- They are a good choice for happy path tests. Sad paths are often times tested elsewhere (e.g., a controller test).
- They are like using a browser (just a headless one) and exercise the entire application stack.
- They are generally slower to run than other types of tests.
- They assert expectations mostly from the user's perspective (e.g., things visible to the user), but will occasionally need to assert an expectation against something only the application knows (e.g.,
Feedback.count)
In general, the Rails Routing from the Outside In guide is chock full of very useful information. It's a great reference for learning and remembering anything routes-related.