testing-anti-patterns

Testing Anti-Patterns

Overview

Tests must verify real behavior, not mock behavior. Mocks are a means to isolate, not the thing being tested.

Core principle: Test what the code does, not what the mocks do.

The Iron Laws

1. NEVER test mock behavior
2. NEVER add test-only methods to production classes
3. NEVER mock without understanding dependencies

Anti-Pattern 1: Testing Mock Behavior

The violation:

// ❌ BAD: Testing that the mock exists
test('renders sidebar', () => {
  render(<Page />);
  expect(screen.getByTestId('sidebar-mock')).toBeInTheDocument();
});

Why wrong: You're verifying the mock works, not that the component works.

The fix:

// ✅ GOOD: Test real component
test('renders sidebar', () => {
  render(<Page />);  // Don't mock sidebar
  expect(screen.getByRole('navigation')).toBeInTheDocument();
});

Gate Function

BEFORE asserting on any mock element:
  Ask: "Am I testing real behavior or just mock existence?"
  IF mock existence: STOP - Delete assertion or unmock

Anti-Pattern 2: Test-Only Methods in Production

The violation:

// ❌ BAD: destroy() only used in tests
class Session {
  async destroy() {  // Looks like production API!
    await this._workspaceManager?.destroyWorkspace(this.id);
  }
}

Why wrong: Production class polluted with test-only code.

The fix:

// ✅ GOOD: Test utilities handle cleanup
// In test-utils/
export async function cleanupSession(session: Session) {
  const workspace = session.getWorkspaceInfo();
  if (workspace) {
    await workspaceManager.destroyWorkspace(workspace.id);
  }
}

Anti-Pattern 3: Mocking Without Understanding

The violation:

// ❌ BAD: Mock breaks test logic
test('detects duplicate', () => {
  vi.mock('ConfigWriter');  // Prevents config write test depends on!
  await addServer(config);
  await addServer(config);  // Should throw - but won't!
});

Why wrong: Mocked method had side effect test depended on.

The fix:

// ✅ GOOD: Mock at correct level
test('detects duplicate', () => {
  vi.mock('SlowNetworkCall');  // Mock only the slow part
  await addServer(config);  // Config written
  await addServer(config);  // Duplicate detected ✓
});

Gate Function

BEFORE mocking any method:
  1. What side effects does the real method have?
  2. Does this test depend on any of those side effects?
  3. Do I fully understand what this test needs?

  IF unsure: Run test with real implementation FIRST

Anti-Pattern 4: Incomplete Mocks

The violation:

// ❌ BAD: Partial mock
const mockResponse = {
  status: 'success',
  data: { userId: '123' }
  // Missing: metadata that downstream code uses
};

The fix:

// ✅ GOOD: Mirror real API completely
const mockResponse = {
  status: 'success',
  data: { userId: '123', name: 'Alice' },
  metadata: { requestId: 'req-789', timestamp: 1234567890 }
};

Quick Reference

Red Flags

• Assertion checks for *-mock test IDs
• Methods only called in test files
• Mock setup is >50% of test
• Test fails when you remove mock
• Mocking "just to be safe"

Integration

Complementary skills:

• test-driven-development - TDD prevents these anti-patterns
• testing - General testing best practices