The route matcher accepts a format as a symbol

NEWS.md

@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@
 * Fix `validate_uniqueness_of` + `scoped_to` so that it does not raise an error
   if a record exists where the scoped attribute is nil. ([#677])
 
+* Fix `route` matcher so if your route includes a default `format`, you can
+  specify this as a symbol or string. ([#693])
+
 ### Features
 
 * Add `on` qualifier to `permit`. This allows you to make an assertion that
@@ -78,6 +81,7 @@
 [#675]: https://github.com/thoughtbot/shoulda-matchers/pull/675
 [#677]: https://github.com/thoughtbot/shoulda-matchers/pull/677
 [#620]: https://github.com/thoughtbot/shoulda-matchers/pull/620
+[#693]: https://github.com/thoughtbot/shoulda-matchers/pull/693
 
 # 2.8.0
 

lib/shoulda/matchers/action_controller/route_matcher.rb

@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ module Shoulda
       #
       #     route(:get, '/posts/1').to('posts#show', id: 1)
       #
+      # You may also specify special parameters such as `:format`:
+      #
+      #     route(:get, '/posts').to('posts#index', format: :json)
+      #
       # @return [RouteMatcher]
       #
       def route(method, path)

lib/shoulda/matchers/action_controller/route_params.rb

@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ module Shoulda
     module ActionController
       # @private
       class RouteParams
+        PARAMS_TO_SYMBOLIZE = %i{ format }
+
         def initialize(args)
           @args = args
         end
@@ -26,17 +28,24 @@ module Shoulda
         def extract_params_from_string
           controller, action = args[0].split('#')
           params = (args[1] || {}).merge(controller: controller, action: action)
-          stringify_values(params)
+          normalize_values(params)
         end
 
         def stringify_params
-          stringify_values(args[0])
+          normalize_values(args[0])
         end
 
-        def stringify_values(hash)
-          hash.inject({}) do |hash_copy, (key, value)|
-            hash_copy[key] = stringify(value)
-            hash_copy
+        def normalize_values(hash)
+          hash.each_with_object({}) do |(key, value), hash_copy|
+            hash_copy[key] = symbolize_or_stringify(key, value)
+          end
+        end
+
+        def symbolize_or_stringify(key, value)
+          if key.in?(PARAMS_TO_SYMBOLIZE)
+            value.to_sym
+          else
+            stringify(value)
           end
         end
 

spec/unit/shoulda/matchers/action_controller/route_matcher_spec.rb

@@ -48,6 +48,26 @@ describe 'Shoulda::Matchers::ActionController::RouteMatcher', type: :controller
             to(action: 'show', some: 'other', params: 'here')
         end
       end
+
+      context 'when route has a default format' do
+        it 'accepts' do
+          expect(controller_with_defined_routes).
+            to route(:post, "/#{controller_path}").
+            to(action: 'create', format: 'json')
+        end
+
+        it 'accepts when format is specified as a symbol' do
+          expect(controller_with_defined_routes).
+            to route(:post, "/#{controller_path}").
+            to(action: 'create', format: :json)
+        end
+
+        it 'rejects when format is unspecified' do
+          expect(controller_with_defined_routes).
+            not_to route(:post, "/#{controller_path}").
+            to(action: 'create')
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     context 'when controller and action are specified as a joined string' do
@@ -64,6 +84,20 @@ describe 'Shoulda::Matchers::ActionController::RouteMatcher', type: :controller
             to("#{controller_path}#show", id: 1)
         end
       end
+
+      context 'when route has the format' do
+        it 'accepts' do
+          expect(controller_with_defined_routes).
+            to route(:post, "/#{controller_path}").
+            to("#{controller_path}#create", format: 'json')
+        end
+
+        it 'rejects when format is unspecified' do
+          expect(controller_with_defined_routes).
+            not_to route(:post, "/#{controller_path}").
+            to(action: 'create')
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     def controller_with_defined_routes
@@ -76,6 +110,9 @@ describe 'Shoulda::Matchers::ActionController::RouteMatcher', type: :controller
         define_routes do
           get "/#{_controller_path}", to: "#{_controller_path}#index"
           get "/#{_controller_path}/:id", to: "#{_controller_path}#show"
+          post "/#{_controller_path}",
+            to: "#{_controller_path}#create",
+            defaults: { format: :json }
         end
 
         controller