test

Testing (Router Skill)

"Write tests. Not too many. Mostly integration." — Kent C. Dodds

This skill routes you to the right testing approach. TDD is non-negotiable for swarm work.

Testing Trophy

      /\
     /  \  E2E (slow, high confidence)
    /----\  5-10 critical path tests
   / INT  \ Integration (SWEET SPOT)
  /--------\ Test real interactions
 |  UNIT  | Unit (fast, focused)
 |________| Pure logic, no mocks
  STATIC   Lint + TypeScript

Philosophy:

• Static catches typos and type errors (free, instant feedback)
• Unit tests pure logic in isolation (fast, focused, many tests)
• Integration tests real interactions (sweet spot, highest ROI)
• E2E tests critical user journeys (slow, expensive, few tests)

Decision Tree: Which Test Type?

What are you testing?
│
├─ Pure function / calculation / business logic?
│  └─ Use: unit-test (fast, no mocking needed)
│     When: calculateScore(), formatDate(), pure validators
│
├─ Multi-component workflow / database operations / React with providers?
│  └─ Use: integration-test (real interactions, less mocking)
│     When: server actions, form submissions, API endpoints, context-heavy components
│
└─ Critical user journey / revenue flow / authentication?
   └─ Use: e2e-test (full stack, highest confidence)
      When: signup, checkout, core product actions (only happy paths!)

Heuristic: If you need >3 mocks, use integration. If it's a critical revenue path, use E2E.

TDD Red-Green-Refactor (Non-Negotiable)

┌──────────────────────────┐
│ RED: Write failing test  │ ← If it passes, test is wrong
└──────────┬───────────────┘
           │
┌──────────▼───────────────┐
│ GREEN: Make it pass      │ ← Minimum code, hardcode OK
└──────────┬───────────────┘
           │
┌──────────▼───────────────┐
│ REFACTOR: Clean up       │ ← Tests stay green
└──────────┬───────────────┘
           │
           └─────────┐
                     │
                     ▼ REPEAT

Every feature. Every bug fix. No exceptions.

Quick Start by Type

Unit Test (Pure Logic)

skills_use(name="unit-test")

Use when: Testing service functions, pure calculations, webhook handlers Key patterns: Arrange-Act-Assert, one assertion per concept, mock at boundaries only Speed: Fastest (<1ms per test)

Integration Test (Real Interactions)

skills_use(name="integration-test")

Use when: Testing workflows, database ops, React components with providers, server actions Key patterns: Factory data, MSW for network, custom render with providers, waitFor for async Speed: Fast (10-100ms per test)

E2E Test (Critical Paths)

skills_use(name="e2e-test")

Use when: Testing signup, revenue flows, multi-step journeys, critical user paths Key patterns: Page objects, fixtures for auth, visual regression, test isolation Speed: Slow (1-10s per test)

Anti-Patterns to Avoid

❌ Testing implementation details - Test behavior, not private methods or internal state ❌ Mocking everything - Prefer real implementations, mock only boundaries (DB, network) ❌ One assertion per test dogma - Multiple assertions OK if testing same concept ❌ No tests on bug fixes - Write failing test that reproduces bug, then fix (prevents regression) ❌ Skipping TDD for "simple" changes - Simple changes break things. Write test first. ❌ Too many E2E tests - E2E is expensive. Use integration tests for most cases. ❌ Tests that depend on each other - Each test must be independent, run in any order

When to Use Which Child Skill

Testing Patterns (Advanced)

For dependency breaking, seams, characterization tests, and safe refactoring:

skills_use(name="testing-patterns")

Use when: Adding tests to legacy code, breaking hard dependencies, understanding code through tests

Core Principles

1. Test behavior, not implementation - Public API, not private methods
2. Mock at boundaries only - Database, network, file system. Not your own code.
3. Fail fast, fail clear - Good test names describe the expected behavior
4. Tests are documentation - Test names should read like specifications
5. Refactor with confidence - Tests enable safe changes

Resources

• Child skills: unit-test, integration-test, e2e-test, testing-patterns
• Testing Trophy: https://kentcdodds.com/blog/write-tests
• TDD by Example: Kent Beck
• Working Effectively with Legacy Code: Michael Feathers (for testing-patterns)