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name: tdd-workflow description: Use this skill when writing new features, fixing bugs, or refactoring code. Enforces test-driven development with 80%+ coverage including unit tests.

Test-Driven Development Workflow

This skill ensures all code development follows TDD principles with comprehensive test coverage.

When to Activate

• Writing new features or functionality
• Fixing bugs or issues
• Refactoring existing code
• Adding API endpoints
• Creating new components

Core Principles

1. Tests BEFORE Code

ALWAYS write tests first, then implement code to make tests pass.

2. Coverage Requirements

• All edge cases covered
• Error scenarios tested
• Boundary conditions verified

3. Test Types

Unit Tests

• Individual functions and utilities
• Component logic
• Pure functions
• Helpers and utilities

TDD Workflow Steps

Step 1: Write User Journeys

As a [role], I want to [action], so that [benefit]

Example:
As a user, I want to search for markets semantically,
so that I can find relevant markets even without exact keywords.

Step 2: Generate Test Cases

For each user journey, create comprehensive test cases:

describe('Semantic Search', () => {
  it('returns relevant markets for query', async () => {
    // Test implementation
  })

  it('handles empty query gracefully', async () => {
    // Test edge case
  })

  it('falls back to substring search when Redis unavailable', async () => {
    // Test fallback behavior
  })

  it('sorts results by similarity score', async () => {
    // Test sorting logic
  })
})

Step 3: Run Tests (They Should Fail)

npm test
# Tests should fail - we haven't implemented yet

Step 4: Implement Code

Write minimal code to make tests pass:

// Implementation guided by tests
export async function searchMarkets(query: string) {
  // Implementation here
}

Step 5: Run Tests Again

npm test
# Tests should now pass

Step 6: Refactor

Improve code quality while keeping tests green:

• Remove duplication
• Improve naming
• Optimize performance
• Enhance readability

Step 7: Verify Coverage

npm run test:coverage
# Verify 80%+ coverage achieved

Testing Patterns

Unit Test Pattern (Jest/Vitest)

import { render, screen, fireEvent } from '@testing-library/react'
import { Button } from './Button'

describe('Button Component', () => {
  it('renders with correct text', () => {
    render(<Button>Click me</Button>)
    expect(screen.getByText('Click me')).toBeInTheDocument()
  })

  it('calls onClick when clicked', () => {
    const handleClick = jest.fn()
    render(<Button onClick={handleClick}>Click</Button>)

    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button'))

    expect(handleClick).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
  })

  it('is disabled when disabled prop is true', () => {
    render(<Button disabled>Click</Button>)
    expect(screen.getByRole('button')).toBeDisabled()
  })
})

Test File Organization

src/
└── components/
    ├── Button/
    │   ├── Button.tsx
    │   ├── Button.test.tsx          # Unit tests
    │   └── Button.stories.tsx       # Storybook
    └── MarketCard/
        ├── MarketCard.tsx
        └── MarketCard.test.tsx

Test Coverage Verification

Run Coverage Report

npm run test:coverage

Coverage Thresholds

{
  "jest": {
    "coverageThresholds": {
      "global": {
        "branches": 80,
        "functions": 80,
        "lines": 80,
        "statements": 80
      }
    }
  }
}

Common Testing Mistakes to Avoid

❌ WRONG: Testing Implementation Details

// Don't test internal state
expect(component.state.count).toBe(5)

✅ CORRECT: Test User-Visible Behavior

// Test what users see
expect(screen.getByText('Count: 5')).toBeInTheDocument()

❌ WRONG: Brittle Selectors

// Breaks easily
await page.click('.css-class-xyz')

✅ CORRECT: Semantic Selectors

// Resilient to changes
await page.click('button:has-text("Submit")')
await page.click('[data-testid="submit-button"]')

❌ WRONG: No Test Isolation

// Tests depend on each other
test('creates user', () => { /* ... */ })
test('updates same user', () => { /* depends on previous test */ })

✅ CORRECT: Independent Tests

// Each test sets up its own data
test('creates user', () => {
  const user = createTestUser()
  // Test logic
})

test('updates user', () => {
  const user = createTestUser()
  // Update logic
})

Continuous Testing

Watch Mode During Development

npm test -- --watch
# Tests run automatically on file changes

Pre-Commit Hook

# Runs before every commit
npm test && npm run lint

CI/CD Integration

# GitHub Actions
- name: Run Tests
  run: npm test -- --coverage
- name: Upload Coverage
  uses: codecov/codecov-action@v3

Best Practices

1. Write Tests First - Always TDD
2. One Assert Per Test - Focus on single behavior
3. Descriptive Test Names - Explain what's tested
4. Arrange-Act-Assert - Clear test structure
5. Mock External Dependencies - Isolate unit tests
6. Test Edge Cases - Null, undefined, empty, large
7. Test Error Paths - Not just happy paths
8. Keep Tests Fast - Unit tests < 50ms each
9. Clean Up After Tests - No side effects
10. Review Coverage Reports - Identify gaps

Success Metrics

• 80%+ code coverage achieved
• All tests passing (green)
• No skipped or disabled tests
• Fast test execution (< 30s for unit tests)
• Tests catch bugs before production

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Remember: Tests are not optional. They are the safety net that enables confident refactoring, rapid development, and production reliability.