing to maintain a fork if issues arise.

License in practice: License treatment is unclear; the package declares itself as Freeware but provides no SPDX identifier or explicit license text. Verify licensing terms independently before using in commercial or restricted contexts.

Quickstart:

import softest

class MyTest(softest.TestCase):
    def test_multiple_assertions(self):
        self.soft_assert(self.assertEqual, 'a', 'b')
        self.soft_assert(self.assertTrue, False)
        self.assert_all()  # Reports all failures together

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package works with Python versions released after 2018 without modification.
- Current maintainer contact or fork status if bugs are discovered.
- Compatibility with modern unittest or pytest workflows.

## Package facts

- License: not declared (unclear)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 88.9K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

soft assertions testing, multiple assertion failures, unittest soft assert, collect test failures, deferred assertion reporting, batch assertion failures, soft assert framework, soft-assertions, unittest-extension, test-reporting

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