If I am honest, at this point I would rather not use a mock, but a stub / injection. I know this gets horrbily pedantic but its easier to see in code def diff

If I am honest, at this point I would rather not use a mock, but a stub / injection. I know this gets horrbily pedantic but its easier to see in code def difficult_function(dbconn, a,b,c): dbconn.execute(Select * from tbl) <comlicated stuff invlvoing results set and a,b,c> I would not want to mock the dbase at this point. Please can we instead do this def difficult_function(dbconn, a,b,c): resultset_as_dict = dbconn.execute(select * from tbl) insider_function(a,b,c,results_set_as_dict) def insider_function(a,b,c,results_set_as_dict): This can now be tested without mocks quite easily. I think if you are doing 'difficult' stuff with a exernal database you are de facto, writing integration tests. In fact i would say anything involving a database MUST be treated as a integration test. If it takes ten minutes thats fine - its an integration test. If you want fast and external connections, use sqllite as part of your testing CI suite. But dont moan. and do not use Mocks.