rspec match_array for empty array fails?

Question

I can't use the match_array to match agains an empty array in one of my tests. I have the following message:

Failure/Error: expect(subject.custom_text_locations).to be match_array([])

   expected #<RSpec::Matchers::BuiltIn::MatchArray:105810100> => #<RSpec::Matchers::BuiltIn::MatchArray:0xc9d1168 @expected=[]>
        got #<Array:105810180> => []

Here is my test:

context 'when there is no custom text locations' do
  subject { create(:service, custom_text_locations: nil) }
  it 'returns empty list' do
    expect(subject.custom_text_locations).to match_array([])
  end 
end 

If I change the match_array([]) by be_empty, my code works. Also, as pointed by @PeterAlfvin, change custom_text_locations initialization on the subject to [] seems to work.

This is my method:

def custom_text_locations
  self[:custom_text_locations] || []
end

Question: What is wrong with my test?

Answer 1

The code you posted is not the code that generated the error you posted.

The error you posted includes the incorrect to be match_array([]) which is very different from the correct to match_array([]) you have in your posted code.