ai-regression-testing

# AI Regression Testing Testing patterns specifically designed for AI-assisted development, where the same model writes code and reviews it — creating systematic blind spots that only automated tests can catch. ## When to Activate - AI agent (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex) has modified API routes or backend logic - A bug was found and fixed — need to prevent re-introduction - Project has a sandbox/mock mode that can be leveraged for DB-free testing - Running `/bug-check` or similar review commands after code changes - Multiple code paths exist (sandbox vs production, feature flags, etc.) ## The Core Problem When an AI writes code and then reviews its own work, it carries the same assumptions into both steps. This creates a predictable failure pattern: ``` AI writes fix → AI reviews fix → AI says "looks correct" → Bug still exists ``` **Real-world example** (observed in production): ``` Fix 1: Added notification_settings to API response → Forgot to add it to the SELECT query → AI reviewed and missed it (same blind spot) Fix 2: Added it to SELECT query → TypeScript build error (column not in generated types) → AI reviewed Fix 1 but didn't catch the SELECT issue Fix 3: Changed to SELECT * → Fixed production path, forgot sandbox path → AI reviewed and missed it AGAIN (4th occurrence) Fix 4: Test caught it instantly on first run ✅ ``` The pattern: **sandbox/production path inconsistency** is the #1 AI-introduced regression. ## Sandbox-Mode API Testing Most projects with AI-friendly architecture have a sandbox/mock mode. This is the key to fast, DB-free API testing. ### Setup (Vitest + Next.js App Router) ```typescript // vitest.config.ts import { defineConfig } from "vitest/config"; import path from "path"; export default defineConfig({ test: { environment: "node", globals: true, include: ["__tests__/**/*.test.ts"], setupFiles: ["__tests__/setup.ts"], }, resolve: { alias: { "@": path.resolve(__dirname, "."), }, }, }); ``` ```typescript // __tests__/setup.ts // Force sandbox mode — no database needed process.env.SANDBOX_MODE = "true"; process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL = ""; process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY = ""; ``` ### Test Helper for Next.js API Routes ```typescript // __tests__/helpers.ts import { NextRequest } from "next/server"; export function createTestRequest( url: string, options?: { method?: string; body?: Record<string, unknown>; headers?: Record<string, string>; sandboxUserId?: string; }, ): NextRequest { const { method = "GET", body, headers = {}, sandboxUserId } = options || {}; const fullUrl = url.startsWith("http") ? url : `http://localhost:3000${url}`; const reqHeaders: Record<string, string> = { ...headers }; if (sandboxUserId) { reqHeaders["x-sandbox-user-id"] = sandboxUserId; } const init: { method: string; headers: Record<string, string>; body?: string } = { method, headers: reqHeaders, }; if (body) { init.body = JSON.stringify(body); reqHeaders["content-type"] = "application/json"; } return new NextRequest(fullUrl, init); } export async function parseResponse(response: Response) { const json = await response.json(); return { status: response.status, json }; } ``` ### Writing Regression Tests The key principle: **write tests for bugs that were found, not for code that works**. ```typescript // __tests__/api/user/profile.test.ts import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest"; import { createTestRequest, parseResponse } from "../../helpers"; import { GET, PATCH } from "@/app/api/user/profile/route"; // Define the contract — what fields MUST be in the response const REQUIRED_FIELDS = [ "id", "email", "full_name", "phone", "role", "created_at", "avatar_url", "notification_settings", // ← Added after bug found it missing ]; describe("GET /api/user/profile", () => { it("returns all required fields", async () => { const req = createTestRequest("/api/user/profile"); const res = await GET(req); const { status, json } = await parseResponse(res); expect(status).toBe(200); for (const field of REQUIRED_FIELDS) { expect(json.data).toHaveProperty(field); } }); // Regression test — this exact bug was introduced by AI 4 times it("notification_settings is not undefined (BUG-R1 regression)", async () => { const req = createTestRequest("/api/user/profile"); const res = await GET(req); const { json } = await parseResponse(res); expect("notification_settings" in json.data).toBe(true); const ns = json.data.notification_settings; expect(ns === null || typeof ns === "object").toBe(true); }); }); ``` ### Testing Sandbox/Production Parity The most common AI regression: fixing production path but forgetting sandbox path (or vice versa). ```typescript // Test that sandbox responses match the expected contract describe("GET /api/user/messages (conversation list)", () => { it("includes partner_name in sandbox mode", async () => { const req = createTestRequest("/api/user/messages", { sandboxUserId: "user-001", }); const res = await GET(req); const { json } = await parseResponse(res); // This caught a bug where partner_name was added // to production path but not sandbox path if (json.data.length > 0) { for (const conv of json.data) { expect("partner_name" in conv).toBe(true); } } }); }); ``` ## Integrating Tests into Bug-Check Workflow ### Custom Command Definition ```markdown <!-- .claude/commands/bug-check.md --> # Bug Check ## Step 1: Automated Tests (mandatory, cannot skip) Run these commands FIRST before any code review: npm run test # Vitest test suite npm run build # TypeScript type check + build - If tests fail → report as highest priority bug - If build fails → report type errors as highest priority - Only proceed to Step 2 if both pass ## Step 2: Code Review (AI review) 1. Sandbox / production path consistency 2. API response shape matches frontend expectations 3. SELECT clause completeness 4. Error handling with rollback 5. Optimistic update race conditions ## Step 3: For each bug fixed, propose a regression test ``` ### The Workflow ``` User: "バグチェックして" (or "/bug-check") │ ├─ Step 1: npm run test │ ├─ FAIL → Bug found mechanically (no AI judgment needed) │ └─ PASS → Continue │ ├─ Step 2: npm run build │ ├─ FAIL → Type error found mechanically │ └─ PASS → Continue │ ├─ Step 3: AI code review (with known blind spots in mind) │ └─ Findings reported │ └─ Step 4: For each fix, write a regression test └─ Next bug-check catches if fix breaks ``` ## Common AI Regression Patterns ### Pattern 1: Sandbox/Production Path Mismatch **Frequency**: Most common (observed in 3 out of 4 regressions) ```typescript // ❌ AI adds field to production path only if (isSandboxMode()) { return { data: { id, email, name } }; // Missing new field } // Production path return { data: { id, email, name, notification_settings } }; // ✅ Both paths must return the same shape if (isSandboxMode()) { return { data: { id, email, name, notification_settings: null } }; } return { data: { id, email, name, notification_settings } }; ``` **Test to catch it**: ```typescript it("sandbox and production return same fields", async () => { // In test env, sandbox mode is forced ON const res = await GET(createTestRequest("/api/user/profile")); const { json } = await parseResponse(res); for (const field of REQUIRED_FIELDS) { expect(json.data).toHaveProperty(field); } }); ``` ### Pattern 2: SELECT Clause Omission **Frequency**: Common with Supabase/Prisma when adding new columns ```typescript // ❌ New column added to response but not to SELECT const { data } = await supabase .from("users") .select("id, email, name") // notification_settings not here .single(); return { data: { ...data, notification_settings: data.notification_settings } }; // → notification_settings is always undefined // ✅ Use SELECT * or explicitly include new columns const { data } = await supabase .from("users") .select("*") .single(); ``` ### Pattern 3: Error State Leakage **Frequency**: Moderate — when adding error handling to existing components ```typescript // ❌ Error state set but old data not cleared catch (err) { setError("Failed to load"); // reservations still shows data from previous tab! } // ✅ Clear related state on error catch (err) { setReservations([]); // Clear stale data setError("Failed to load"); } ``` ### Pattern 4: Optimistic Update Without Proper Rollback ```typescript // ❌ No rollback on failure const handleRemove = async (id: string) => { setItems(prev => prev.filter(i => i.id !== id)); await fetch(`/api/items/${id}`, { method: "DELETE" }); // If API fails, item is gone from UI but still in DB }; // ✅ Capture previous state and rollback on failure const handleRemove = async (id: string) => { const prevItems = [...items]; setItems(prev => prev.filter(i => i.id !== id)); try { const res = await fetch(`/api/items/${id}`, { method: "DELETE" }); if (!res.ok) throw new Error("API error"); } catch { setItems(prevItems); // Rollback alert("削除に失敗しました"); } }; ``` ## Strategy: Test Where Bugs Were Found Don't aim for 100% coverage. Instead: ``` Bug found in /api/user/profile → Write test for profile API Bug found in /api/user/messages → Write test for messages API Bug found in /api/user/favorites → Write test for favorites API No bug in /api/user/notifications → Don't write test (yet) ``` **Why this works with AI development:** 1. AI tends to make the **same category of mistake** repeatedly 2. Bugs cluster in complex areas (auth, multi-path logic, state management) 3. Once tested, that exact regression **cannot happen again** 4. Test count grows organically with bug fixes — no wasted effort ## Quick Reference | AI Regression Pattern | Test Strategy | Priority | |---|---|---| | Sandbox/production mismatch | Assert same response shape in sandbox mode | 🔴 High | | SELECT clause omission | Assert all required fields in response | 🔴 High | | Error state leakage | Assert state cleanup on error | 🟡 Medium | | Missing rollback | Assert state restored on API failure | 🟡 Medium | | Type cast masking null | Assert field is not undefined | 🟡 Medium | ## DO / DON'T **DO:** - Write tests immediately after finding a bug (before fixing it if possible) - Test the API response shape, not the implementation - Run tests as the first step of every bug-check - Keep tests fast (< 1 second total with sandbox mode) - Name tests after the bug they prevent (e.g., "BUG-R1 regression") **DON'T:** - Write tests for code that has never had a bug - Trust AI self-review as a substitute for automated tests - Skip sandbox path testing because "it's just mock data" - Write integration tests when unit tests suffice - Aim for coverage percentage — aim for regression prevention ## When to Use Regression testing strategies for AI-assisted development. Sandbox-mode API testing without database dependencies, automated bug-check workflows, and patterns to catch AI blind spots where the same model writes and reviews code. Covers: When to Activate, The Core Problem, Sandbox-Mode API Testing, Setup (Vitest + Next.js App Router), Test Helper for Next.js API Routes.