test-scaffolding

name	test-scaffolding
description	Automatically generate test scaffolding when user writes new code without tests or mentions needing tests. Supports unit, integration, e2e, and data tests for PHP and JavaScript. Invoke when user mentions "tests", "testing", "coverage", "write tests", or shows new untested code.

Test Scaffolding Generator

Automatically generate test scaffolding for untested code.

Testing Philosophy

Good tests are an investment, not a cost.

Core Beliefs

1. Tests as Documentation: Tests show how code should be used
2. Fast Feedback: Quick tests enable rapid development
3. Confidence to Refactor: Good test coverage allows safe changes
4. Regression Prevention: Tests catch bugs before production

Scope Balance

• Quick scaffolding (this skill): Fast test generation for single classes/functions
• Comprehensive suites (/test-generate command): Full project test coverage with test plans
• Manual refinement: Human review adds edge cases and business logic validation (essential for quality)

This skill provides rapid test scaffolding. For complete coverage, use comprehensive test generation + manual refinement.

When to Use This Skill

Activate this skill when the user:

• Shows new code and says "I need tests for this"
• Asks "how do I test this?"
• Mentions "no tests yet" or "untested code"
• Says "I should write tests" or "need test coverage"
• Shows a class/function and asks about testing
• Mentions specific test types: "unit test", "integration test", "e2e test"

Decision Framework

Before generating test scaffolding, determine:

What Type of Code Is This?

1. Business logic function → Unit test (fast, isolated)
2. Class with dependencies → Unit test with mocks/stubs
3. API endpoint → Integration test (test with real dependencies)
4. UI component → Component test (render, interactions)
5. User flow → E2E test (full browser simulation)

What Test Framework?

PHP (Drupal/WordPress):

• PHPUnit for unit and integration tests
• Drupal Kernel tests for module testing
• WordPress test framework for plugins/themes

JavaScript:

• Jest for unit and component tests
• Cypress for E2E tests
• React Testing Library for React components

What Should Be Tested?

Unit tests (highest priority):

• ✅ Happy path - Expected behavior with valid input
• ✅ Edge cases - Boundary conditions (empty, null, zero, max)
• ✅ Error handling - Invalid input, exceptions
• ✅ Business logic - Calculations, transformations, decisions

Don't test (waste of time):

• ❌ Framework code (it's already tested)
• ❌ Simple getters/setters (no logic)
• ❌ Third-party libraries (trust their tests)

What Dependencies Need Mocking?

Mock/stub:

• ✅ External APIs (use fixtures instead)
• ✅ Database queries (use test database or mocks)
• ✅ File system operations (use virtual filesystem)
• ✅ Time-dependent code (mock date/time)

Don't mock:

• ❌ Code under test
• ❌ Simple data structures
• ❌ Pure functions

What Test Coverage Is Appropriate?

Critical code (90%+ coverage target):

• Authentication/authorization
• Payment processing
• Data writes/deletes
• Security-sensitive operations

Standard code (70-80% coverage target):

• Business logic
• API endpoints
• Public interfaces

Low priority (minimal coverage ok):

• Getters/setters
• Configuration
• UI styling

What Test Structure?

AAA pattern (standard):

1. Arrange - Set up test data and mocks
2. Act - Execute the code under test
3. Assert - Verify expected outcomes

Test name convention:

• test_methodName_scenario_expectedBehavior()
• Example: test_calculateTotal_withDiscount_returnsReducedPrice()

Decision Tree

User requests tests for code
    ↓
Analyze code type (function/class/endpoint/UI)
    ↓
Determine test type (unit/integration/e2e)
    ↓
Identify framework (PHPUnit/Jest/Cypress)
    ↓
Determine what to test (happy/edge/error)
    ↓
Identify dependencies to mock
    ↓
Generate test scaffolding with descriptive names
    ↓
Include AAA structure comments

Workflow

1. Analyze the Code to Test

Identify:

• Class name and namespace
• Methods to test (public methods)
• Dependencies (constructor parameters)
• Return types
• Drupal vs WordPress context

2. Determine Test Type

Unit Tests - For isolated logic:

• Services with minimal dependencies
• Utility functions
• Data transformation
• Business logic

Integration Tests - For component interaction:

• Controllers with database
• Form handlers
• API endpoints
• Complex workflows

E2E Tests - For user workflows:

• Login/authentication
• Multi-step forms
• Content creation
• Admin interfaces

3. Generate Appropriate Test Scaffold

Test Templates

Complete test templates are available for reference:

• Unit Test Templates - PHPUnit (Drupal/WordPress) & Jest
• Integration Test Templates - Functional tests & API testing
• E2E Test Templates - Cypress & Playwright

Use these templates as starting points, adapting for the specific code being tested.

Generation Strategy

1. Start Simple

Generate basic test structure first:

• Test class/describe block
• Setup/teardown methods
• One or two simple test cases

2. Identify Test Cases

For each public method:

• Happy path (valid input → expected output)
• Error cases (invalid input → exception)
• Edge cases (empty, null, boundary values)
• State changes (before/after verification)

3. Mock Dependencies

Identify what needs mocking:

• Database calls
• External APIs
• File system operations
• Time-dependent code

4. Add Assertions

Check:

• Return values
• State changes
• Side effects
• Error handling

Quick Response Patterns

For Simple Classes

When user shows a class with 2-3 methods:

1. Identify the test type (unit vs integration)
2. Generate test class with proper structure
3. Create tests for each public method:
   • Happy path test
   • Error case test
   • Edge case test (if applicable)
4. Include setup/teardown as needed
5. Add descriptive test names

Example Response:

"I'll generate PHPUnit tests for your UserManager class.

I see 3 public methods:
- getUser() - retrieves user data
- createUser() - creates new user
- deleteUser() - removes user

I'll create:
- Unit tests for getUser() (no database needed)
- Integration tests for createUser() and deleteUser() (require database)

[Generates test file with 6-8 test methods covering happy paths,
error cases, and edge cases]

This gives you ~80% coverage to start."

For WordPress Functions

When user shows WordPress function using WP APIs:

1. Determine if unit or integration test
2. Use WP_UnitTestCase for integration
3. Use factories for test data
4. Include setup/teardown for cleanup

Example Response:

"For WordPress functions using WP_Query, you'll want an integration test.

I'll generate a WP_UnitTestCase test that:
1. Creates test posts using the factory
2. Calls your function
3. Verifies the query results
4. Cleans up automatically in tearDown()

[Generates test code]

The test uses wp_insert_post() to create test data."

For Drupal Services

When user shows Drupal service with dependencies:

1. Identify service dependencies
2. Create mocks for dependencies in setUp()
3. Generate unit tests with dependency injection
4. Add @covers annotations

Example Response:

"I'll generate unit tests for your DataProcessor service.

I see it depends on:
- EntityTypeManagerInterface
- LoggerInterface

I'll:
1. Create mocks for these dependencies
2. Test each public method in isolation
3. Verify interactions with dependencies
4. Add @covers annotations for coverage tracking

[Generates test file with mocked dependencies]

This keeps tests fast by avoiding database calls."

For JavaScript/React Components

When user shows JS function or React component:

1. Identify if pure function or component
2. Use Jest for unit tests
3. Use React Testing Library for components
4. Mock external dependencies

Integration with CMS Cultivator

This skill complements the /test-generate slash command:

• This Skill: Automatically triggered during conversation

  • "I need tests for this class"
  • "How do I test this function?"
  • Quick single-class test generation

• /test-generate Command: Explicit batch generation

  • Generate tests for entire module
  • Comprehensive test suite creation
  • Project-wide test coverage

Best Practices

DO:

• ✅ Test behavior, not implementation details
• ✅ Use descriptive test names (testCreateUserWithValidData() not testCreateUser())
• ✅ Follow Arrange-Act-Assert pattern for clarity
• ✅ Keep tests independent (no dependencies between tests)
• ✅ Mock external dependencies (APIs, databases, filesystem)
• ✅ Clean up test data in tearDown()
• ✅ Test error cases and edge cases, not just happy path
• ✅ Keep tests fast (< 100ms for unit tests)
• ✅ Use factories or fixtures for test data
• ✅ Write tests before fixing bugs (TDD for bug fixes)

DON'T:

• ❌ Test private methods directly (test through public interface)
• ❌ Have multiple assertions testing different things (split into separate tests)
• ❌ Share state between tests (causes flaky tests)
• ❌ Test framework code or third-party libraries
• ❌ Use production database or live APIs in tests
• ❌ Leave test data behind (always clean up)
• ❌ Skip test setup to save time (leads to unclear tests)
• ❌ Copy-paste test code (extract helper methods)
• ❌ Use sleep() or arbitrary waits (use proper async patterns)
• ❌ Write tests that depend on test execution order

Example Interactions

Example 1: Simple class

User: "I wrote this UserManager class, need tests"
[Shows class with 3 methods]

Skill: "I'll generate PHPUnit tests for your UserManager class.
I see 3 public methods: createUser(), getUser(), deleteUser().
I'll create tests for the happy path and error cases for each.

[Generates test file]

This gives you 80% coverage to start. You may want to add edge case
tests for boundary conditions."

Example 2: WordPress function

User: "How do I test this WordPress function?"
[Shows custom function that uses WP_Query]

Skill: "For WordPress functions using WP_Query, you'll want an
integration test. I'll generate a WP_UnitTestCase test that:
1. Creates test posts using the factory
2. Calls your function
3. Verifies the query results

[Generates test code]

The test uses wp_insert_post() to create test data, then cleans up
automatically in tearDown()."

Example 3: React component

User: "Need tests for this React component"
[Shows UserProfile component]

Skill: "I'll create React Testing Library tests for your UserProfile component.

I see it:
- Displays user data from props
- Has edit button that calls onEdit callback
- Shows loading state

I'll generate tests for:
1. Rendering with user data
2. Clicking edit button
3. Loading state display

[Generates test file using React Testing Library]

These tests verify the component behavior from a user perspective."

Common Patterns

Testing Private Methods

Don't. Test public interface instead. If private method needs testing, consider extracting to separate class.

Testing Static Methods

// Avoid static methods when possible
// If you must, test directly
$result = MyClass::staticMethod($input);
$this->assertEquals($expected, $result);

Testing Database Operations

// Use transactions for rollback
protected function setUp(): void {
  parent::setUp();
  $this->database->beginTransaction();
}

protected function tearDown(): void {
  $this->database->rollbackTransaction();
  parent::tearDown();
}

Testing Async JavaScript

it('fetches user data', async () => {
  const user = await fetchUser(123);
  expect(user.name).toBe('John Doe');
});

// Or with promises
it('fetches user data', () => {
  return fetchUser(123).then(user => {
    expect(user.name).toBe('John Doe');
  });
});

Platform-Specific Guidelines

Drupal Testing

• Use proper namespace: Drupal\Tests\mymodule\Unit
• Add @group annotation
• Add @covers annotation for coverage
• Use UnitTestCase for unit tests
• Use KernelTestBase for database tests
• Use BrowserTestBase for functional tests

WordPress Testing

• Extend WP_UnitTestCase
• Use factories for test data
• Follow WordPress naming: test_method_name()
• Use assertions: $this->assertIsArray()
• Clean up in tearDown()

JavaScript Testing

• Use describe() for grouping
• Use test() or it() for individual tests
• Use beforeEach() for setup
• Mock external dependencies
• Test user interactions, not implementation

Resources

• PHPUnit Documentation
• Drupal Testing Guide
• WordPress PHPUnit
• Cypress Documentation
• Jest Documentation
• React Testing Library