| name | dev-testing |
| description | Gate 3 of development cycle - ensures unit test coverage meets threshold (85%+) for all acceptance criteria using TDD methodology. |
| trigger | - After implementation and SRE complete (Gate 0/1/2) - Task has acceptance criteria requiring test coverage - Need to verify implementation meets requirements |
| NOT_skip_when | - "Manual testing validates all criteria" → Manual tests are not executable. Gate 3 requires unit tests. - "Integration tests are better" → Gate 3 scope is unit tests only. - "Coverage is close to 85%" → Close enough is not passing. Meet exact threshold. |
| sequence | [object Object] |
| related | [object Object] |
| input_schema | [object Object] |
| output_schema | [object Object] |
| verification | [object Object] |
| examples | [object Object] |
Dev Testing (Gate 3)
Overview
Ensure every acceptance criterion has at least one unit test proving it works. Follow TDD methodology: RED (failing test) -> GREEN (implementation) -> REFACTOR.
Core principle: Untested acceptance criteria are unverified claims. Each criterion MUST map to at least one executable unit test.
Coverage threshold: 85% minimum (Ring standard). PROJECT_RULES.md can raise, not lower.
CRITICAL: Role Clarification
This skill ORCHESTRATES. QA Analyst Agent EXECUTES.
| Who | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| This Skill | Gather requirements, dispatch agent, track iterations |
| QA Analyst Agent | Write tests, run coverage, report results |
Step 1: Validate Input
REQUIRED INPUT (from dev-cycle orchestrator):
- unit_id: [task/subtask being tested]
- acceptance_criteria: [list of ACs to test]
- implementation_files: [files from Gate 0]
- language: [go|typescript|python]
OPTIONAL INPUT:
- coverage_threshold: [default 85.0, cannot be lower]
- gate0_handoff: [full Gate 0 output]
- existing_tests: [existing test files]
IF any REQUIRED input is missing:
→ STOP and report: "Missing required input: [field]"
→ Return to orchestrator with error
IF coverage_threshold < 85:
→ STOP and report: "Coverage threshold cannot be below Ring minimum (85%)"
→ Use 85% as threshold
Step 2: Initialize Testing State
testing_state = {
unit_id: [from input],
coverage_threshold: max(85, [from input]),
coverage_actual: null,
verdict: null,
iterations: 0,
max_iterations: 3,
traceability_matrix: [],
tests_written: 0
}
Step 3: Dispatch QA Analyst Agent
Task:
subagent_type: "qa-analyst"
model: "opus"
description: "Write unit tests for [unit_id]"
prompt: |
⛔ WRITE UNIT TESTS for All Acceptance Criteria
## Input Context
- **Unit ID:** [unit_id]
- **Language:** [language]
- **Coverage Threshold:** [coverage_threshold]%
## Acceptance Criteria to Test
[list acceptance_criteria with AC-1, AC-2, etc.]
## Implementation Files to Test
[list implementation_files]
## Standards Reference
For Go: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LerianStudio/ring/main/dev-team/docs/standards/golang.md
For TS: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LerianStudio/ring/main/dev-team/docs/standards/typescript.md
Focus on: Testing Patterns section
## Requirements
### Test Coverage
- Minimum: [coverage_threshold]% branch coverage
- Every AC MUST have at least one test
- Edge cases REQUIRED (null, empty, boundary, error conditions)
### Test Naming
- Go: `Test{Unit}_{Method}_{Scenario}`
- TS: `describe('{Unit}', () => { it('should {scenario}', ...) })`
### Test Structure
- One behavior per test
- Arrange-Act-Assert pattern
- Mock all external dependencies
- NO database/API calls (unit tests only)
### Edge Cases Required per AC Type
| AC Type | Required Edge Cases | Minimum |
|---------|---------------------|---------|
| Input validation | null, empty, boundary, invalid format | 3+ |
| CRUD operations | not found, duplicate, concurrent | 3+ |
| Business logic | zero, negative, overflow, boundary | 3+ |
| Error handling | timeout, connection failure, retry | 2+ |
## Required Output Format
### Test Files Created
| File | Tests | Lines |
|------|-------|-------|
| [path] | [count] | +N |
### Coverage Report
**Command:** [coverage command]
**Result:**
```
[paste actual coverage output]
```
| Package/File | Coverage |
|--------------|----------|
| [name] | [X%] |
| **TOTAL** | **[X%]** |
### Traceability Matrix
| AC ID | Criterion | Test File | Test Function | Status |
|-------|-----------|-----------|---------------|--------|
| AC-1 | [criterion text] | [file] | [function] | ✅/❌ |
| AC-2 | [criterion text] | [file] | [function] | ✅/❌ |
### Quality Checks
| Check | Status |
|-------|--------|
| No skipped tests | ✅/❌ |
| No assertion-less tests | ✅/❌ |
| Edge cases per AC | ✅/❌ |
| Test isolation | ✅/❌ |
### VERDICT
**Coverage:** [X%] vs Threshold [Y%]
**VERDICT:** PASS / FAIL
If FAIL:
- **Gap Analysis:** [what needs more tests]
- **Files needing coverage:** [list with line numbers]
Step 4: Parse QA Analyst Output
Parse agent output:
1. Extract coverage percentage from Coverage Report
2. Extract traceability matrix
3. Extract verdict
testing_state.coverage_actual = [extracted coverage]
testing_state.traceability_matrix = [extracted matrix]
testing_state.tests_written = [count from Test Files Created]
IF verdict == "PASS" AND coverage_actual >= coverage_threshold:
→ testing_state.verdict = "PASS"
→ Proceed to Step 6
IF verdict == "FAIL" OR coverage_actual < coverage_threshold:
→ testing_state.verdict = "FAIL"
→ testing_state.iterations += 1
→ IF iterations >= max_iterations: Go to Step 7 (Escalate)
→ Go to Step 5 (Dispatch Fix)
Step 5: Dispatch Fix to Implementation Agent
Coverage below threshold → Return to Gate 0 for more tests
Task:
subagent_type: "[implementation_agent from Gate 0]" # e.g., "backend-engineer-golang"
model: "opus"
description: "Add tests to meet coverage threshold for [unit_id]"
prompt: |
⛔ COVERAGE BELOW THRESHOLD - Add More Tests
## Current Status
- **Coverage Actual:** [coverage_actual]%
- **Coverage Threshold:** [coverage_threshold]%
- **Gap:** [threshold - actual]%
- **Iteration:** [iterations] of [max_iterations]
## Gap Analysis (from QA)
[paste gap analysis from QA output]
## Files Needing Coverage
[paste files list from QA output]
## Requirements
1. Add tests to cover the identified gaps
2. Focus on edge cases and error paths
3. Run coverage after each addition
4. Stop when coverage >= [threshold]%
## Required Output
- Tests added: [list]
- New coverage: [X%]
- Coverage command output
After fix → Go back to Step 3 (Re-dispatch QA Analyst)
Step 6: Prepare Success Output
Generate skill output:
## Testing Summary
**Status:** PASS
**Unit ID:** [unit_id]
**Iterations:** [testing_state.iterations]
## Coverage Report
**Threshold:** [coverage_threshold]%
**Actual:** [coverage_actual]%
**Status:** ✅ PASS
| Package/File | Coverage |
|--------------|----------|
[from QA output]
| **TOTAL** | **[coverage_actual]%** |
## Traceability Matrix
| AC ID | Criterion | Test | Status |
|-------|-----------|------|--------|
[from testing_state.traceability_matrix]
**Criteria Covered:** [X]/[Y] (100%)
## Quality Checks
| Check | Status |
|-------|--------|
| Coverage ≥ threshold | ✅ |
| All ACs tested | ✅ |
| No skipped tests | ✅ |
| Edge cases present | ✅ |
## Handoff to Next Gate
- Testing status: COMPLETE
- Coverage: [coverage_actual]% (threshold: [coverage_threshold]%)
- All criteria tested: ✅
- Ready for Gate 4 (Review): YES
Step 7: Escalate - Max Iterations Reached
Generate skill output:
## Testing Summary
**Status:** FAIL
**Unit ID:** [unit_id]
**Iterations:** [max_iterations] (MAX REACHED)
## Coverage Report
**Threshold:** [coverage_threshold]%
**Actual:** [coverage_actual]%
**Gap:** [threshold - actual]%
**Status:** ❌ FAIL
## Gap Analysis
[from last QA output]
## Files Still Needing Coverage
[from last QA output]
## Handoff to Next Gate
- Testing status: FAILED
- Ready for Gate 4: NO
- **Action Required:** User must manually add tests or adjust scope
⛔ ESCALATION: Max iterations (3) reached. Coverage still below threshold.
User intervention required.
Pressure Resistance
See shared-patterns/shared-pressure-resistance.md for universal pressure scenarios.
| User Says | Your Response |
|---|---|
| "84% is close enough" | "85% is minimum threshold. 84% = FAIL. Adding more tests." |
| "Manual testing covers it" | "Gate 3 requires executable unit tests. Dispatching QA analyst." |
| "Skip testing, deadline" | "Testing is MANDATORY. Untested code = unverified claims." |
Anti-Rationalization Table
See shared-patterns/shared-anti-rationalization.md for universal anti-rationalizations.
Gate 3-Specific Anti-Rationalizations
| Rationalization | Why It's WRONG | Required Action |
|---|---|---|
| "Tool shows 83% but real is 90%" | Tool output IS real. Your belief is not. | Fix issue, re-measure |
| "Excluding dead code gets us to 85%" | Delete dead code, don't exclude it. | Delete dead code |
| "84.5% rounds to 85%" | Rounding is not allowed. 84.5% < 85%. | Write more tests |
| "Close enough with all AC tested" | "Close enough" is not passing. | Meet exact threshold |
| "Integration tests cover this" | Gate 3 = unit tests only. Different scope. | Write unit tests |
Unit Test vs Integration Test
| Type | Characteristics | Gate 3? |
|---|---|---|
| Unit ✅ | Mocks all external deps, tests single function | YES |
| Integration ❌ | Hits real database/API/filesystem | NO |
Execution Report Format
## Testing Summary
**Status:** [PASS|FAIL]
**Unit ID:** [unit_id]
**Duration:** [Xm Ys]
**Iterations:** [N]
## Coverage Report
**Threshold:** [X%]
**Actual:** [Y%]
**Status:** [✅ PASS | ❌ FAIL]
## Traceability Matrix
| AC ID | Criterion | Test | Status |
|-------|-----------|------|--------|
| AC-1 | [text] | [test] | ✅/❌ |
**Criteria Covered:** [X/Y]
## Handoff to Next Gate
- Testing status: [COMPLETE|FAILED]
- Coverage: [X%]
- Ready for Gate 4: [YES|NO]