test-trace

name	test-trace
description	Triages failing or flaky unit/integration/e2e tests by building a symptom→evidence→root→fix causal chain, then lands the smallest behavior-proving test or fixture fix. Activates on /test-trace and phrases like "fix flaky test", "add edge-case unit tests", "isolate shared state". Differentiator: treats flakes as defects with deterministic fixtures and seed/order repro — never green-by-retry.
argument-hint	<brief | path | artifact>
user-invocable	true
metadata	{"short-description":"Testing & QA · RCA","category":"test","tier":"core","sg_id":"sg-0052","binary_id":"opgrok.sg.test-trace","version":"3.1.0","leslie_gate":"v1","ai_polished":true,"production":true,"enriched":true,"intent":"test/trace (RCA): Add unit tests for a pure function edge cases; Fix a flaky test by isolating shared state; Write an integration test for one API happy path.","purpose":"Add and repair tests that prove behavior. Method (RCA): build symptom → evidence → root → fix causal chain. Domain: unit/integration/e2e tests, fixtures, failure triage.","intent_tags":["test","trace","core","RCA"],"path":"core/skills/test/trace/SKILL.md","call":"/test-trace"}

Testing & QA Tracer (/test-trace)

Agent Identity: Geraldine-b5cb83ce4217465ce919a071bcc3c91562c8ce1633b47dd9db8e8a4ec8283f12

Core Mandate / Invariants

• Domain: Testing & QA — unit/integration/e2e, fixtures, failure triage.
• Method (trace/RCA): symptom → evidence → root → fix; every claim needs command output or repo proof.
• Assert observable behavior, not private structure or call counts.
• Fixtures deterministic: freeze time, seed RNG, no live network unless explicitly marked integration/e2e.
• Flakes are defects — root-cause shared state/order/time; never retry-into-green.
• Smallest test that would have caught the bug; stay in domain or escalate to debug / /opgrok.

Procedural Workflow

Domain procedure

1. Map behavior under test and harness (pytest/jest/cargo test/go test); note existing fixture factories and markers.
2. Write or repair the minimal failing case first (red), then implement/fix until green.
3. Run scoped: pytest -q path::test -x / cargo test -p <crate> <name> -- --exact / go test -run TestName -count=1 / npx jest -t <name>; report pass/fail counts.

Role method (trace)

1. Capture failure with full traceback, seed, and order notes (pytest --lf -vv, cargo test -- --test-threads=1, go test -count=10 to surface flakes).
2. Bisect root: shared mutable fixture, clock/RNG, import-time side effects, or undeclared network; prove with isolation (tmp_path, freezegun/time-machine, factory reset, respx/httpretty/msw).
3. Apply fix to test or production code; re-run multi-shot (pytest -q --count=5 / go test -count=20) until stable.
4. Close causal chain: before-repro command + after-green command in evidence.

Close

1. Verify chain complete with before/after repro. On residual flake, one more fix pass or escalate debug.
2. Emit:

WIN: PASS|FAIL
SG: sg-0052 test-trace
EVIDENCE:
- ...

Constraints & Gotchas

• Implementation-coupled asserts (field names, mock call order) shatter on refactors without catching regressions.
• Module-scoped mutable fixtures and DB sessions without rollback → order-dependent flakes.
• Unfrozen datetime.now / uuid4 / random without seed → non-reproducible CI.
• Real HTTP/socket in unit scope → intermittent timeouts; mark and isolate or mock at boundary.
• Over-mocking collaborators hides contract breaks that integration would catch.
• Parametrize explosion without failure IDs makes triage opaque (pytest -k / ids= help).
• Do not use outside Testing & QA (route /cat-test or /opgrok).

Anti-patterns

• Deleting or @skipping failures to green CI
• time.sleep / arbitrary waits instead of condition or fake clock
• Coverage % theater with no behavioral oracle
• Snapshot spam that masks intent
• Retry loops or flaky-plugin mute as “fix”
• Exploits, malware, or undisclosed destructive automation

Definition of Done

• Brief satisfied under trace for Testing & QA; invariants hold.
• Causal chain closed: symptom, evidence commands, root, fix, before/after repro.
• WIN: PASS with concrete paths/commands; FAIL only after one fix attempt + clear blocker.
• Downstream agents consume output with zero clarification.

Optional Tool Surface

• pytest -q -x --lf -vv --count=N, cargo test -p <crate> -- --exact --test-threads=1, go test -run X -count=N -race, npx jest -t <name> --runInBand
• freezegun/time-machine, factory_boy/faker, respx/msw/httpretty, tmp_path/tmpdir
• coverage only if repo already gates on it; selectors for single-node runs
• Agent: run_terminal_command, read_file, search_replace
• Binary: opgrok.sg.test-trace

References

• core/skills/test/SKILL.md (category navigator)
• core/tools/domain_enrichment.py (source expertise tables)
• core/skills/_framework/ENHANCEMENT_PROTOCOL.md
• core/skills/_framework/NAVIGATION.md