Java testing strategies
Apply proven testing strategies (RIGHT-BICEP, A-TRIP, CORRECT) to design and verify Java unit tests.
What is covered in this Skill?
- RIGHT-BICEP: Key questions to guide test creation — Right results, Boundary conditions, Inverse relationships, Cross-checks, Error conditions, Performance
- A-TRIP: Characteristics of good tests — Automatic, Thorough, Repeatable, Independent, Professional
- CORRECT: Boundary condition verification — Conformance, Ordering, Range, Reference, Existence, Cardinality, Time
Constraints
Before applying any test strategy changes, ensure the project compiles. If compilation fails, stop immediately — do not proceed until resolved. After applying improvements, run full verification.
- MANDATORY: Run
./mvnw compile or mvn compile before applying any change
- SAFETY: If compilation fails, stop immediately and do not proceed — compilation failure is a blocking condition
- VERIFY: Run
./mvnw clean verify or mvn clean verify after applying improvements
- BEFORE APPLYING: Read only the testing-strategy references selected by the user's concern before changing tests
- FOCUSED ROUTING: For missing behavior coverage or RIGHT-BICEP requests, read
references/130-java-testing-strategies-right-bicep.md by default
- FOCUSED ROUTING: For flaky, brittle, manual, order-dependent, shared-state, or maintainability requests, read
references/130-java-testing-strategies-a-trip.md by default
- FOCUSED ROUTING: For boundary-condition or CORRECT requests, read
references/130-java-testing-strategies-correct.md by default
- BROAD REVIEW: For broad test-strategy reviews, combine RIGHT-BICEP, A-TRIP, and CORRECT references and categorize findings by technique
- EDGE CASE: If the user goal is ambiguous, stop and ask a clarifying question before editing files or running project-wide commands
- EDGE CASE: If required context, files, credentials, or tools are missing, report the blocker explicitly and ask whether to proceed with setup or fallback guidance
- EDGE CASE: If requested changes conflict with project constraints or safety boundaries, explain the conflict and ask for user confirmation on the preferred trade-off
When to use this skill
- Review Java code for testing strategies
- Find missing Java test cases or behavior coverage gaps
- Apply RIGHT-BICEP testing strategies in Java code
- Review flaky, brittle, order-dependent, or hard-to-maintain Java tests
- Apply A-TRIP testing strategies in Java code
- Review Java boundary condition tests
- Apply CORRECT boundary condition verification in Java code
Workflow
- Compile project before test-strategy changes
Run ./mvnw compile or mvn compile and stop immediately if compilation fails.
- Select focused testing-strategy references
Route the request before reading references:
- Read
references/130-java-testing-strategies-right-bicep.md when the request asks what to test, which behavior is missing, whether assertions prove the right result, how to force errors, how to cross-check, or how to add performance guardrails.
- Read
references/130-java-testing-strategies-a-trip.md when the request asks why tests are flaky, brittle, manual, slow to run locally, order-dependent, shared-state dependent, unclear, or hard to maintain.
- Read
references/130-java-testing-strategies-correct.md when the request asks for boundary-condition review, CORRECT analysis, invalid input handling, conformance, ordering, range, external reference, existence, cardinality, or time cases.
- For broad test-strategy reviews, read all three focused references and organize findings by RIGHT-BICEP, A-TRIP, and CORRECT.
Do not require unrelated references for a narrow request unless the user's concern crosses technique boundaries.
- Apply strategy-driven test improvements
Improve or add tests using the selected technique: produce a RIGHT-BICEP gap matrix for missing behavior coverage, an A-TRIP quality finding list for test reliability and maintainability issues, a CORRECT boundary checklist for boundary reviews, or all three sections for broad reviews.
- Verify with full build
Run ./mvnw clean verify or mvn clean verify after applying improvements.
Reference
For detailed guidance, examples, and constraints, see:
- references/130-java-testing-strategies-right-bicep.md
- references/130-java-testing-strategies-a-trip.md
- references/130-java-testing-strategies-correct.md
1---2name: 130-java-testing-strategies3description: Use when you need to apply testing strategies for Java code — RIGHT-BICEP to guide test creation, A-TRIP for test quality characteristics, or CORRECT for verifying boundary conditions. This should trigger for requests such as Review Java code for testing strategies; Apply RIGHT-BICEP testing strategies in Java code; Apply A-TRIP testing strategies in Java code; Apply CORRECT boundary condition verification in Java code. Part of Plinth Toolkit4license: Apache-2.05---6# Java testing strategies
7
8Apply proven testing strategies (RIGHT-BICEP, A-TRIP, CORRECT) to design and verify Java unit tests.
9
10**What is covered in this Skill?**
11
12- **RIGHT-BICEP**: Key questions to guide test creation — Right results, Boundary conditions, Inverse relationships, Cross-checks, Error conditions, Performance
13- **A-TRIP**: Characteristics of good tests — Automatic, Thorough, Repeatable, Independent, Professional
14- **CORRECT**: Boundary condition verification — Conformance, Ordering, Range, Reference, Existence, Cardinality, Time
15
16
17## Constraints
18
19Before applying any test strategy changes, ensure the project compiles. If compilation fails, stop immediately — do not proceed until resolved. After applying improvements, run full verification.
20
21- **MANDATORY**: Run `./mvnw compile` or `mvn compile` before applying any change
22- **SAFETY**: If compilation fails, stop immediately and do not proceed — compilation failure is a blocking condition
23- **VERIFY**: Run `./mvnw clean verify` or `mvn clean verify` after applying improvements
24- **BEFORE APPLYING**: Read only the testing-strategy references selected by the user's concern before changing tests
25- **FOCUSED ROUTING**: For missing behavior coverage or RIGHT-BICEP requests, read `references/130-java-testing-strategies-right-bicep.md` by default
26- **FOCUSED ROUTING**: For flaky, brittle, manual, order-dependent, shared-state, or maintainability requests, read `references/130-java-testing-strategies-a-trip.md` by default
27- **FOCUSED ROUTING**: For boundary-condition or CORRECT requests, read `references/130-java-testing-strategies-correct.md` by default
28- **BROAD REVIEW**: For broad test-strategy reviews, combine RIGHT-BICEP, A-TRIP, and CORRECT references and categorize findings by technique
29- **EDGE CASE**: If the user goal is ambiguous, stop and ask a clarifying question before editing files or running project-wide commands
30- **EDGE CASE**: If required context, files, credentials, or tools are missing, report the blocker explicitly and ask whether to proceed with setup or fallback guidance
31- **EDGE CASE**: If requested changes conflict with project constraints or safety boundaries, explain the conflict and ask for user confirmation on the preferred trade-off
32
33## When to use this skill
34
35- Review Java code for testing strategies
36- Find missing Java test cases or behavior coverage gaps
37- Apply RIGHT-BICEP testing strategies in Java code
38- Review flaky, brittle, order-dependent, or hard-to-maintain Java tests
39- Apply A-TRIP testing strategies in Java code
40- Review Java boundary condition tests
41- Apply CORRECT boundary condition verification in Java code
42
43## Workflow
44
451. **Compile project before test-strategy changes**
46
47Run `./mvnw compile` or `mvn compile` and stop immediately if compilation fails.
48
492. **Select focused testing-strategy references**
50
51
52Route the request before reading references:
53
54- Read `references/130-java-testing-strategies-right-bicep.md` when the request asks what to test, which behavior is missing, whether assertions prove the right result, how to force errors, how to cross-check, or how to add performance guardrails.
55- Read `references/130-java-testing-strategies-a-trip.md` when the request asks why tests are flaky, brittle, manual, slow to run locally, order-dependent, shared-state dependent, unclear, or hard to maintain.
56- Read `references/130-java-testing-strategies-correct.md` when the request asks for boundary-condition review, CORRECT analysis, invalid input handling, conformance, ordering, range, external reference, existence, cardinality, or time cases.
57- For broad test-strategy reviews, read all three focused references and organize findings by RIGHT-BICEP, A-TRIP, and CORRECT.
58
59Do not require unrelated references for a narrow request unless the user's concern crosses technique boundaries.
60
61
623. **Apply strategy-driven test improvements**
63
64Improve or add tests using the selected technique: produce a RIGHT-BICEP gap matrix for missing behavior coverage, an A-TRIP quality finding list for test reliability and maintainability issues, a CORRECT boundary checklist for boundary reviews, or all three sections for broad reviews.
65
664. **Verify with full build**
67
68Run `./mvnw clean verify` or `mvn clean verify` after applying improvements.
69
70## Reference
71
72For detailed guidance, examples, and constraints, see:
73
74- [references/130-java-testing-strategies-right-bicep.md](references/130-java-testing-strategies-right-bicep.md)
75- [references/130-java-testing-strategies-a-trip.md](references/130-java-testing-strategies-a-trip.md)
76- [references/130-java-testing-strategies-correct.md](references/130-java-testing-strategies-correct.md)
gabrielmoreira