critical-paths

Critical Paths Skill

Test must-work user journeys defined in project configuration. Critical paths are essential flows that must always function correctly.

What is a Critical Path?

A critical path is a user journey that:

• Must work for the site/app to be usable
• Represents core business functionality
• Would cause significant harm if broken
• Should be tested before every deployment

Examples of Critical Paths

Site Type	Critical Paths
E-commerce	Purchase flow, Account creation, Cart
SaaS	Signup, Login, Core feature usage
Content	Navigation, Search, Article viewing
Banking	Login, Transfer, Balance check

Path Definition Schema

Full Schema

{
  "paths": [
    {
      "name": "string (required)",
      "description": "string (required)",
      "persona": "persona-id (required)",
      "priority": "critical|high|medium|low (optional, default: high)",
      "timeout": "number in seconds (optional, default: 120)",
      "steps": [
        {
          "action": "navigate|task|verify|wait|input",
          "...action-specific fields"
        }
      ],
      "onFailure": "continue|stop (optional, default: continue)"
    }
  ]
}

Step Actions

navigate

Navigate to a URL path.

{
  "action": "navigate",
  "to": "/path",
  "waitFor": "load|networkidle (optional)"
}

task

Perform a task using the persona's behavior.

{
  "action": "task",
  "do": "description of task to perform",
  "timeout": 30
}

verify

Verify something exists or is true.

// Verify element exists
{ "action": "verify", "element": "description of element" }

// Verify text appears
{ "action": "verify", "text": "exact text to find" }

// Verify URL matches
{ "action": "verify", "url": "/expected-path" }

// Verify URL contains
{ "action": "verify", "urlContains": "confirmation" }

wait

Wait for a condition.

// Wait for seconds
{ "action": "wait", "seconds": 2 }

// Wait for element
{ "action": "wait", "for": "element description" }

// Wait for navigation
{ "action": "wait", "for": "page load" }