Camel Testing plugin

Write and run automated tests for Camel integrations using the Citrus test framework.

Enable the plugin:

camel plugin add test
Run camel test --help to see all available subcommands.

Initialize tests

Create an empty test file as a starting point:

camel test init route-test.yaml

The file extension determines the test language: YAML, Java, XML, or Cucumber (.feature).

Tests are created in a test subfolder to separate them from runtime sources. You don’t need to navigate there — the plugin handles the working directory automatically.

Run tests

Run tests locally with JUnit Jupiter — no project setup needed:

camel test run route-test.yaml

Project export

When you export a project, the test plugin automatically includes test resources as test-scoped Maven dependencies in src/test/java and src/test/resources:

camel export route.yaml --dir my-export --runtime quarkus
cd my-export
./mvnw verify
The export creates a JUnit Jupiter test class in src/test/java that you can also run from your IDE.

Dependency management

Basic Citrus dependencies are included out of the box. For additional modules (Kafka, Testcontainers, etc.), add them in a jbang.properties file next to the test source:

jbang.properties
run.deps=org.citrusframework:citrus-camel:4.7.0,\
org.citrusframework:citrus-kafka:4.7.0,\
org.citrusframework:citrus-testcontainers:4.7.0,\
org.apache.camel:camel-endpointdsl:4.13.0,\
org.apache.camel:camel-aws2-s3:4.13.0

run.D=citrus.camel.jbang.dump.integration.output=true
These dependencies are automatically added as test-scoped dependencies during project export.

Writing tests with Citrus

The test plugin uses Citrus as the underlying test framework. A typical test:

  1. Starts infrastructure (Kafka, database, etc.)

  2. Launches the Camel integration with test configuration

  3. Sends messages to trigger route logic

  4. Verifies the outcome

For full details, see the Citrus documentation.

Using infrastructure services

Start Camel infra services or Testcontainers as part of the test:

actions:
  - camel:
      infra:
        run:
          service: postgres
  - testcontainers:
      start:
        kafka: {}

Connection settings are exposed as test variables (CITRUS_CAMEL_INFRA_SERVICE_<NAME>_<PROP> or CITRUS_TESTCONTAINERS_<NAME>_<PROP>) for use in application.properties:

camel.database.url=${CITRUS_CAMEL_INFRA_POSTGRES_SERVICE_ADDRESS}
camel.kafka.bootstrapServers=${CITRUS_TESTCONTAINERS_KAFKA_BOOTSTRAP_SERVERS}

See Camel infra and Testcontainers in the Citrus docs.

Running the Camel integration

Launch a Camel integration as a separate process with test-specific configuration:

actions:
  - camel:
      jbang:
        run:
          integration:
            file: "../route.yaml"
            systemProperties:
              file: "application.test.properties"
The path uses ../ because tests are in the test subfolder.

See Camel CLI support in Citrus.

Sending and receiving messages

Citrus supports Kafka, HTTP, SOAP, FTP, JMS, and many more transports:

Send to Kafka
actions:
  - send:
      endpoint: "kafka:bookings"
      message:
        body:
          data: |
            { "client": "camel-batch", "product": "Orange", "amount": 200, "price": 1.0, "status": "APPROVAL_REQUIRED" }
        headers:
          - name: "citrus_kafka_messageKey"
            value: "bookings.csv_0"
Verify received message
actions:
  - receive:
      endpoint: "kafka:reports"
      message:
        body:
          data: |
            { "bookings": { "completed": 1, "errors": 0 } }

You can also use any Camel endpoint URI directly (e.g., camel:aws2-s3:my-bucket?amazonS3Client=#s3Client). Bean references (#beanName) and Citrus test variables work in endpoint URIs.

See send/receive actions and message endpoints in the Citrus docs.

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