Introduce PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST environment variable

Fix #2583

_pytest/runner.py

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
 
 import bdb
+import os
 import sys
 from time import time
 
@@ -91,9 +92,11 @@ def show_test_item(item):
         tw.write(' (fixtures used: {0})'.format(', '.join(used_fixtures)))
 
 def pytest_runtest_setup(item):
+    _update_current_test_var(item, 'setup')
     item.session._setupstate.prepare(item)
 
 def pytest_runtest_call(item):
+    _update_current_test_var(item, 'call')
     try:
         item.runtest()
     except Exception:
@@ -107,7 +110,23 @@ def pytest_runtest_call(item):
         raise
 
 def pytest_runtest_teardown(item, nextitem):
+    _update_current_test_var(item, 'teardown')
     item.session._setupstate.teardown_exact(item, nextitem)
+    _update_current_test_var(item, None)
+
+
+def _update_current_test_var(item, when):
+    """
+    Update PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST to reflect the current item and stage.
+
+    If ``when`` is None, delete PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST from the environment.
+    """
+    var_name = 'PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST'
+    if when:
+        os.environ[var_name] = '{0} ({1})'.format(item.nodeid, when)
+    else:
+        os.environ.pop(var_name)
+
 
 def pytest_report_teststatus(report):
     if report.when in ("setup", "teardown"):

changelog/2583.feature

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Introduce the ``PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST`` environment variable that is set with the ``nodeid`` and stage (``setup``, ``call`` and
+``teardown``) of the test being currently executed. See the `documentation <https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/example/simple.html#pytest-current-test-environment-variable>`_ for more info.

doc/en/example/simple.rst

@@ -761,6 +761,47 @@ and run it::
 You'll see that the fixture finalizers could use the precise reporting
 information.
 
+``PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST`` environment variable
+--------------------------------------------
+
+.. versionadded:: 3.2
+
+Sometimes a test session might get stuck and there might be no easy way to figure out
+which test got stuck, for example if pytest was run in quiet mode (``-q``) or you don't have access to the console
+output. This is particularly a problem if the problem helps only sporadically, the famous "flaky" kind of tests.
+
+``pytest`` sets a ``PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST`` environment variable when running tests, which can be inspected
+by process monitoring utilities or libraries like `psutil <https://pypi.python.org/pypi/psutil>`_ to discover which
+test got stuck if necessary:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    import psutil
+
+    for pid in psutil.pids():
+        environ = psutil.Process(pid).environ()
+        if 'PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST' in environ:
+            print(f'pytest process {pid} running: {environ["PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST"]}')
+
+During the test session pytest will set ``PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST`` to the current test
+:ref:`nodeid <nodeids>` and the current stage, which can be ``setup``, ``call``
+and ``teardown``.
+
+For example, when running a single test function named ``test_foo`` from ``foo_module.py``,
+``PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST`` will be set to:
+
+#. ``foo_module.py::test_foo (setup)``
+#. ``foo_module.py::test_foo (call)``
+#. ``foo_module.py::test_foo (teardown)``
+
+In that order.
+
+.. note::
+
+    The contents of ``PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST`` is meant to be human readable and the actual format
+    can be changed between releases (even bug fixes) so it shouldn't be relied on for scripting
+    or automation.
+
 Freezing pytest 
 ---------------
 

testing/test_runner.py

@@ -681,6 +681,8 @@ def test_store_except_info_on_eror():
     """
     # Simulate item that raises a specific exception
     class ItemThatRaises(object):
+        nodeid = 'item_that_raises'
+        
         def runtest(self):
             raise IndexError('TEST')
     try:
@@ -693,6 +695,31 @@ def test_store_except_info_on_eror():
     assert sys.last_traceback
 
 
+def test_current_test_env_var(testdir, monkeypatch):
+    pytest_current_test_vars = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, 'pytest_current_test_vars', pytest_current_test_vars, raising=False)
+    testdir.makepyfile('''
+        import pytest
+        import sys
+        import os
+
+        @pytest.fixture
+        def fix():
+            sys.pytest_current_test_vars.append(('setup', os.environ['PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST']))
+            yield
+            sys.pytest_current_test_vars.append(('teardown', os.environ['PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST']))
+
+        def test(fix):
+            sys.pytest_current_test_vars.append(('call', os.environ['PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST']))
+    ''')
+    result = testdir.runpytest_inprocess()
+    assert result.ret == 0
+    test_id = 'test_current_test_env_var.py::test'
+    assert pytest_current_test_vars == [
+        ('setup', test_id + ' (setup)'), ('call', test_id + ' (call)'), ('teardown', test_id + ' (teardown)')]
+    assert 'PYTEST_CURRENT_TEST' not in os.environ
+
+
 class TestReportContents(object):
     """
     Test user-level API of ``TestReport`` objects.