What happens when you execute a GUnit test without a running server?

When you execute a GUnit test without a running server, the correct outcome is that the server starts automatically. GUnit tests are designed to run within the Guidewire application environment, which includes server functionality. When a test is initiated and no server is currently operational, the Guidewire platform recognizes this and will handle the initialization by starting the necessary server components. This allows the tests to have the required context and resources to execute properly, thereby ensuring a seamless testing experience.

The other options do not accurately reflect the behavior of GUnit in this scenario. For instance, the tests do not simply fail right away, nor is there a need for restarting the Studio. Running in offline mode is also not applicable, as GUnit necessitates a server environment to operate correctly and to validate the tests against the application's business logic and data configurations. Thus, automatic server startup is the essential feature that supports the execution of GUnit tests.