test-intent-ledger

name	test-intent-ledger
description	Use before adding or reviewing clnkr tests to keep generated tests integration-oriented, behavior-focused, and low-slop.

Test Intent Ledger

Use this before adding or accepting new tests in clnkr.

Ledger

For each new test or fixture, record:

• Behavior under test: user-visible behavior, protocol contract, or persistence contract.
• Real boundary exercised: CLI, clnkrd JSONL adapter, shell executor, provider adapter, session store, or agent loop.
• Dependency realism: real, fixture, fake, or mock.
• Fake/mock reason: why a real dependency or fixture is not suitable.
• Failure proof: command, sabotage patch, or reason fail-before/pass-after is impractical.
• Refactor tolerance: implementation detail that should be able to change without breaking the test.

clnkr Defaults

• Prefer real shell, temp filesystem, httptest.Server, subprocess helpers, and JSONL transcript fixtures over isolated helper tests when practical.
• Keep WET test cases when repeated protocol examples make behavior clearer.
• Use provider fakes only at the model/API boundary; do not fake the behavior being claimed.
• Add helpers only when they remove incidental setup noise, not when they hide behavior.

Review Rules

Flag tests that:

• assert private implementation shape without checking agent, CLI, provider, or transcript behavior
• duplicate an existing scenario without a new behavior claim
• use fake/mock terminology without explaining why a real boundary is unsuitable
• update protocol fixtures without explaining the user-visible or provider contract that changed
• cannot be made to fail by sabotaging the intended behavior