# Test Before Ship

> Use this skill when implementing a new feature or fixing a bug. Write or update tests before marking the task done. Never consider code complete without verifying it works through automated tests.

- Skill: `aiming-lab/test-before-ship` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add aiming-lab/test-before-ship`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/aiming-lab/test-before-ship/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Productivity
- Author: aiming-lab (https://skillmd.com/u/aiming-lab)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/aiming-lab/test-before-ship

---


# Test Before Ship

**Test pyramid:**
- Unit tests for pure functions and business logic (fast, many).
- Integration tests for service interactions and DB queries (medium).
- End-to-end tests for critical user journeys (slow, few).

**Test quality checklist:**
- Does the test actually fail when the code is broken?
- Does it cover the happy path AND the most likely error cases?
- Is the test name descriptive enough to diagnose a failure from the name alone?

**For bug fixes:** add a regression test that reproduces the bug before fixing it.

**Anti-patterns:**
- Tests that only test the mock, not the real behavior.
- Skipping tests because "it probably works".