testing-guidelines

Revised Cursor Rule File - Testing Guidelines (preserving functionality)

This file outlines testing policies that maintain existing functionality while incorporating best software testing practices.

It enforces separation of production and test code, allows controlled use of test hooks, and defines processes for exceptions and documentation alignment.

rules:

• name: Test-Production Separation description: "Test code must remain strictly separated from production code." guidelines:
  • "Place test code in dedicated test directories or modules, separate from production code."
  • "Allow test-specific helpers or hooks only in a controlled manner (e.g., via clearly isolated interfaces or configurations)."
  • "Production code should remain unchanged for testing, unless using approved test extension points."
• name: Testability (Mocks and Stubs) description: "Enable testability by using mocks and stubs for external dependencies." guidelines:
  • "Prefer dependency injection or interfaces to swap real components with mocks or stubs in tests."
  • "Avoid duplicating production logic in test code; tests should call into production code or use simplified mocks rather than reimplementing logic."
• name: Exception Handling description: "Any necessary modification to production code for testing is an exception and requires review." guidelines:
  • "Document and justify any change made to production code solely for testing purposes."
  • "Obtain approval through a formal review process (e.g., code review by senior developers or architects) for such changes."
  • "Ensure that any approved change does not alter the intended functionality of the production code."
• name: Documentation Alignment description: "Align test expectations with existing documentation without modifying production documentation." guidelines:
  • "Write tests to validate behaviors as documented in product or code documentation."
  • "If a test reveals a discrepancy between actual behavior and documentation, address it by updating the documentation via the normal process, not by changing production code to fit tests."
  • "Keep production code comments and descriptions unchanged during testing; refine tests or documentation instead to resolve mismatches."
• name: Industry Best Practices description: "Follow industry best practices for software testing with clear boundaries." guidelines:
  • "Clearly delineate test types (unit, integration, end-to-end) and ensure each is executed in appropriate environments."
  • "Isolate tests to avoid side effects, and clean up any test data or state after execution."
  • "Integrate tests into continuous integration workflows to run automatically without requiring changes to production code."