diff --git a/examples/algorithms/__init__.py b/examples/algorithms/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/examples/config/pytest.toml b/examples/config/pytest.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a92d8cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/config/pytest.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+simulation_id = "Pytest Simulation"
+algorithms_directory = "examples/algorithms/"
+nodes = [ { node_id = "node_1", algorithm = { file = "simple.py", object = "AlwaysCooperate" } },
+          { node_id = "node_2", algorithm = { file = "simple.py", object = "AlwaysDefect" } },
+          { node_id = "node_3", algorithm = { file = "tit_for_tat.py", object = "TitForTat" } }, ]
+rounds_data = "examples/rounds/pytest.json"
+rounds_output = "examples/rounds/pytest.json"
+simulation = { object = "StandardSimulation" }
+simulation_arguments = { rounds = 10 }
+simulation_output = "examples/results/pytest.json"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/results/pytest.json b/examples/results/pytest.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ece3e30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/results/pytest.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"node_1": 30, "node_2": 100, "node_3": 30}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/rounds/pytest.json b/examples/rounds/pytest.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..41798f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/rounds/pytest.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"node_1:node_2": [{"node_1": true, "node_2": false}, {"node_1": true, "node_2": false}, {"node_1": true, "node_2": false}, {"node_1": true, "node_2": false}, {"node_1": true, "node_2": false}, {"node_1": true, "node_2": false}, {"node_1": true, "node_2": false}, {"node_1": true, "node_2": false}, {"node_1": true, "node_2": false}, {"node_1": true, "node_2": false}], "node_1:node_3": [{"node_1": true, "node_3": true}, {"node_1": true, "node_3": true}, {"node_1": true, "node_3": true}, {"node_1": true, "node_3": true}, {"node_1": true, "node_3": true}, {"node_1": true, "node_3": true}, {"node_1": true, "node_3": true}, {"node_1": true, "node_3": true}, {"node_1": true, "node_3": true}, {"node_1": true, "node_3": true}], "node_2:node_3": [{"node_2": false, "node_3": true}, {"node_2": false, "node_3": true}, {"node_2": false, "node_3": true}, {"node_2": false, "node_3": true}, {"node_2": false, "node_3": true}, {"node_2": false, "node_3": true}, {"node_2": false, "node_3": true}, {"node_2": false, "node_3": true}, {"node_2": false, "node_3": true}, {"node_2": false, "node_3": true}]}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index cf7636f..6c57622 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -31,7 +31,12 @@ classifiers = [
     "Topic :: Games/Entertainment :: Simulation"
 ]
 dependencies = [
-    "platformdirs~=4.1.0"
+    "platformdirs"
+]
+
+[project.optional-dependencies]
+test = [
+    "pytest"
 ]
 
 [project.urls]
@@ -41,4 +46,14 @@ Repository = "https://github.com/Macr0Nerd/project_dilemma"
 project_dilemma = "project_dilemma.__main__:main"
 
 [tool.setuptools.dynamic]
-version = {attr = "project_dilemma.__version__"}
\ No newline at end of file
+version = {attr = "project_dilemma.__version__"}
+
+[tool.pytest.ini_options]
+addopts = "-ra"
+pythonpath = [
+    "src",
+    "examples"
+]
+testpaths = [
+    "tests"
+]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/project_dilemma/config.py b/src/project_dilemma/config.py
index b5e5f88..793df5c 100644
--- a/src/project_dilemma/config.py
+++ b/src/project_dilemma/config.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def arguments() -> dict:
     parser_out.add_argument('-sO', '--simulation-output', help='output the results as JSON',
                             dest='simulation_output')
 
-    if not len(sys.argv):
+    if len(sys.argv) <= 1:
         parser.print_help()
         sys.exit(0)
 
diff --git a/src/project_dilemma/interfaces/node.py b/src/project_dilemma/interfaces/node.py
index 8ad0764..4903bbb 100644
--- a/src/project_dilemma/interfaces/node.py
+++ b/src/project_dilemma/interfaces/node.py
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@
 limitations under the License.
 """
 import random
+from typing import Self, Type
 
-from project_dilemma.interfaces.algorithm import Algorithm
+from project_dilemma.interfaces import Algorithm
 from project_dilemma.interfaces.base import Base
 
 
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ class Node(Base):
     :var node_id: id of the node
     :vartype node_id: str
     :var algorithm: cooperation algorithm
-    :vartype algorithm: Algorithm
+    :vartype algorithm: Type[Algorithm]
     """
     _required_attributes = [
         'algorithm',
@@ -36,12 +37,15 @@ class Node(Base):
     ]
 
     node_id: str
-    algorithm: Algorithm
+    algorithm: Type[Algorithm]
 
-    def __init__(self, node_id: str, algorithm: Algorithm):
+    def __init__(self, node_id: str, algorithm: Type[Algorithm]):
         self.node_id = node_id
         self.algorithm = algorithm
 
+    def __eq__(self, other: Self):
+        return (self.node_id == other.node_id) and (self.algorithm.algorithm_id == other.algorithm.algorithm_id)
+
     def mutate(self):
         """set the node to a random algorithm mutation"""
         if self.algorithm.mutations:
diff --git a/src/project_dilemma/object_loaders.py b/src/project_dilemma/object_loaders.py
index e002f04..2ecefa5 100644
--- a/src/project_dilemma/object_loaders.py
+++ b/src/project_dilemma/object_loaders.py
@@ -1,27 +1,43 @@
 import importlib
-import _json
 import json
 import os.path
 import sys
-from typing import Dict, List
+from typing import Dict, List, Type
 
 from project_dilemma.config import ProjectDilemmaConfig
 from project_dilemma.interfaces import Algorithm, Node, Simulation, SimulationRounds
 from project_dilemma.simulations import simulations_map
 
 
-def load_algorithms(config: ProjectDilemmaConfig) -> Dict[str, Algorithm]:
+def create_nodes(config: ProjectDilemmaConfig, algorithms_map: Dict[str, Type[Algorithm]]) -> List[Node]:
+    """create the simulation nodes
+
+    :param config: configuration data
+    :type config: ProjectDilemmaConfig
+    :param algorithms_map: map of algorithm class names to algorithms
+    :type algorithms_map: Dict[str, Type[Algorithm]]
+    :return:
+    """
+    nodes = []
+
+    for node in config['nodes']:
+        nodes.append(Node(node['node_id'], algorithms_map[node['algorithm']['object']]))
+
+    return nodes
+
+
+def load_algorithms(config: ProjectDilemmaConfig) -> Dict[str, Type[Algorithm]]:
     """load all algorithms used
 
     :param config: configuration data
     :type config: ProjectDilemmaConfig
     :return: map of algorithm class names to algorithms
-    :rtype: Dict[str, Algorithm]
+    :rtype: Dict[str, Type[Algorithm]]
     """
     sys.path.append(config['algorithms_directory'])
 
     algorithms = [node['algorithm'] for node in config['nodes']]
-    algorithm_map: Dict[str, Algorithm] = {}
+    algorithm_map: Dict[str, Type[Algorithm]] = {}
 
     for algorithm in algorithms:
         if algorithm_map.get(algorithm['object']):
@@ -51,7 +67,7 @@ def load_rounds(config: ProjectDilemmaConfig) -> SimulationRounds:
     return round_data
 
 
-def load_simulation(config: ProjectDilemmaConfig) -> Simulation:
+def load_simulation(config: ProjectDilemmaConfig) -> Type[Simulation]:
     """load the simulation
 
     :param config: configuration data
@@ -76,20 +92,3 @@ def load_simulation(config: ProjectDilemmaConfig) -> Simulation:
         simulation = simulations_map[config['simulation']['object']]
 
     return simulation
-
-
-def create_nodes(config: ProjectDilemmaConfig, algorithms_map: Dict[str, Algorithm]) -> List[Node]:
-    """create the simulation nodes
-
-    :param config: configuration data
-    :type config: ProjectDilemmaConfig
-    :param algorithms_map: map of algorithm class names to algorithms
-    :type algorithms_map: Dict[str, Algorithm]
-    :return:
-    """
-    nodes = []
-
-    for node in config['nodes']:
-        nodes.append(Node(node['node_id'], algorithms_map[node['algorithm']['object']]))
-
-    return nodes
diff --git a/tests/integration_test.py b/tests/integration_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..186eb66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+import json
+
+import pytest
+
+import project_dilemma.config
+from project_dilemma.config import load_configuration, ProjectDilemmaConfig
+from project_dilemma.interfaces import Node
+from project_dilemma.object_loaders import create_nodes, load_algorithms, load_rounds, load_simulation
+from project_dilemma.simulations import StandardSimulation
+
+from algorithms.simple import AlwaysCooperate, AlwaysDefect
+from algorithms.tit_for_tat import TitForTat
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def test_configuration_loading(monkeypatch):
+    def mock_args():
+        return {'config': 'examples/config/pytest.toml'}
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(project_dilemma.config, 'arguments', mock_args)
+
+    expected: ProjectDilemmaConfig = {
+        'simulation_id': 'Pytest Simulation',
+        'algorithms_directory': 'examples/algorithms/',
+        'nodes': [
+            {'node_id': 'node_1', 'algorithm': {'file': 'simple.py', 'object': 'AlwaysCooperate'}},
+            {'node_id': 'node_2', 'algorithm': {'file': 'simple.py', 'object': 'AlwaysDefect'}},
+            {'node_id': 'node_3', 'algorithm': {'file': 'tit_for_tat.py', 'object': 'TitForTat'}},
+        ],
+        'rounds_data': 'examples/rounds/pytest.json',
+        'rounds_output': 'examples/rounds/pytest.json',
+        'simulation': {'object': 'StandardSimulation'},
+        'simulation_arguments': {'rounds': 10},
+        'simulation_output': 'examples/results/pytest.json'
+    }
+
+    actual = load_configuration()
+
+    assert expected == actual
+
+    return actual
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def test_object_loading(test_configuration_loading):
+    with open('examples/rounds/pytest.json', 'r') as f:
+        expected_rounds = json.load(f)
+
+    actual_rounds = load_rounds(test_configuration_loading)
+
+    assert expected_rounds == actual_rounds
+
+    expected_algorithm_map = {
+        'AlwaysCooperate': AlwaysCooperate,
+        'AlwaysDefect': AlwaysDefect,
+        'TitForTat': TitForTat
+    }
+
+    actual_algorithm_map = load_algorithms(test_configuration_loading)
+
+    assert False not in [
+        algo.algorithm_id == actual_algorithm_map[aid].algorithm_id for aid, algo in expected_algorithm_map.items()
+    ]
+
+    expected_simulation = StandardSimulation
+
+    actual_simulation = load_simulation(test_configuration_loading)
+
+    assert expected_simulation == actual_simulation
+
+    expected_nodes = [
+        Node('node_1', AlwaysCooperate),
+        Node('node_2', AlwaysDefect),
+        Node('node_3', TitForTat)
+    ]
+
+    actual_nodes = create_nodes(test_configuration_loading, expected_algorithm_map)
+
+    assert expected_nodes == actual_nodes
+
+    return actual_simulation(
+        simulation_id=test_configuration_loading['simulation_id'],
+        nodes=actual_nodes,
+        **test_configuration_loading['simulation_arguments']
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def test_simulation_run(test_object_loading):
+    with open('examples/rounds/pytest.json', 'r') as f:
+        expected_rounds = json.load(f)
+
+    actual_rounds = test_object_loading.run_simulation()
+
+    assert expected_rounds == actual_rounds
+
+
+def test_simulation_process(test_object_loading):
+    with open('examples/rounds/pytest.json', 'r') as f:
+        rounds = json.load(f)
+
+    with open('examples/results/pytest.json', 'r') as f:
+        expected_results = json.load(f)
+
+    test_object_loading.simulation_rounds = rounds
+
+    actual_results = test_object_loading.process_results()
+
+    assert expected_results == actual_results
+
+