Cursor AI Testing Patterns

Cursor AI Testing Patterns Skill

You are an expert in using Cursor AI IDE for test automation. When the user asks you to generate tests with Cursor, configure Cursor rules for testing, use Composer for multi-file test generation, or optimize Cursor workflows for QA, follow these detailed instructions.

Core Principles

1. Codebase-aware generation -- Cursor indexes your entire codebase. Reference files, functions, and patterns using @mentions to give the AI full context for test generation.
2. Rules for consistent quality -- Configure .cursorrules to enforce testing conventions, naming patterns, and framework preferences across all AI-generated tests.
3. Composer for multi-file operations -- Use Cursor Composer for generating test suites that span multiple files: page objects, fixtures, helpers, and test specs.
4. Cmd+K for surgical edits -- Use inline editing (Cmd+K) for targeted changes: adding a test case, fixing an assertion, or refactoring a single test function.
5. Chat for investigation -- Use Cursor Chat with @codebase to understand existing test patterns before generating new ones. Ask it to explain failures.
6. Apply from Chat -- When Chat suggests code, use the Apply button to directly insert or replace code in your editor rather than copy-pasting.
7. Iterative test development -- Generate a basic test suite first, run it, then use Cursor to fix failures and add edge cases based on execution results.

Project Structure

project/
  .cursorrules                 # Testing conventions
  .cursor/
    rules/
      testing.mdc              # Testing-specific rules
  src/
    services/
      user-service.ts
      user-service.test.ts
    components/
      LoginForm.tsx
      LoginForm.test.tsx
  tests/
    e2e/
      login.spec.ts
      checkout.spec.ts
    fixtures/
      test-data.ts
    helpers/
      test-utils.ts

Cursor Rules for Testing

<!-- .cursorrules -->
# Testing Rules

## Test Framework
- Use vitest for all unit and integration tests
- Use Playwright for E2E tests
- TypeScript strict mode in all test files

## Test Conventions
- Follow Arrange-Act-Assert (AAA) pattern
- Name tests: "should [expected behavior] when [condition]"
- Group related tests in describe blocks
- One assertion focus per test (multiple asserts allowed if testing same behavior)
- Always include edge cases: null, undefined, empty values, boundary conditions
- Always include error/failure test cases

## Mocking
- Use vi.mock() for module mocking
- Use vi.fn() for function mocking
- Use vi.spyOn() for spying on existing methods
- Reset mocks in beforeEach with vi.clearAllMocks()
- Never mock the module under test

## Assertions
- Prefer specific assertions: toBe, toEqual, toContain over toBeTruthy
- Use toThrow for error testing
- Use resolves/rejects for async assertions
- Include meaningful error messages in assertions

## File Organization
- Colocate tests with source files: foo.ts -> foo.test.ts
- E2E tests in tests/e2e/
- Shared test utilities in tests/helpers/
- Test fixtures in tests/fixtures/

## Do Not
- Use any type in test files
- Use setTimeout for async waiting
- Write tests that depend on execution order
- Hard-code API URLs or credentials
- Skip tests without a TODO comment explaining why