writing-tests

Writing Tests

Core principle: Test user-observable behavior with real dependencies. Tests should survive refactoring.

"The more your tests resemble the way your software is used, the more confidence they can give you." — Kent C. Dodds

Why this matters: Tests exist to give you confidence. The Testing Trophy prioritizes integration tests because they test real behavior across real modules — giving maximum confidence per test written. Unit tests in isolation often just test mocks, not your actual system.

Testing Trophy Model

Priority	Type	When
1st	Integration	Default - multiple units with real dependencies
2nd	E2E	Complete user workflows
3rd	Unit	Pure functions only (no dependencies)

Mocking Guidelines

Default: Don't mock. Use real dependencies.

Only mock:

• External HTTP/API calls
• Time/randomness
• Third-party services (payments, email)

Never mock:

• Internal modules
• Database queries (use test DB)
• Business logic
• Your own code calling your own code

Before mocking, ask: "What side effects does this have? Does my test need those?" If unsure, run with real implementation first, then add minimal mocking only where needed.

Test Type Decision

Complete user workflow? → E2E test
Pure function (no side effects)? → Unit test
Everything else → Integration test

Assertion Strategy

Context	Assert On	Avoid
UI	Visible text, roles	CSS classes, internal state
API	Response body, status	Internal DB state
Library	Return values	Private methods

Anti-Patterns

Pattern	Fix
Testing mock calls	Test actual outcome
Test-only methods in production	Move to test utilities
sleep(500)	Use condition-based waiting
Asserting on internal state	Assert on observable output
Incomplete mocks	Mirror real API completely

Quality Checklist

• Happy path covered
• Error conditions handled
• Real dependencies used (minimal mocking)
• Tests survive refactoring
• Test names describe behavior

Language-Specific Patterns

• JavaScript/Typescript/React: See references/typescript-react.md
• Python: See references/python.md
• Go: See references/go.md

For flaky tests with timing issues, use Skill(ce:condition-based-waiting).

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Remember: Behavior over implementation. Real over mocked. Outputs over internals.