bootstrap/guides/qa-testing.md

QA & Testing Guide

Before Starting

1. Check assigned issue: ~/.config/mosaic/rails/git/issue-list.sh -a @me
2. Create scratchpad: docs/scratchpads/{issue-number}-{short-name}.md
3. Review existing test structure and patterns

Test-Driven Development (TDD) Process

The TDD Cycle

1. Red: Write a failing test first
2. Green: Write minimal code to pass
3. Refactor: Improve code while keeping tests green

TDD Rules

• Never write production code without a failing test
• Write only enough test to fail
• Write only enough code to pass
• Refactor continuously

Coverage Requirements

Minimum Standards

• Overall Coverage: 85% minimum
• Critical Paths: 95% minimum (auth, payments, data mutations)
• New Code: 90% minimum

What to Cover

• All public interfaces
• Error handling paths
• Edge cases and boundaries
• Integration points

What NOT to Count

• Generated code
• Configuration files
• Third-party library wrappers (thin wrappers only)

Test Categories

Unit Tests

• Test single functions/methods in isolation
• Mock external dependencies
• Fast execution (< 100ms per test)
• No network, database, or filesystem access

def test_calculate_discount_applies_percentage():
    result = calculate_discount(100, 0.20)
    assert result == 80

Integration Tests

• Test multiple components together
• Use real databases (test containers)
• Test API contracts
• Slower execution acceptable

def test_create_user_persists_to_database(db_session):
    user = create_user(db_session, "test@example.com")
    retrieved = get_user_by_email(db_session, "test@example.com")
    assert retrieved.id == user.id

End-to-End Tests

• Test complete user workflows
• Use real browser (Playwright, Cypress)
• Test critical paths only (expensive to maintain)

test('user can complete checkout', async ({ page }) => {
  await page.goto('/products');
  await page.click('[data-testid="add-to-cart"]');
  await page.click('[data-testid="checkout"]');
  await page.fill('#email', 'test@example.com');
  await page.click('[data-testid="submit-order"]');
  await expect(page.locator('.order-confirmation')).toBeVisible();
});

Test Structure

Naming Convention

test_{what}_{condition}_{expected_result}

Examples:
- test_login_with_valid_credentials_returns_token
- test_login_with_invalid_password_returns_401
- test_get_user_when_not_found_returns_404

Arrange-Act-Assert Pattern

def test_add_item_to_cart_increases_count():
    # Arrange
    cart = Cart()
    item = Item(id=1, name="Widget", price=9.99)

    # Act
    cart.add(item)

    # Assert
    assert cart.item_count == 1
    assert cart.total == 9.99

Test Isolation

• Each test should be independent
• Use setup/teardown for common state
• Clean up after tests
• Don't rely on test execution order

Mocking Guidelines

When to Mock

• External APIs and services
• Time-dependent operations
• Random number generation
• Expensive operations

When NOT to Mock

• The code under test
• Simple data structures
• Database in integration tests

Mock Example

def test_send_notification_calls_email_service(mocker):
    mock_email = mocker.patch('services.email.send')

    send_notification(user_id=1, message="Hello")

    mock_email.assert_called_once_with(
        to="user@example.com",
        subject="Notification",
        body="Hello"
    )

Test Data Management

Fixtures

• Use factories for complex objects
• Keep test data close to tests
• Use realistic but anonymized data

Database Tests

• Use transactions with rollback
• Or use test containers
• Never test against production data

Reporting

Test Reports Should Include

• Total tests run
• Pass/fail counts
• Coverage percentage
• Execution time
• Flaky test identification

QA Report Template

# QA Report - Issue #{number}

## Summary
- Tests Added: X
- Tests Modified: Y
- Coverage: XX%

## Test Results
- Passed: X
- Failed: X
- Skipped: X

## Coverage Analysis
- Lines: XX%
- Branches: XX%
- Functions: XX%

## Notes
[Any observations or concerns]

Commit Format

test(#34): Add user registration tests

- Unit tests for validation logic
- Integration tests for /api/users endpoint
- Coverage increased from 72% to 87%

Refs #34

Before Completing

1. All tests pass locally
2. Coverage meets 85% threshold
3. No flaky tests introduced
4. CI pipeline passes
5. Update scratchpad with results