# Review Tests Helpers

> Review Terraform AWS Provider test helpers: Exists/Destroy check functions, exports_test.go wiring, create.Error wrapping, data source tests, list resource tests (querycheck + Terraform version floor), and unit tests. Use when reviewing a PR that changes check helpers or data-source/list/unit tests in internal/service/**/*_test.go.

- Skill: `hashicorp/review-tests-helpers` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add hashicorp/review-tests-helpers`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/hashicorp/review-tests-helpers/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: hashicorp (https://skillmd.com/u/hashicorp)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/hashicorp/review-tests-helpers

---


<!-- Copyright IBM Corp. 2014, 2026 -->
<!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0 -->

# Review: Test Helpers, Data Source Tests, List Resource Tests, Unit Tests

Assume the `@maintainer` persona. Scope: Exists/Destroy helpers, data source tests, list resource tests, unit tests. See `review-tests` for per-resource basics. Loaded from `review-pr`.

## Exists / Destroy helpers

`testAccCheck<Resource>Exists` should:

- Look up the resource state with `s.RootModule().Resources[name]`.
- Verify `rs.Primary.ID != ""`.
- Use `acctest.ProviderMeta(ctx, t).<Service>Client(ctx)` for the client — never construct a fresh client.
- Call the **exported** finder `tf<svc>.Find<Name>ByID(ctx, conn, ...)`.

`testAccCheck<Resource>Destroy` should:

- Skip rows where `rs.Type != "aws_<svc>_<thing>"`.
- Treat `retry.NotFound(err)` as success (`return nil`).
- Use `errs.IsA[*awstypes.<NotFoundException>]` rather than type assertions if it inspects errors directly.

Wrap real failures with `create.Error(names.<Service>, create.ErrActionCheckingExistence|ErrActionCheckingDestroyed, tf<svc>.ResName<Name>, id, err)` rather than `fmt.Errorf` / `errors.New`.

## exports_test.go

Test files reach into the package via a sibling `exports_test.go`:

```go
package <svc>

var (
    Resource<Name> = new<Name>Resource   // Framework
    // or: Resource<Name> = resource<Name> // SDKv2
    Find<Name>ByID = find<Name>ByID
)
```

Flag PRs that export production identifiers (capitalize the real `find<Name>ByID`) instead of using `exports_test.go`, or reach into the package via build tags or `internal/` traversal hacks. The package is imported in tests as `tf<svc> "github.com/hashicorp/terraform-provider-aws/internal/service/<svc>"`.

## Data source tests

Data source tests follow the resource conventions with these differences:

- Reference `dataSourceName := "data.aws_<svc>_<thing>.test"`.
- Prefer `resource.TestCheckResourceAttrPair(dataSourceName, attr, resourceName, attr)` over hard-coded values when the data source mirrors a resource.
- No `_disappears` test.
- A `CheckDestroy` is still required when the test creates a backing resource.

## List resource tests

List resources require three scenarios for parity:

- `_List_basic` — basic listing.
- `_List_includeResource` — with `include_resource = true` and full attribute checks.
- `_List_regionOverride` — region override; requires `acctest.PreCheckMultipleRegion(t, 2)`.

List resource tests use static testdata, not inline configs:

```go
ConfigDirectory: config.StaticDirectory("testdata/<Resource>/list_<scenario>/"),
ConfigVariables: config.Variables{ acctest.CtRName: config.StringVariable(rName), ... },
```

A separate `Step` with `Query: true` exercises the list operation. Identity assertions use `tfstatecheck.Identity()` / `identity.GetIdentity(resourceName)` and the `tfquerycheck.*` helpers under `internal/acctest/querycheck`.

List resource tests also require a Terraform version floor (currently 1.14):

```go
TerraformVersionChecks: []tfversion.TerraformVersionCheck{
    tfversion.SkipBelow(tfversion.Version1_14_0),
},
```

## Unit tests

Unit tests are for logic that doesn't touch AWS — parsers, custom flatteners/expanders, ID composition, validators. They:

- Run in parallel (`t.Parallel()` at top and inside subtests).
- Are table-driven with `t.Run(tc.TestName, ...)`.
- Must not call `acctest.Context`, `acctest.PreCheck`, or instantiate an AWS client.

Flag unit tests added for trivial pass-through flatteners/expanders — they're noise. Flag acceptance-style tests mis-named without the `TestAcc` prefix.