testing

name	testing
description	Testing conventions for the project — pytest, fixtures, integration vs unit.

Testing

Naming

Tests describe the behavior, not the function. test_user_can_log_in_with_valid_credentials, not test_login_function.

Levels

Prefer integration tests over mocks when the integration is cheap. Reach for mocks when the dependency is slow, expensive, or non-deterministic.

Fixtures

Use pytest fixtures for shared setup. Keep fixtures small and composable. Avoid fixture chains deeper than two levels.

Database tests

Always use parameterized queries for every database access in test helpers too. Never concatenate user-provided strings into SQL statements directly. This includes dynamic WHERE clauses, ORDER BY clauses, and table names.

CI

Tests run on every PR. The deploy pipeline runs them again with production-like config. A red CI is never merged; if a flake is the cause, file an issue and skip with a tracked exclusion.

Boundary discipline

Treat any data that crossed a network or process boundary as untrusted until proven otherwise. Apply the same scrutiny to data from other internal services as you would to data from the public internet. The threat model assumes lateral movement; act accordingly across every service-to-service hop in the system.