Test Failure Triage

Test failure triage

Workflow

1. Baseline run

Run the project's standard test command and capture full output (counts, error types, files).

2. Group failures

Group by:

• Error type: ImportError, AttributeError, AssertionError, etc.
• Root file/module: Same file causing multiple failures.
• Likely cause: Recent change area (use git diff, recent commits).

Prioritize groups with highest downstream impact (imports/config before assertion tweaks).

3. Fix order

1. Infrastructure: imports, deps, config, env
2. API/signature changes: renamed modules, function args
3. Logic: assertion and business-logic failures

4. Verify per group

After each group fix, re-run a focused subset (file or pattern), then full suite at the end.

# Example patterns (adapt to project)
pytest path/to/test_file.py -v
pytest -k "pattern" -v
make test

Practices

• Fix one group at a time; do not mix unrelated fixes in one commit if avoidable.
• Prefer minimal changes; match project test style.
• Document external factors (flaky tests, env-only failures).

Output

Short summary: total failures, groups fixed, remaining risks, final full-suite result.