Follow Test Patterns

Follow Test Patterns

Reference discovered test patterns when writing tests to ensure consistency with project conventions.

When to Use

• Before writing any test file
• When implementing test-related phases in plans
• When user asks you to add tests

Workflow

1. Check for Pattern Document

if [ -f thoughts/notes/testing.md ]; then
  # Read and follow patterns
else
  # Prompt user to run discover-test-patterns first
  echo "No test patterns found. Run discover-test-patterns skill first."
fi

2. Read Pattern Document

Read thoughts/notes/testing.md fully to understand:

• File naming conventions
• Testing framework and imports
• Test structure (table-driven, etc.)
• Assertion style
• Mocking approach

3. Apply Patterns to New Tests

Use the discovered patterns for:

File Naming:

• Follow the pattern (e.g., *_test.go, *.test.ts)
• Place alongside source or in test directory as per convention

Imports:

• Use same testing framework (testify, jest, pytest)
• Import same assertion libraries

Test Structure:

• If codebase uses table-driven tests, use that pattern
• If codebase uses describe/it blocks, use that pattern
• Match indentation and formatting

Assertions:

• Use same assertion style (require.Equal vs assert.Equal)
• Follow error message conventions

Mocking:

• Use same mocking library (mockery, jest.mock, unittest.mock)
• Follow interface/class mocking patterns found in codebase

Alternative: Use Test-Writer Agent

For complex test generation, spawn the test-writer agent:

Task(subagent_type="workflows:test-writer",
     prompt="Generate tests for [functions] following patterns in testing.md.
     Expected behavior: [describe].
     Return test code only.")

Benefits:

• Conserves main agent context (3k instead of 20k+)
• Agent reads testing.md and examples in isolation
• Returns only the test code you need
• Follows project patterns automatically

When to use:

• Generating multiple test files
• Complex table-driven tests
• During phased implementation (see spawn-implementation-agents)

4. Verify Consistency

After writing tests, verify:

• File name matches convention
• Framework imports are correct
• Test structure matches examples
• Assertions use same style
• Tests are in correct location

Example

If thoughts/notes/testing.md shows:

## Go Test Patterns
- File: `*_test.go` alongside source
- Framework: testify/require
- Pattern: Table-driven tests

Then write:

package handlers

import (
    "testing"
    "github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
)

func TestNewFeature(t *testing.T) {
    tests := []struct {
        name string
        input FeatureInput
        want FeatureOutput
    }{
        {name: "valid case", input: ..., want: ...},
    }
    for _, tt := range tests {
        t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
            got := NewFeature(tt.input)
            require.Equal(t, tt.want, got)
        })
    }
}

Benefits

• Tests automatically match project style
• Reduces review feedback
• Faster test writing with clear examples
• Consistency across all new tests

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