integration-test

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[BLOCKING] Execute skill steps in declared order. NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval. [BLOCKING] Before each step or sub-skill call, update task tracking: set in_progress when step starts, set completed when step ends. [BLOCKING] Every completed/​skipped step MUST include brief evidence or explicit skip reason. [BLOCKING] If Task tools are unavailable, create and maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with the same status transitions.

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Quick Summary

Goal: Generate/​review integration tests using real DI (no mocks) across 5 modes (from-changes · from-prompt · review · diagnose · verify-traceability) that exercise real production paths and assert specific DB field values — so every test protects a traceable business behavior (TC), survives repeated runs without reset, and fails only when the protected intent actually breaks.

Workflow: Detect mode → Find targets → Gather context → Execute → Report

Key Rules:

• NEVER write smoke-only tests — read handler/​entity/​event source first, assert specific field values
• ALWAYS wrap ALL DB assertions in async polling — no exceptions, not just async handlers
• NEVER create invalid test state by direct repository writes; use real use-case paths (commands, queries, production consumers/​messages) or valid seeded fixtures
• MUST ATTENTION search existing patterns FIRST before generating any test
• MUST ATTENTION READ references/​integration-test-patterns.md before writing
• Organize by domain feature NEVER by CQRS type — NEVER create Queries/ or Commands/ folders
• Every test method MUST have TC annotation — auto-create in Section 8 if missing
• Minimum 3 tests per command
• NEVER mark done until the relevant suite passes 3 consecutive /​integration-test-verify runs without DB reset

---

Prerequisites — MUST ATTENTION READ before executing:

references/​integration-test-patterns.md — canonical test templates: collection attributes, base class usage, TC annotation format, async polling helpers, unique name generators, DB assertion patterns. Read before writing ANY test.

docs/​specs/ — existing TCs by module: read to verify test-to-spec traceability and get TC IDs before generating. (read directly when relevant; do not rely on hook-injected conversation text)

• references/​integration-test-patterns.md — canonical test templates (MUST READ before writing any test)
• docs/​project-reference/​domain-entities-reference.md — domain entity catalog, relationships, cross-service sync (read directly when relevant; do not rely on hook-injected conversation text)
• docs/​specs/ — existing TCs by module (read before generating tests; verify test-to-spec traceability)

CRITICAL: Search existing patterns FIRST. Before generating ANY test, grep existing integration test files in same service. Read ≥1 existing test file to match conventions (namespace, usings, collection name, base class, helper usage). NEVER generate tests contradicting established codebase patterns.

CRITICAL: NO Smoke/​Fake/​Useless Tests. Every test MUST execute actual commands/​handlers and verify DB data state. NO DI-resolution-only tests. NO exception-check-only tests. Before writing assertions: READ handler/​entity/​event source — understand WHAT fields change, WHAT entities created/​updated/​deleted, WHAT event handlers fire. Assert specific field values.

CRITICAL: Async Polling for ALL Data Assertions. ALWAYS wrap data state assertions in async polling/​retry helper. DEFAULT for ALL data verification — not just async handlers. Data persistence may be delayed by event handlers, message bus consumers, background jobs, DB write latency. Rule: If asserting data in DB → use async polling. No exceptions.

For test specifications and test case generation from PBIs, use /​spec [mode=tests] skill instead.

External Memory: Complex/​lengthy work → write findings to plans/​reports/ — prevents context loss.

Evidence Gate: MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — every claim requires file:line proof or traced evidence with confidence percentage (>80% act, <80% verify first).

First Principle — Easy to Change

The success metric of every coding decision is future change cost. DRY, SRP, abstraction, design patterns, naming, layering, tests — every technique exists to serve one goal: making the next change cheaper.

When evaluating code, a refactor, a test, or an abstraction, ask: does this make the next change cheaper or more expensive?

• Reject "best practices" that raise change cost (premature abstraction, speculative generality, leaky indirection, ceremony without payoff).
• Name the real enemies in findings: coupling, hidden state, duplicated knowledge, unclear intent, irreversible decisions exposed too early.
• A simpler design that is easy to change beats a sophisticated design that isn't.

Apply this lens before invoking any specific rule, pattern, or checklist below — if a downstream rule would raise change cost, this principle wins.

---

Project Pattern Discovery

Before implementation, search codebase for patterns:

• Search: IntegrationTest, TestFixture, TestUserContext, IntegrationTestBase
• Look for: existing test projects, collection definitions, service-specific base classes

MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION plan task to READ integration-test-reference.md for project-specific patterns and code examples. If not found, continue with search-based discovery.

Workflow:

1. Detect mode — See Mode Detection below
2. Find targets — Identify test/​command/​query files
3. Gather context — Read relevant files for detected mode
4. Execute — Generate, review, diagnose, or verify
5. Report — Build check (generate), quality report (review), root cause (diagnose)

Key Rules:

• MUST ATTENTION search existing test patterns in same service BEFORE generating
• MUST ATTENTION READ references/​integration-test-patterns.md before writing any test
• Organize by domain feature, NEVER by type — command + query tests for same domain → same folder (e.g., Orders/​OrderCommandIntegrationTests.*). NEVER create Queries/ or Commands/ folder.
• Use project's unique name generator for ALL string test data
• Use project's entity assertion helpers for DB verification with async polling
• CRITICAL MUST ATTENTION: Test setup MUST mirror real workflows. Do not create or edit domain data through repositories when a command/​query/​seeder path exists; invalid shortcut data is a test bug.
• CRITICAL MUST ATTENTION: ALWAYS wrap ALL DB assertions in async polling/​retry — DEFAULT for ALL assertions, not just async handlers. If asserting data in DB → use async polling. No exceptions.
• CRITICAL MUST ATTENTION: Before writing assertions, READ handler/​entity/​event source. Understand WHAT fields change, WHAT entities created/​updated/​deleted, WHAT event handlers fire. Smoke-only FORBIDDEN unless side effect truly unobservable.
• CRITICAL MUST ATTENTION: Verification requires 3 consecutive successful runs of the relevant integration suite/​project without resetting data. One green run proves only the current run, not repeatability.
• Minimum 3 test methods: happy path, validation failure, DB state check
• Authorization tests: Multiple user contexts — authorized succeeds AND unauthorized rejected
• Every test method MUST have // TC-{FEATURE}-{NNN}: Description comment + test-spec annotation — before method, outside body. Many test methods MAY carry the same TC (one business TC → many tests across components/​services); the test-spec annotation is the join key, so cover a TC with as many technical tests as the implementation needs without inventing extra TCs.
• No TC in feature docs → auto-create in Section 8 before generating test (auto-create a TC only for genuinely uncovered business behavior — never create a TC just to mirror a new test method when an existing TC already covers that behavior)
• For comprehensive spec generation before coding → /​spec [mode=tests] first

Mandatory Task Ordering (MUST ATTENTION FOLLOW)

ALWAYS create and execute tasks in this exact order:

1. FIRST: Verify/​upsert test specs in feature docs

   • Read feature doc Section 8 (docs/​specs/​{App}/​README.{Feature}.md) for target domain
   • For each test case: verify matching TC-{FEATURE}-{NNN} exists
   • TC MISSING → create entry in Section 8 with Priority, Status, GIVEN/​WHEN/​THEN, Evidence
   • TC INCORRECT → update to reflect current behavior
   • Output: TC mapping list (TC code → test method name(s)) — one TC may map to many test methods (across components/​services); the mapping is 1 TC : N tests, joined by the TestSpec annotation

2. MIDDLE: Implement integration tests

   • Generate test files using TC mapping from task 1
   • Each test method gets the TC annotation before it (outside the method body) using the configured test framework's attribute/​decorator/​tag/​marker syntax.
   • Follow existing patterns from project's test base classes

3. FINAL: Verify traceability (cardinality: 1 TC : N tests)

   • Grep test-spec annotations across all test projects/​suites for the stack — integration and unit (a TC may be covered by tests in either — grep only the integration project and unit-only-covered TCs falsely look uncovered)
   • Grep all TC-{FEATURE}-{NNN} in feature doc Section 8 / specs doc
   • Verify: every test method → exactly one doc TC (its TestSpec annotation); every doc TC → ≥1 covering test method. One TC may be covered by many test methods (integration + unit, across components/​services) — that is the expected one-to-many shape. NEVER require one test per TC, and NEVER split/​technicalize a business TC to make tests map 1:1 (breaks the spec's business/​user-story orientation, M1/​M5 — see tc-format.md → TC ↔ Test Code Cardinality).
   • Flag orphans: tests whose TestSpec TC is absent from §8; doc TCs with zero covering tests. (Many tests sharing one TC is NOT an orphan and NOT a duplicate.)
   • Update the IntegrationTest field in feature doc TCs with the covering tests — {File}::{MethodName} comma-separated on one line, or a test-filter expression when the set is large (the field is representative; the annotation in code is authoritative). The covering set MAY include unit tests, not only integration tests.

Module Abbreviation Registry

TC Code Numbering Rules

Creating new TC-{FEATURE}-{NNN} codes:

1. Check feature doc first — docs/​specs/​{App}/​README.{Feature}.md has existing codes. New codes must not collide.
2. Decade-based grouping — e.g., OM: 001-004 (CRUD), 011-013 (validation), 021-023 (permissions), 031-033 (events). Find next free decade.
3. Unavoidable collision → renumber in doc only. Keep test-spec annotation unchanged; add renumbering note in doc.
4. Feature doc = canonical registry. Test-spec annotation = traceability only, not numbering source.

Integration Test Generation

Mode Detection

Args = command/​query name (e.g., "/​integration-test CreateOrderCommand")
  → FROM-PROMPT mode: generate tests for the specified command/​query

No args (e.g., "/​integration-test")
  → FROM-CHANGES mode: detect changed command/​query files from git

Args = "review" (e.g., "/​integration-test review Orders")
  → REVIEW mode: audit existing test quality, find flaky patterns, check best practices

Args = "diagnose" (e.g., "/​integration-test diagnose OrderCommandIntegrationTests")
  → DIAGNOSE mode: analyze why tests fail — determine test bug vs code bug

Args = "verify" (e.g., "/​integration-test verify {Service}")
  → VERIFY-TRACEABILITY mode: check test code matches specs and feature docs

Modes vs. sibling skills (name-collision note). The review and verify modes above are lightweight branches inside this skill — quick, inline audits run during generation. They are NOT the same as the standalone skills /​integration-test-review (deep test-quality review) and /​integration-test-verify (full spec-traceability verification), which are separate, heavier workflow steps. When the refactor workflow sequences /​integration-test → /​integration-test-review → /​integration-test-verify, those are the standalone skills, not these in-skill modes. Use a mode for a fast pass mid-generation; invoke the sibling skill for a thorough, standalone gate.

Step 1: Find Targets

From-Changes Mode (default)

Run via Bash tool:

git diff --name-only; git diff --cached --name-only

Filter for command/​query files using project naming conventions (e.g., *Command.*, *Query.*). Path patterns from docs/​project-config.json → modules or backendServices. Extract service from path:

Search codebase for existing *.IntegrationTests.* projects to find correct mapping.

If no test project exists: inform user "No integration test project for {service}. See CLAUDE.md Integration Testing section to create one."

If test file already exists: ask user overwrite or skip.

From-Prompt Mode

User specifies command/​query name. Use Grep tool (NOT bash grep):

Grep pattern="{CommandName}" path="{configured-source-root}" glob="{configured-source-glob}"

Step 2: Gather Context

For each target, read in parallel:

1. Command/​query file — extract: class name, result type, DTO properties, entity type
2. Existing test files in same service — Glob {Service}.IntegrationTests/​**/​*IntegrationTests.*, read ≥1 for conventions (collection/​suite name, test annotations, namespace/​imports, base class)
3. Service integration test base class — grep: class.*ServiceIntegrationTestBase
4. references/​integration-test-patterns.md — canonical templates (adapt {Service} placeholders)

Step 2b: Look Up TC Codes

For each target domain, read:

• docs/​specs/​{App}/​README.{Feature}.md Section 8 (primary source)

Build mapping: test case description → TC code (e.g., "create valid order" → TC-OM-001).

• No TC exists → CREATE IT in Section 8 before generating test. NOT optional.
• TC outdated/​incorrect → UPDATE IT first.
• Section 8 missing → run /​spec [mode=tests] first.

Step 3: Generate Test File

File path: {project-test-dir}/​{Service}.IntegrationTests/​{Domain}/​{CommandName}IntegrationTests{ext} (adapt path/​extension per docs/​project-config.json → integrationTestVerify.testProjectPattern)

Folder = domain feature. {Domain} = business domain (Orders, Inventory, Notifications, UserProfiles), NOT CQRS type. Command and query tests for same domain live in same folder.

Structure: adapt file layout, imports, fixture setup, assertion style, and test markers from existing tests in the configured test project.

namespace {Service}.IntegrationTests.{Domain};

[Collection({Service}IntegrationTestCollection.Name)] [Trait("Category", "Command")] // or "Query" public class {CommandName}IntegrationTests : {Service}ServiceIntegrationTestBase { // Minimum 3 tests: happy path, validation failure, DB state verification }

**Test method naming:** `{CommandName}_When{Condition}_Should{Expectation}`

**Required patterns per command type:**

| Command type | Required tests                                     |
| ------------ | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Save/​Create  | Happy path + validation failure + DB state         |
| Update       | Create-then-update + verify updated fields in DB   |
| Delete       | Create-then-delete + `AssertEntityDeletedAsync`    |
| Query        | Filter returns results + pagination + empty result |

## Step 4: Verify

Build test project via project's build tool (see `/​integration-test-verify` for config-driven build).

MUST ATTENTION verify ALL of the following:

- Test collection/​group attribute present with correct collection name
- Test category annotation present
- All string test data uses project's unique name generator
- User context created via project's user context factory
- DB assertions use project's entity assertion helpers with async polling
- No mocks — real DI only
- Every test method has `// TC-{FEATURE}-{NNN}: Description` comment + test-spec annotation

## Example Files to Study

Search codebase for existing integration test files:

```bash
find . -name "*IntegrationTests.*" -type f
find . -name "*IntegrationTestBase.*" -type f
find . -name "*IntegrationTestFixture.*" -type f

How to Use for Each Case

Case: Generate tests from existing test specs (feature docs Section 8)

/​integration-test CreateOrderCommand

→ Reads Section 8 TCs, generates test file with TC annotations

Case: Generate tests from git changes (default)

/​integration-test

→ Detects changed command/​query files, checks Section 8 for matching TCs, generates tests

Case: Generate tests after /​spec [mode=tests] created new TCs

/​spec [mode=tests] → /​integration-test

→ spec [mode=tests] writes TCs to Section 8, then integration-test generates tests from those TCs

Case: Review existing tests for quality

/​integration-test review Orders

→ Audits test quality, finds flaky patterns, checks best practices

Case: Diagnose test failures

/​integration-test diagnose OrderCommandIntegrationTests

→ Analyzes failures, determines test bug vs code bug

Case: Verify test-spec traceability

/​integration-test verify {Service}

→ Checks test code matches specs and feature docs bidirectionally

---

REVIEW Mode — Test Quality Audit

Mode = REVIEW: audit existing integration tests for quality, flaky patterns, best practices.

Sub-Agent Routing

Sub-Agent Type Override

MANDATORY: Integration test REVIEW mode spawns integration-tester sub-agent (subagent_type: "integration-tester"), NOT code-reviewer. Rationale: integration-tester specializes in test spec generation, TC traceability, CQRS test patterns, async-polling / eventual-consistency assertion correctness, and cross-service integration context — areas code-reviewer does not cover at depth.

Fresh Eyes Protocol: Run Round 1 inline. If findings are LOW confidence or contradictory → spawn fresh integration-tester sub-agent (zero memory of Round 1) for Round 2. Main agent reads report, NEVER filters findings. Max 2 rounds, then escalate.

Review Workflow

1. Find test files — Glob {Service}.IntegrationTests/​{Domain}/​**/​*IntegrationTests.*
2. Read each test file — analyze for quality issues (persist findings after each file per SYNC:incremental-persistence)
3. Generate quality report — categorized findings with severity
4. Round 2 (if low confidence): Spawn fresh sub-agent with report path — NEVER re-examine with main context

Review Dimensions

Dimension 1: Reliability — Think: What causes intermittent failures?

• MUST ATTENTION flag missing async polling — DB assertions after async handlers without an await-until-condition poll (the project's async-assertion helper) → WILL flake
• MUST ATTENTION flag missing retry for eventual consistency — message bus / event handler / background job state without polling wrapper
• MUST ATTENTION flag hardcoded delays — Thread.Sleep(), Task.Delay() instead of condition-based polling
• MUST ATTENTION flag race conditions — tests modifying shared state without isolation (same entity ID, same user context)
• MUST ATTENTION flag non-unique test data — hardcoded strings/​IDs instead of unique generators
• MUST ATTENTION flag time-dependent assertions — DateTime.Now without time abstraction

Dimension 2: Assertion Value — Think: Does the test actually verify anything?

• MUST ATTENTION flag DI-resolution-only tests — smoke tests that just resolve services → HIGH severity
• MUST ATTENTION flag exception-check-only tests — exception.Should().BeNull() alone → HIGH severity
• MUST ATTENTION verify test reads handler/​entity/​event source and asserts specific field values
• MUST ATTENTION verify minimum 3 tests per command (happy path, validation failure, DB state)

Dimension 3: Conventions — Think: Does test follow project patterns?

• MUST ATTENTION verify collection/​group attribute — correct collection name for shared fixture
• MUST ATTENTION verify category annotation or equivalent test-category marker when the project uses one
• MUST ATTENTION verify TC annotation — every test method has a TC code comment + the test-spec annotation
• MUST ATTENTION verify no mocks — real DI only
• MUST ATTENTION verify unique test data — all string data uses unique generators
• MUST ATTENTION verify user context — via factory, not hardcoded
• MUST ATTENTION verify DB assertions — uses entity assertion helpers, not raw DB queries

Dimension 4: Code Quality — Think: Maintainability and isolation?

• MUST ATTENTION verify method naming — {Action}_When{Condition}_Should{Expectation}
• MUST ATTENTION verify Arrange-Act-Assert — clear separation
• MUST ATTENTION flag logic in tests — conditionals, loops, complex setup in test methods
• MUST ATTENTION verify test independence — each test runs in isolation

Review Report Format

# Integration Test Quality Report — {Domain}

## Summary

- Tests scanned: {N}
- Issues found: {N} (HIGH: {n}, MEDIUM: {n}, LOW: {n})
- Overall quality: {GOOD|NEEDS_WORK|CRITICAL}

## HIGH Severity Issues (Flaky Risk)

| Test         | Issue                                            | Fix                                    |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------- |
| {MethodName} | DB assertion without polling after async handler | Wrap in project's async polling helper |

## MEDIUM Severity Issues (Best Practice)

| Test | Issue | Fix |
| ---- | ----- | --- |

## LOW Severity Issues (Style)

| Test | Issue | Fix |
| ---- | ----- | --- |

## Recommendations

1. {Prioritized fix suggestions}

---

DIAGNOSE Mode — Test Failure Root Cause Analysis

Mode = DIAGNOSE: analyze failing tests to determine test bug vs application code bug.

Diagnose Workflow

1. Identify failing tests — User provides test class name or run test suite to collect failures
2. Read test code — understand what test expects
3. Read application code — trace the command/​query handler path
4. Compare expected vs actual — determine root cause
5. Classify — Test bug vs code bug vs infrastructure issue
6. Report — Root cause + recommended fix

Root Cause Decision Tree

Test fails
├── Compilation error?
│   ├── Missing type/​method → Code changed, test not updated → TEST BUG
│   └── Wrong import/​namespace → TEST BUG
├── Timeout/​hang?
│   ├── Missing async/​await → TEST BUG
│   ├── Deadlock in handler → CODE BUG
│   └── Infrastructure down → INFRA ISSUE
├── Assertion failure?
│   ├── Expected value wrong?
│   │   ├── Test hardcoded old behavior → TEST BUG
│   │   └── Business logic changed → CODE BUG (if unintended) or TEST BUG (if intended change)
│   ├── Null/​empty result?
│   │   ├── Entity not found → Check if create step succeeded → TEST BUG (setup) or CODE BUG (handler)
│   │   └── Query returns empty → Check filters/​predicates → CODE BUG
│   ├── Intermittent (passes sometimes)?
│   │   ├── Async assertion without polling → TEST BUG (add async polling/​retry)
│   │   ├── Non-unique test data collision → TEST BUG (use unique name generator)
│   │   └── Race condition in handler → CODE BUG
│   └── Wrong count/​order?
│       ├── Test data leak from other tests → TEST BUG (isolation)
│       └── Logic error in query → CODE BUG
├── Validation error (expected success)?
│   ├── Test sends invalid data → TEST BUG
│   └── Validation rule too strict → CODE BUG
└── Exception thrown?
    ├── Known exception type in handler → CODE BUG
    └── DI/​config error → INFRA ISSUE

Diagnose Report Format

# Test Failure Diagnosis — {TestClass}

## Failing Tests

| Test Method | Error Type        | Root Cause    | Classification              |
| ----------- | ----------------- | ------------- | --------------------------- |
| {Method}    | {AssertionFailed} | {Description} | TEST BUG / CODE BUG / INFRA |

## Detailed Analysis

### {MethodName}

**Error:** {error message}
**Expected:** {what test expected}
**Actual:** {what happened}
**Root Cause:** {explanation with code evidence}
**Classification:** TEST BUG | CODE BUG | INFRA ISSUE
**Evidence:** `{file}:{line}` — {what the code does}
**Recommended Fix:** {specific fix with code location}

## Summary

- Test bugs: {N} — fix in test code
- Code bugs: {N} — fix in application code
- Infra issues: {N} — fix in configuration/​environment

---

VERIFY-TRACEABILITY Mode — Test ↔ Spec ↔ Feature Doc Verification

Mode = VERIFY: bidirectional traceability check between test code, test specs, feature docs.

Verify Workflow

1. Collect test methods — Grep for test-spec annotations across all test projects/​suites (integration and unit)
2. Collect doc TCs — Read feature doc Section 8 for all TC entries
3. Build 3-way matrix — Test code ↔ specs/ ↔ feature doc Section 8
4. Identify mismatches — Orphans, stale references, behavior drift
5. Classify mismatches — Which source is correct?
6. Report — Traceability matrix + recommended fixes

Mismatch Classification

Rule: Passing code or tests NEVER automatically outrank canonical product/​spec intent. NEVER update spec, test, or code on a behavior-changing mismatch until it reaches adjudication-required status with explicit evidence. — why: a green test can encode a regression, so code agreement alone cannot ratify a spec change.

Verification Requirements

MUST ATTENTION verify ALL of the following:

• Every test method has matching TC in feature doc Section 8
• Every TC in Section 8 has matching test method (or marked Status: Untested)
• TC descriptions in docs match what test actually validates
• Evidence file paths in TCs point to current (not stale) code locations
• Test annotations match TC IDs (no typos, no orphaned IDs)
• Priority levels in docs match test categorization
• docs/​specs/ dashboard is in sync with feature doc Section 8

Verify Report Format

# Traceability Report — {Service}

## Summary

- TCs in feature docs: {N}
- Test methods with TC annotations: {N}
- Fully traced (both directions): {N}
- Orphaned tests (no matching TC): {N}
- Orphaned TCs (no matching test): {N}
- Mismatched behavior: {N}

## Traceability Matrix

| TC ID     | Feature Doc? | Test Code? | Dashboard? | Status       |
| --------- | ------------ | ---------- | ---------- | ------------ |
| TC-OM-001 | ✅           | ✅         | ✅         | Traced       |
| TC-OM-005 | ✅           | ❌         | ✅         | Missing test |
| TC-OM-010 | ❌           | ✅         | ❌         | Missing spec |

## Orphaned Tests (no matching TC in docs)

| Test File | Method   | Annotation | Action                   |
| --------- | -------- | ---------- | ------------------------ |
| {file}    | {method} | TC-OM-010  | Create TC in feature doc |

## Orphaned TCs (no matching test)

| TC ID     | Doc Location | Priority | Action                              |
| --------- | ------------ | -------- | ----------------------------------- |
| TC-OM-005 | Section 8    | P0       | Generate test via /​integration-test |

## Behavior Mismatches

| TC ID | Doc Says | Test Does | Correct Source | Action |
| ----- | -------- | --------- | -------------- | ------ |

## Recommendations

1. {Prioritized actions}

---

Test Data Setup Guidelines

Rules:

• Every test creates own data — no shared mutable state between tests
• Unique identifiers for ALL string data (search test utilities for unique name/​data generator helper)
• Factory methods return valid entities by default — tests override only what they test
• Cross-entity dependencies: create parent first, then child (e.g., User → Order)
• Feature requires reference/​lookup data → set up in collection fixture or per-test preconditions

---

Workflow Recommendation

MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS: NOT in workflow? AskUserQuestion — do NOT decide complexity yourself. User decides:

1. workflow-write-integration-test workflow (Recommended) — scout → investigate → spec [mode=tests] → why-review → review-artifact --type=spec-tests → integration-test → integration-test-review → integration-test-verify → spec [mode=sync] → docs-update → workflow-end → watzup
2. /​integration-test directly — standalone

---

Test Execution & Failure Diagnosis (MANDATORY)

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION: After generating/​modifying integration tests, MUST:

1. Run tests: /​integration-test-verify (reads quickRunCommand from docs/​project-config.json)
2. If tests fail: Diagnose root cause — (a) wrong test setup/​assertions → fix test, or (b) service bug → report as finding
3. NEVER mark done until tests pass. Unrun tests have zero value.
4. Iterate: Fix → rerun → verify until all pass or failures confirmed as service bugs

Next Steps

MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION — NO EXCEPTIONS after completing, use AskUserQuestion to present:

• "/​integration-test-verify (Recommended)" — Run integration tests to verify they pass
• "/​workflow-review-changes" — Review all changes before committing
• "Skip, continue manually" — user decides

Related Skills

Standalone Chain

When called outside a workflow, follow this chain to complete the integration test authoring cycle.

integration-test (you are here)
  │
  ├─ PREREQUISITE: TCs must exist in feature doc Section 8
  │    [REQUIRED] Verify: docs/​specs/​{Bucket}/​README.{Feature}.md Section 8 has TC-{FEATURE}-{NNN} entries
  │    If empty → run /​spec [mode=tests] [CREATE mode] first
  │
  ├─ [REQUIRED] → /​integration-test-review
  │     7-gate quality audit: assertion value, data state, repeatability, domain logic, traceability, three-way sync, change coverage.
  │     Never skip — Gate 6 (three-way sync) is the only place where spec/​code/​test conflicts surface,
  │     and Gate 7 (change coverage) is the only place where untested changed behavior surfaces.
  │
  ├─ [REQUIRED] → /​integration-test-verify
  │     Runs tests and reports pass/​fail counts. Never mark complete without real runner output.
  │
  ├─ [REQUIRED] → /​spec [mode=sync]
  │     Updates the §8 TCs' IntegrationTest: file::method traceability links.
  │
  ├─ [RECOMMENDED] → /​docs-update
  │     Updates feature doc evidence fields and version history if test coverage changed materially.
  │
  └─ [RECOMMENDED] → /​review-artifact --type=spec-tests
        Re-run if integration-test-review (Gate 6) flagged TC issues requiring TC edits.

### Mode-Specific Chains

| Mode | Pre-step | Post-step |
|------|---------|-----------|
| from-changes | verify TCs updated (run /​spec [mode=tests] UPDATE first) | /​integration-test-review → /​verify → /​sync |
| from-prompt | confirm TC exists for target feature | /​integration-test-review → /​verify → /​sync |
| review | N/​A (read-only) | report findings → /​spec [mode=tests] UPDATE if TCs need fixes |
| diagnose | run /​test to see failures first | fix identified issue → re-run /​integration-test-verify |
| verify-traceability | N/​A (read-only) | if orphaned TCs: /​spec [mode=tests] UPDATE → /​integration-test [from-prompt] |

[IMPORTANT] TaskCreate — break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting. NEVER skip task creation.

<!-- SYNC:source-test-drift-check -->

Source/​test drift check. For coding, fix, debug, investigation, test, or review work: when source behavior changes, inspect affected unit/​integration/​E2E tests and decide from evidence whether tests should change to match intended behavior or the source change is an unintended bug to fix. Do not write tests for migration code; schema/​data migrations are one-time execution paths, not core application logic.

<!-- /​SYNC:source-test-drift-check --> <!-- SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention -->

AI Mistake Prevention — Failure modes to avoid on every task:

Check downstream references before deleting. Deleting components causes documentation and code staleness cascades. Map all referencing files before removal. Verify AI-generated content against actual code. AI hallucinates APIs, class names, and method signatures. Always grep to confirm existence before documenting or referencing. Trace full dependency chain after edits. Changing a definition misses downstream variables and consumers derived from it. Always trace the full chain. Trace ALL code paths when verifying correctness. Confirming code exists is not confirming it executes. Always trace early exits, error branches, and conditional skips — not just happy path. When debugging, ask "whose responsibility?" before fixing. Trace whether bug is in caller (wrong data) or callee (wrong handling). Fix at responsible layer — never patch symptom site. Assume existing values are intentional — ask WHY before changing. Before changing any constant, limit, flag, or pattern: read comments, check git blame, examine surrounding code. Verify ALL affected outputs, not just the first. Changes touching multiple stacks require verifying EVERY output. One green check is not all green checks. Holistic-first debugging — resist nearest-attention trap. When investigating any failure, list EVERY precondition first (config, env vars, DB names, endpoints, DI registrations, data preconditions), then verify each against evidence before forming any code-layer hypothesis. Surgical changes — apply the diff test. Bug fix: every changed line must trace directly to the bug. Don't restyle or improve adjacent code. Enhancement task: implement improvements AND announce them explicitly. Surface ambiguity before coding — don't pick silently. If request has multiple interpretations, present each with effort estimate and ask. Never assume all-records, file-based, or more complex path. Keep domain concepts out of generic/​shared/​infrastructure layers. A reusable layer (shared library, framework, infra module) must reference NO consumer-specific domain concept — tenant/​customer/​product IDs, business entities, feature rules. The leak compiles and runs, so it passes review silently while coupling the "reusable" layer to one consumer. Push domain fields/​logic down into the consumer via subclass or composition.

<!-- /​SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention --> <!-- SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset -->

Critical Thinking Mindset — Apply critical thinking, sequential thinking. Every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. Anti-hallucination: Never present guess as fact — cite sources for every claim, admit uncertainty freely, self-check output for errors, cross-reference independently, stay skeptical of own confidence — certainty without evidence root of all hallucination.

<!-- /​SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset --> <!-- SYNC:understand-code-first -->

Understand Code First — HARD-GATE: Do NOT write, plan, or fix until you READ existing code.

1. Search 3+ similar patterns (grep/glob) — cite file:line evidence
2. Read existing files in target area — understand structure, base classes, conventions
3. Run python .claude/​scripts/​code_graph trace <file> --direction both --json when .code-graph/​graph.db exists
4. Map dependencies via connections or callers_of — know what depends on your target
5. Write investigation to .ai/​workspace/​analysis/ for non-trivial tasks (3+ files)
6. Re-read analysis file before implementing — never work from memory alone. — why: long context drifts from the file; the file is ground truth
7. NEVER invent new patterns when existing ones work — match exactly or document deviation. — why: divergent patterns fragment the codebase and slow every future reader

BLOCKED until: - [ ] Read target files - [ ] Grep 3+ patterns - [ ] Graph trace (if graph.db exists) - [ ] Assumptions verified with evidence

<!-- /​SYNC:understand-code-first --> <!-- SYNC:graph-impact-analysis -->

Graph Impact Analysis — When .code-graph/​graph.db exists, run blast-radius --json to detect ALL files affected by changes (7 edge types: CALLS, MESSAGE_BUS, API_ENDPOINT, TRIGGERS_EVENT, PRODUCES_EVENT, TRIGGERS_COMMAND_EVENT, INHERITS). Compute gap: impacted_files - changed_files = potentially stale files. Risk: <5 Low, 5-20 Medium, >20 High. Use trace --direction downstream for deep chains on high-impact files.

<!-- /​SYNC:graph-impact-analysis --> <!-- SYNC:repeatable-test-principle -->

Infinitely Repeatable Tests — Tests MUST run N times without failure. Like manual QC — run the suite 100 times, each run just adds more data. Verification is only PASS after the relevant suite/​project passes 3 consecutive runs without database reset.

1. Unique data per run: Use the project's unique ID generator for ALL entity IDs created in tests. NEVER hardcode IDs.
2. Additive only: Tests create data, never delete/​reset. Prior test runs MUST NOT interfere with current run.
3. No schema rollback dependency: Tests work with current schema only. Never rely on schema rollback or migration reversals.
4. Idempotent seeders: Fixture-level seeders use create-if-missing pattern (check existence before insert). Test-level data uses unique IDs per execution.
5. No cleanup required: No teardown, no database reset between runs. Each test is isolated by unique seed data, not by cleanup.
6. Unique names/​codes: When entities require unique names/​codes, append a unique suffix using the project's ID generator.
7. Migration code excluded: Do not write tests for migration code. Schema/​data migrations are one-time execution paths, not core application logic.

<!-- /​SYNC:repeatable-test-principle --> <!-- SYNC:red-flag-stop-conditions -->

Red Flag Stop Conditions — STOP and escalate via AskUserQuestion when:

1. Confidence drops below 60% on any critical decision
2. Changes affect >20 files
3. Cross-service boundary crossed
4. Security-sensitive code (auth, crypto, PII)
5. Breaking change detected (interface, API contract, DB schema)
6. Test coverage would decrease
7. Approach requires technology/​pattern not in project

NEVER proceed past a red flag without explicit user approval.

<!-- /​SYNC:red-flag-stop-conditions --> <!-- SYNC:rationalization-prevention -->

Rationalization Prevention — AI skips steps via these evasions. Recognize and reject:

Evasion	Rebuttal
"Too simple for a plan"	Simple + wrong assumptions = wasted time. Plan anyway.
"I'll test after"	RED before GREEN. Write/​verify test first.
"Already searched"	Show grep evidence with file:line. No proof = no search.
"Just do it"	Still need TaskCreate. Skip depth, never skip tracking.
"Just a small fix"	Small fix in wrong location cascades. Verify file:line first.
"Code is self-explanatory"	Future readers need evidence trail. Document anyway.
"Combine steps to save time"	Combined steps dilute focus. Each step has distinct purpose.

<!-- /​SYNC:rationalization-prevention --> <!-- SYNC:incremental-persistence -->

Incremental Result Persistence — MANDATORY for all sub-agents or heavy inline steps processing >3 files.

1. Before starting: Create report file plans/​reports/​{skill}-{date}-{slug}.md
2. After each file/​section reviewed: Append findings to report immediately — never hold in memory
3. Return to main agent: Summary only (per SYNC:subagent-return-contract) with Full report: path
4. Main agent: Reads report file only when resolving specific blockers

Why: Context cutoff mid-execution loses ALL in-memory findings. Each disk write survives compaction.

Report naming: plans/​reports/​{skill-name}-{YYMMDD}-{HHmm}-{slug}.md

<!-- /​SYNC:incremental-persistence --> <!-- SYNC:subagent-return-contract -->

Sub-Agent Return Contract — When this skill spawns a sub-agent, the sub-agent MUST return ONLY this structure. Main agent reads only this summary — NEVER requests full sub-agent output inline.

## Sub-Agent Result: [skill-name]

Status: ✅ PASS | ⚠️ PARTIAL | ❌ FAIL
Confidence: [0-100]%

### Findings (Critical/​High only — max 10 bullets)

- [severity] [file:line] [finding]

### Actions Taken

- [file changed] [what changed]

### Blockers (if any)

- [blocker description]

Full report: plans/​reports/[skill-name]-[date]-[slug].md

Main agent reads Full report ONLY when: (a) resolving specific blocker, or (b) building fix plan. Sub-agent writes full report incrementally (per SYNC:incremental-persistence) — not held in memory.

<!-- /​SYNC:subagent-return-contract --> <!-- SYNC:sub-agent-selection -->

Sub-Agent Selection — Full routing contract: .claude/​skills/​shared/​sub-agent-selection-guide.md Rule: Route specialized domains (architecture, security, performance, DB, E2E, integration-test, git) to the matching specialist agent (see guide above) — NEVER use code-reviewer for these. — why: code-reviewer lacks each domain's checklist, so specialized issues slip through.

<!-- /​SYNC:sub-agent-selection --> <!-- SYNC:nested-task-creation -->

Nested Task Expansion Contract — For workflow-step invocation, the [Workflow] ... row is only a parent container; the child skill still creates visible phase tasks.

1. Call TaskList first. If a matching active parent workflow row exists, set nested=true and record parentTaskId; otherwise run standalone.
2. Create one task per declared phase before phase work. When nested, prefix subjects [N.M] $skill-name — phase.
3. When nested, link the parent with TaskUpdate(parentTaskId, addBlockedBy: [childIds]).
4. Orchestrators must pre-expand a child skill's phase list and link the workflow row before invoking that child skill or sub-agent.
5. Mark exactly one child in_progress before work and completed immediately after evidence is written.
6. Complete the parent only after all child tasks are completed or explicitly cancelled with reason.

Blocked until: TaskList done, child phases created, parent linked when nested, first child marked in_progress.

<!-- /​SYNC:nested-task-creation --> <!-- SYNC:project-reference-docs-guide -->

Project Reference Docs Gate — Run after task-tracking bootstrap and before target/​source file reads, grep, edits, or analysis. Project docs override generic framework assumptions.

1. Identify scope: file types, domain area, and operation.
2. Required docs by trigger: always docs/​project-reference/​lessons.md; doc lookup docs-index-reference.md; review code-review-rules.md; backend/​CQRS/​API backend-patterns-reference.md; domain/​entity domain-entities-reference.md; frontend/​UI frontend-patterns-reference.md; styles/​design scss-styling-guide.md + design-system/​design-system-canonical.md; integration tests integration-test-reference.md; E2E e2e-test-reference.md; feature docs/​specs feature-spec-reference.md + spec-system-reference.md + spec-principles.md; behavior/​public-contract/​spec-test-code sync workflow-spec-test-code-cycle-reference.md; derived spec index/​ERD/​reimplementation guides spec-system-reference.md + source Feature Specs under docs/​specs/; architecture/​new area project-structure-reference.md.
3. Read every required doc. If docs/​project-config.json, the docs index, lessons.md, CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md, or any task-required reference doc is missing or stale, auto-run /​project-init or the narrow lower-level route (/​project-config, /​docs-init, /​scan-all, /​scan --target=<key>, /​claude-md-init) before ordinary project-specific work. If Codex mirrors or AGENTS.md are missing/​stale, ask the user to run /​sync-codex; do not auto-run it.
4. Before target work, state: Reference docs read: ... | Not applicable: ....

Ready when: scope evaluated, required docs checked/​read or setup route completed, lessons.md confirmed, citation emitted.

<!-- /​SYNC:project-reference-docs-guide --> <!-- SYNC:task-tracking-external-report -->

Task Tracking & External Report Persistence — Bootstrap this before execution; then run project-reference doc prefetch before target/​source work.

1. Create a small task breakdown before target file reads, grep, edits, or analysis. On context loss, inspect the current task list first.
2. Mark one task in_progress before work and completed immediately after evidence; never batch transitions.
3. For plan/​review work, create plans/​reports/​{skill}-{YYMMDD}-{HHmm}-{slug}.md before first finding.
4. Append findings after each file/​section/​decision and synthesize from the report file at the end.
5. Final output cites Full report: plans/​reports/​{filename}.

Blocked until: task breakdown exists, report path declared for plan/​review work, first finding persisted before the next finding.

<!-- /​SYNC:task-tracking-external-report --> <!-- SYNC:understand-code-first:reminder -->

• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION run graph trace when graph.db exists. Grep 3+ patterns, cite file:line. <!-- /​SYNC:understand-code-first:reminder -->

<!-- SYNC:graph-impact-analysis:reminder -->

• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION run blast-radius when graph.db exists. Flag impacted files NOT in changeset as potentially stale. <!-- /​SYNC:graph-impact-analysis:reminder -->

<!-- SYNC:red-flag-stop-conditions:reminder -->

• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION STOP after 3 failed fix attempts. Report all attempts, ask user before continuing. <!-- /​SYNC:red-flag-stop-conditions:reminder -->

<!-- SYNC:rationalization-prevention:reminder -->

• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION follow ALL steps regardless of perceived simplicity. "Too simple to plan" is an evasion, not a reason. <!-- /​SYNC:rationalization-prevention:reminder -->

<!-- SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset:reminder -->

MUST ATTENTION apply critical thinking — every claim needs traced proof, confidence >80% to act. Anti-hallucination: never present guess as fact.

<!-- /​SYNC:critical-thinking-mindset:reminder --> <!-- SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention:reminder -->

MUST ATTENTION apply AI mistake prevention — holistic-first debugging, fix at responsible layer, surface ambiguity before coding, re-read files after compaction.

<!-- /​SYNC:ai-mistake-prevention:reminder --> <!-- SYNC:task-tracking-external-report:reminder -->

• MANDATORY Bootstrap task tracking before target work; transition one task at a time.
• MANDATORY Persist plan/​review findings to plans/​reports/ incrementally and synthesize from disk.

<!-- /​SYNC:task-tracking-external-report:reminder --> <!-- SYNC:project-reference-docs-guide:reminder -->

• MANDATORY After task-tracking bootstrap and before target/​source work, read required project-reference docs and cite Reference docs read: ....
• MANDATORY Always include lessons.md; project conventions override generic defaults.
• MANDATORY If project config, root instruction files, or any required reference doc is missing, stop and run or ask the user to run /​project-init.

<!-- /​SYNC:project-reference-docs-guide:reminder --> <!-- SYNC:nested-task-creation:reminder -->

• MANDATORY Parent workflow rows do not replace child phase tracking; expand phases and link the parent when nested.
• MANDATORY Orchestrators pre-expand child skill phases before invocation; use [N.M] $skill-name — phase prefixes and one-in_progress discipline.

<!-- /​SYNC:nested-task-creation:reminder --> <!-- PROMPT-ENHANCE:STEP-TASK-CLOSING:START -->

Prompt-Enhance Closing Anchors

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION follow declared step order for this skill; NEVER skip, reorder, or merge steps without explicit user approval IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION for every step/​sub-skill call: set in_progress before execution, set completed after execution IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION every skipped step MUST include explicit reason; every completed step MUST include concise evidence IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION if Task tools unavailable, maintain an equivalent step-by-step plan tracker with synchronized statuses

<!-- PROMPT-ENHANCE:STEP-TASK-CLOSING:END -->

Closing Reminders

IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION Goal: Produce integration tests that exercise real production paths and assert specific DB field values — so every test protects a traceable business behavior (TC), survives repeated runs without reset, and fails only when the protected intent actually breaks.

• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION NEVER write smoke-only tests — read handler/​entity/​event source, assert specific field values
• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION ALWAYS use async polling for ALL DB assertions — no exceptions
• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION TaskCreate — break ALL work into small tasks BEFORE starting
• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION AskUserQuestion — validate decisions with user. NEVER auto-decide.
• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION READ references/​integration-test-patterns.md BEFORE writing any test
• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION NEVER create Queries/ or Commands/ folders — organize by domain feature
• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION NEVER generate tests without TC annotation — auto-create in Section 8 if missing
• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION NEVER mark done until tests pass via /​integration-test-verify
• MANDATORY IMPORTANT MUST ATTENTION search 3+ existing patterns, cite file:line before modifying anything

Anti-Rationalization:

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Closing reminder — Easy to Change is the success metric. Every finding, test, refactor, and abstraction must answer one question: does this make the next change cheaper or more expensive? If it doesn't reduce future change cost, reject it. Coupling, hidden state, duplicated knowledge, and unclear intent are the real enemies — call them out by name.