test-specialist
This skill should be used when writing test cases, fixing bugs, analyzing code for potential issues, or improving test coverage for JavaScript/TypeScript applications. Use this for unit tests, integration tests, end-to-end tests, debugging runtime errors, logic bugs, performance issues, security vulnerabilities, and systematic code analysis.
Best use case
test-specialist is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
This skill should be used when writing test cases, fixing bugs, analyzing code for potential issues, or improving test coverage for JavaScript/TypeScript applications. Use this for unit tests, integration tests, end-to-end tests, debugging runtime errors, logic bugs, performance issues, security vulnerabilities, and systematic code analysis.
Teams using test-specialist should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/test-specialist/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How test-specialist Compares
| Feature / Agent | test-specialist | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
This skill should be used when writing test cases, fixing bugs, analyzing code for potential issues, or improving test coverage for JavaScript/TypeScript applications. Use this for unit tests, integration tests, end-to-end tests, debugging runtime errors, logic bugs, performance issues, security vulnerabilities, and systematic code analysis.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
Related Guides
SKILL.md Source
# Test Specialist
Systematic testing methodologies and debugging techniques for JS/TS applications.
## When to Use
**Use for:**
- Writing unit, integration, or E2E tests
- Fixing bugs and debugging
- Improving test coverage
- Analyzing code for potential issues
- Security and performance testing
**Don't use when:**
- Code review → use `generic-code-reviewer`
- Technical debt → use `tech-debt-analyzer`
- Feature development → use `generic-feature-developer`
## Testing Stack by Project
| Project Type | Unit Tests | Component | E2E |
| ------------- | ----------- | --------------- | ---------- |
| React/Next.js | Vitest/Jest | Testing Library | Playwright |
| Node.js | Vitest/Jest | Supertest | Playwright |
| Static | Jest | - | Playwright |
## Test Patterns
### Unit Tests (AAA Pattern)
```typescript
describe("calculateTotal", () => {
test("sums amounts correctly", () => {
// Arrange
const items = [{ amount: 100 }, { amount: 50 }];
// Act
const total = calculateTotal(items);
// Assert
expect(total).toBe(150);
});
test("handles empty list", () => {
expect(calculateTotal([])).toBe(0);
});
});
```
### Component Tests (User Behavior)
```typescript
// ✅ Test user behavior, not implementation
it('creates item when user clicks Add', async () => {
const user = userEvent.setup();
render(<ItemList />);
await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /add/i }));
await user.type(screen.getByLabelText(/title/i), 'New item');
await user.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /save/i }));
expect(screen.getByText('New item')).toBeInTheDocument();
});
```
### E2E Tests (Playwright)
```typescript
import { test, expect } from "@playwright/test";
test("user can complete checkout", async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto("/products");
// Add to cart
await page.click('button:has-text("Add to Cart")');
await page.click('a:has-text("Cart")');
// Checkout
await page.click('button:has-text("Checkout")');
await page.fill('[name="email"]', "test@example.com");
await page.click('button:has-text("Place Order")');
// Verify
await expect(page.locator("h1")).toContainText("Order Confirmed");
});
```
### Integration Tests
```typescript
test("POST /items creates item", async () => {
const response = await request(app)
.post("/api/items")
.send({ name: "Test" })
.expect(201);
expect(response.body).toMatchObject({ id: expect.any(Number) });
});
```
## Bug Analysis Process
1. **Reproduce** - Document exact steps, expected vs actual
2. **Isolate** - Binary search, minimal reproduction
3. **Root Cause** - Trace execution, check assumptions, git blame
4. **Fix** - Write failing test first, implement fix
5. **Validate** - Run full suite, test edge cases
## Debugging Checklist
When debugging an issue:
- [ ] Can reproduce consistently
- [ ] Minimal reproduction created
- [ ] Console/network logs checked
- [ ] State at failure point inspected
- [ ] Git blame checked for recent changes
- [ ] Failing test written before fix
## Common Bug Patterns
### Race Conditions
```typescript
test("handles concurrent updates", async () => {
const promises = Array.from({ length: 100 }, () => increment());
await Promise.all(promises);
expect(getCount()).toBe(100);
});
```
### Null Safety
```typescript
test.each([null, undefined, "", 0])("handles invalid input: %p", (input) => {
expect(() => process(input)).toThrow("Invalid");
});
```
### Boundary Values
```typescript
test("handles edge cases", () => {
expect(paginate([], 1, 10)).toEqual([]); // empty
expect(paginate([item], 1, 10)).toEqual([item]); // single
expect(paginate(items25, 3, 10)).toHaveLength(5); // partial last page
});
```
## Security Tests
```typescript
test("prevents SQL injection", async () => {
const malicious = "'; DROP TABLE users; --";
await expect(search(malicious)).resolves.not.toThrow();
});
test("sanitizes XSS", () => {
const xss = '<script>alert("xss")</script>';
expect(sanitize(xss)).not.toContain("<script>");
});
test("requires auth", async () => {
await request(app).post("/api/items").expect(401);
});
```
## Performance Tests
```typescript
test("handles large datasets efficiently", () => {
const largeList = Array.from({ length: 10000 }, (_, i) => ({ value: i }));
const start = performance.now();
process(largeList);
expect(performance.now() - start).toBeLessThan(100);
});
```
## Coverage Targets
| Code Type | Target |
| -------------- | ------ |
| Critical paths | 90%+ |
| Business logic | 85%+ |
| UI components | 75%+ |
| Utilities | 70%+ |
## Test Quality Principles
1. **One behavior per test**
2. **Descriptive names** - test names explain scenario
3. **Independent tests** - no shared state
4. **Cover edge cases** - null, empty, boundaries, errors
5. **Mock external deps** - tests should be fast
6. **Test behavior** - not implementation details
## Workflow Decision Tree
| Situation | Action |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------ |
| Adding feature | Write test first (TDD) |
| Fixing bug | Write failing test, then fix |
| Improving coverage | Find gaps, prioritize critical paths |
| Code review | Check edge cases, error handling |
---
## Python Testing (pytest)
### Fixtures and Parametrize
```python
import pytest
from myapp.services import UserService
@pytest.fixture
def user_service(db_session):
"""Provide a UserService with test database."""
return UserService(session=db_session)
@pytest.fixture
def sample_user(user_service):
"""Create and return a sample user."""
return user_service.create(name="Test User", email="test@example.com")
class TestUserService:
def test_create_user(self, user_service):
user = user_service.create(name="John", email="john@example.com")
assert user.name == "John"
assert user.id is not None
def test_get_user_not_found(self, user_service):
with pytest.raises(UserNotFoundError, match="User 999 not found"):
user_service.get(999)
@pytest.mark.parametrize("email,is_valid", [
("user@example.com", True),
("user@sub.domain.com", True),
("invalid", False),
("@example.com", False),
("", False),
])
def test_validate_email(self, user_service, email: str, is_valid: bool):
assert user_service.validate_email(email) == is_valid
```
### Mocking
```python
from unittest.mock import Mock, patch, AsyncMock
def test_send_notification(user_service):
with patch("myapp.services.email_client") as mock_email:
mock_email.send = Mock(return_value=True)
user_service.notify(user_id=1, message="Hello")
mock_email.send.assert_called_once_with(
to="test@example.com",
body="Hello",
)
# Async mocking
@pytest.mark.asyncio
async def test_fetch_data():
with patch("myapp.client.fetch", new_callable=AsyncMock) as mock_fetch:
mock_fetch.return_value = {"status": "ok"}
result = await process_data()
assert result["status"] == "ok"
```
### conftest.py Patterns
```python
# tests/conftest.py
import pytest
from sqlalchemy import create_engine
from sqlalchemy.orm import sessionmaker
@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
def engine():
return create_engine("sqlite:///:memory:")
@pytest.fixture(scope="function")
def db_session(engine):
Base.metadata.create_all(engine)
Session = sessionmaker(bind=engine)
session = Session()
yield session
session.rollback()
session.close()
Base.metadata.drop_all(engine)
```
---
## Go Testing
### Table-Driven Tests
```go
func TestCalculateDiscount(t *testing.T) {
tests := []struct {
name string
amount float64
code string
want float64
wantErr bool
}{
{
name: "valid 10% discount",
amount: 100.0,
code: "SAVE10",
want: 90.0,
},
{
name: "no discount",
amount: 100.0,
code: "",
want: 100.0,
},
{
name: "invalid code",
amount: 100.0,
code: "INVALID",
wantErr: true,
},
{
name: "zero amount",
amount: 0,
code: "SAVE10",
want: 0,
},
}
for _, tt := range tests {
t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
got, err := CalculateDiscount(tt.amount, tt.code)
if (err != nil) != tt.wantErr {
t.Errorf("CalculateDiscount() error = %v, wantErr %v", err, tt.wantErr)
return
}
if got != tt.want {
t.Errorf("CalculateDiscount() = %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
}
})
}
}
```
### Testify Assertions and Mocks
```go
import (
"testing"
"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
"github.com/stretchr/testify/mock"
"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
)
// Mock
type MockUserRepo struct {
mock.Mock
}
func (m *MockUserRepo) FindByID(id string) (*User, error) {
args := m.Called(id)
if args.Get(0) == nil {
return nil, args.Error(1)
}
return args.Get(0).(*User), args.Error(1)
}
func TestGetUser(t *testing.T) {
repo := new(MockUserRepo)
repo.On("FindByID", "123").Return(&User{ID: "123", Name: "John"}, nil)
service := NewUserService(repo)
user, err := service.GetUser("123")
require.NoError(t, err)
assert.Equal(t, "John", user.Name)
repo.AssertExpectations(t)
}
// HTTP handler testing
func TestGetUserHandler(t *testing.T) {
req := httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/users/123", nil)
w := httptest.NewRecorder()
handler := NewHandler(mockService)
handler.GetUser(w, req)
assert.Equal(t, http.StatusOK, w.Code)
var user User
err := json.NewDecoder(w.Body).Decode(&user)
require.NoError(t, err)
assert.Equal(t, "123", user.ID)
}
```
---
## Rust Testing
### Unit and Integration Tests
```rust
// src/lib.rs - Unit tests (same file)
pub fn calculate_discount(amount: f64, percentage: f64) -> Result<f64, DiscountError> {
if percentage < 0.0 || percentage > 100.0 {
return Err(DiscountError::InvalidPercentage(percentage));
}
Ok(amount * (1.0 - percentage / 100.0))
}
#[cfg(test)]
mod tests {
use super::*;
#[test]
fn test_valid_discount() {
let result = calculate_discount(100.0, 10.0).unwrap();
assert!((result - 90.0).abs() < f64::EPSILON);
}
#[test]
fn test_zero_discount() {
assert_eq!(calculate_discount(100.0, 0.0).unwrap(), 100.0);
}
#[test]
fn test_invalid_percentage() {
assert!(matches!(
calculate_discount(100.0, 150.0),
Err(DiscountError::InvalidPercentage(_))
));
}
#[test]
fn test_negative_percentage() {
assert!(calculate_discount(100.0, -10.0).is_err());
}
}
// tests/integration_test.rs - Integration tests (separate file)
use my_crate::calculate_discount;
#[test]
fn test_full_workflow() {
let original = 200.0;
let discounted = calculate_discount(original, 25.0).unwrap();
assert_eq!(discounted, 150.0);
}
```
### Property-Based Testing (proptest)
```rust
use proptest::prelude::*;
proptest! {
#[test]
fn discount_never_exceeds_original(amount in 0.0f64..10000.0, pct in 0.0f64..100.0) {
let result = calculate_discount(amount, pct).unwrap();
prop_assert!(result <= amount);
prop_assert!(result >= 0.0);
}
#[test]
fn roundtrip_serialization(name in "[a-zA-Z]{1,50}", age in 0u32..150) {
let user = User { name: name.clone(), age };
let json = serde_json::to_string(&user).unwrap();
let deserialized: User = serde_json::from_str(&json).unwrap();
prop_assert_eq!(user, deserialized);
}
}
```
---
## Visual Regression Testing
### Playwright Screenshots
```typescript
import { test, expect } from "@playwright/test";
test("homepage visual regression", async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto("/");
await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot("homepage.png", {
maxDiffPixelRatio: 0.01,
});
});
test("component states", async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto("/components");
// Default state
await expect(page.locator(".card")).toHaveScreenshot("card-default.png");
// Hover state
await page.locator(".card").hover();
await expect(page.locator(".card")).toHaveScreenshot("card-hover.png");
// Full page with specific viewport
await page.setViewportSize({ width: 375, height: 812 }); // iPhone
await expect(page).toHaveScreenshot("homepage-mobile.png");
});
// Update snapshots: npx playwright test --update-snapshots
```
### Percy (Cloud Visual Testing)
```typescript
import percySnapshot from "@percy/playwright";
test("visual test with Percy", async ({ page }) => {
await page.goto("/dashboard");
await percySnapshot(page, "Dashboard");
// Percy compares across browsers and viewport sizes
});
```
### Chromatic (Storybook Visual Testing)
```bash
# Run Chromatic on Storybook stories
npx chromatic --project-token=<token>
# CI integration
# Chromatic captures every story as a visual snapshot
# and detects pixel-level changes across PRs
```
| Tool | Approach | Best For |
| -------------- | ------------------------------- | ----------------------------- |
| **Playwright** | Local screenshot comparison | E2E visual tests, free |
| **Percy** | Cloud cross-browser comparison | Multi-browser, team review |
| **Chromatic** | Storybook story snapshots | Component library visual QA |
---
## See Also
- [Code Review Standards](../_shared/CODE_REVIEW_STANDARDS.md) - Quality requirements
- Project `CLAUDE.md` - Testing rulesRelated Skills
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