results-groups-and-types

name	results-groups-and-types
description	Helps developers inspect Vest.js 5.4 results and structure larger typed suites. Use this whenever the user mentions `isValid`, `hasErrors`, `getErrors`, `getWarnings`, `isPending`, `isTested`, `group`, `each`, execution `mode`, multi-step forms, dynamic collections, or asks how to type suites and result APIs in TypeScript.

Vest.js 5.4 results, groups, and type guidance

Use this skill when the question is about reading suite state, organizing larger suites, or adding type safety.

Result access model

Vest exposes the same suite state in three equivalent ways:

1. the immediate result object returned by suite(...)
2. methods called directly on the suite
3. suite.get()

Use whichever is clearest for the situation, but keep the choice consistent within one example.

Result methods to reach for first

• isValid() when the user asks about overall or field validity
• hasErrors() / hasWarnings() for quick checks
• getErrors() / getWarnings() when the messages matter
• isPending() for async state
• isTested() for “has this field been validated yet?”
• done(...) when the user needs a completion callback

If the user only wants to know whether a field currently has problems, prefer hasErrors(field) over manual inspection of arrays.

Execution modes

Vest 5.4 supports three execution modes:

• Modes.EAGER — default; stop after the first failure for a field
• Modes.ALL — collect all failures for a field
• Modes.ONE — stop after the first failing test across the suite

Practical guidance:

• use EAGER for interactive validation
• use ALL when the user wants a fuller error list
• use ONE for fast-fail flows, often server-side

Grouping tests

Use named group(name, callback) when the group needs to appear in the result object.

That is especially useful for:

• multi-step or multi-tab forms
• flows where each section needs separate status
• querying hasErrorsByGroup(...) or isValidByGroup(...)

Use unnamed group(callback) when the goal is structural grouping without exposing a named group in results.

Dynamic collections with each

Use each(list, callback) for repeated or user-generated fields.

Important rule: provide a stable key to each dynamic test when ordering or membership can change. Do not use shifting indexes as durable identity when a better item key exists.

TypeScript guidance

Vest 5.4 supports typed suites through create<FieldName, GroupName, Callback>(...).

Use typed suites when:

• field names should autocomplete
• result access should reject impossible field names
• group names should stay constrained

If the user wants typed runtime helpers like only, group, or test, destructure them from the typed suite so they inherit the suite’s type information.

Pitfalls to fix immediately

• using custom dirty state instead of isTested()
• using getErrors() when hasErrors() would be simpler and less fragile
• naming groups even though the user never needs group-level results
• forgetting stable keys in each(...)
• claiming only EAGER and ALL exist in Vest 5.4 when ONE also exists
• typing result access but leaving runtime helper calls untyped when the suite can provide them

Output style

When answering:

• match the result method to the user’s question instead of dumping the whole API
• show named groups only when group queries matter
• keep TypeScript unions small and realistic in examples

References to consult when needed

• ../../../instructions/vest.instructions.md
• https://vestjs.dev/docs/5.x/writing_your_suite/accessing_the_result
• https://vestjs.dev/docs/5.x/writing_your_suite/execution_modes
• https://vestjs.dev/docs/5.x/writing_tests/advanced_test_features/grouping_tests
• https://vestjs.dev/docs/5.x/writing_tests/advanced_test_features/dynamic_tests
• https://vestjs.dev/docs/5.x/typescript_support
• https://vestjs.dev/docs/5.x/api_reference