api-aqa-flow-test-implementation

<api_aqa_flow_test_implementation>

<description_and_purpose> Implement all approved API test specifications as executable automated tests with shared utilities (auth, data factories, response validation), validate locally (lint-clean), then hand execution off to the user. The phase implements → validates → hands off → updates state without closing the workflow. </description_and_purpose>

<workflow_context>

• Phase 5 of 8 in api-aqa-flow
• Input: approved test specs plans/api-aqa-{IDENTIFIER}/test-specs.md + existing patterns + API analysis (api-analysis.md); resolve {IDENTIFIER} from agents/TEMP/<FEATURE>/api-aqa-state.md
• Output: implemented test files + shared utilities, lint-clean; state updated; user given an execution command
• Prerequisite: Phase 4 complete with recorded user approval of the specs
• HITL: must stop and wait for the user to execute the tests (this phase does not run them)
• Write boundary (single SSoT — referenced by other sections): writes test files + shared test-utility files only; synthetic data only — no hardcoded credentials, URLs, or production data.
• Required skills: qa-knowledge (implementation_modes — API impl + hand-off record fields), qa-structure ({IDENTIFIER} + artifact path)
• Recommended skills: testing (test quality discipline), coding (repo conventions) </workflow_context>

<implementation_handoff_contract> This phase OWNS the implement → validate-locally → hand-off-execution → update-state-without-closing contract. Verified by <validation_checklist> independent of skill internals.

• Implement — author tests + shared utilities via qa-knowledge implementation_modes (API impl) against the approved specs; USE SKILL testing for general test quality; use coding for repo conventions (read repo standards as authority; repo docs win).
• Validate locally — lint/format clean on touched files; every ATC implemented OR surfaced as a Gap (no silent ATC drop); tests isolated + idempotent; test-data lifecycle (create + cleanup) verified.
• Hand off execution — provide the exact project test-execution command; STOP and WAIT for the user to run it (<stop_for_execution>). The phase never executes the tests itself.
• Update state without closing — record outcome in agents/TEMP/<FEATURE>/api-aqa-state.md, mark Phase 5 complete, set Phase 6 current; do NOT mark the overall AQA workflow COMPLETE.

Hand-off summary fields (returned by the implementing skill, verified by this phase) → qa-knowledge's test-implementation record (the skill loads its own asset) — the ordered field list (framework, file counts, ### Files, ### ATC → test mapping, ### Assumptions made, ### Gaps surfaced, ### Lint / format status, ### Validation scope & waivers, ### Ready for re-test). </implementation_handoff_contract>

<phase_steps>

1. Implement and validate the tests locally (step 5.1)
2. Validate against requirements (step 5.2)
3. Stop for user test execution (step 5.3)
4. Update state (step 5.4) </phase_steps>

<execute_implementation step="5.1" subagent="engineer" role="Test automation engineer">

1. USE SKILL qa-structure to resolve {IDENTIFIER}/run paths. GATE: confirm plans/api-aqa-{IDENTIFIER}/test-specs.md exists, is non-empty, and User Approval is set in agents/TEMP/<FEATURE>/api-aqa-state.md; confirm api-analysis.md and discoverable existing patterns are present. On any failure apply <failure_handling> — never author from unapproved or incomplete inputs.
2. USE SKILL coding to read the repository standards as authority before authoring; repo docs beat model defaults.
3. USE SKILL qa-knowledge (implementation_modes — API impl) and USE SKILL testing with the parent-supplied bindings: approved-specs path + the recorded approval signal; API-contract path; existing-patterns source; write boundary = test + shared-utility files only (<workflow_context>); output = the hand-off summary fields per <implementation_handoff_contract>.
4. Implement shared utilities (auth helper, data factory, response validator) — prefer EXTENDING existing helpers over parallel ones; record any extension. Every test name/docstring carries its ATC-NNN id.
5. Record assumptions as [ASSUMED: <field>=<value>] (code + summary) and surface any unimplementable ATC as a Gap — no silent ATC drop.
6. Validate locally: run the project lint/format command on touched files and resolve issues; emit the hand-off summary. </execute_implementation>