Test

Test

Testing Checklist

Feature Testing:
- [ ] Happy path works (main user flow)
- [ ] Edge cases handled (empty, long, invalid data)
- [ ] Error messages clear and helpful
- [ ] Works on mobile (iOS and Android)
- [ ] Works in Safari, Chrome, Firefox
- [ ] Loading states show during waits
- [ ] Forms validate input
- [ ] Can't break it with weird input
- [ ] Back button works correctly
- [ ] Page refresh doesn't lose data

See TEST-SCENARIOS.md for detailed scenarios.

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When to Test

Test when:

• Feature just built by AI
• Before deploying to production
• After fixing a bug (verify fix works)
• Users report issues (reproduce first)

Don't test:

• While AI is still building
• Before feature is complete
• Every tiny change (batch test features)

Rule: Build → Test → Fix → Test again → Deploy

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Manual Testing Workflow

1. Test happy path
   - Does the main flow work?
   - Can user complete the task?

2. Test edge cases
   - What if field is empty?
   - What if text is very long?
   - What if user clicks twice?

3. Test on mobile
   - Open on real phone
   - Test main actions
   - Check layout doesn't break

4. Test in different browsers
   - Chrome (most users)
   - Safari (iOS users)
   - Firefox (some users)

5. Document issues
   - Screenshot the problem
   - Write exact steps to reproduce
   - Give to AI to fix

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Testing Edge Cases

Always test these:

Empty data:

• What shows when no items in list?
• What happens with empty form field?
• Is placeholder/​empty state clear?

Long data:

• Very long name (200 characters)
• Very long text (10,000 characters)
• Does layout break?

Invalid data:

• Invalid email format
• Negative numbers where not allowed
• Special characters in text field
• SQL characters ('; DROP TABLE)

Boundary cases:

• Exactly at limit (100 char limit, enter 100)
• Just over limit (enter 101)
• Zero/​empty values

Tell AI:

Test these edge cases:
- Empty username: show "Required"
- Username too long (>50 chars): show "Max 50 characters"
- Username with spaces: show "No spaces allowed"
- Special characters: show "Letters and numbers only"

See EDGE-CASES.md for comprehensive list.

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Testing on Mobile

Minimum mobile tests:

Mobile Testing:
- [ ] Page loads and looks correct
- [ ] Can tap all buttons (44px minimum)
- [ ] Forms work (keyboard appears)
- [ ] No horizontal scroll
- [ ] Images load and fit screen
- [ ] Navigation works
- [ ] Can complete main user flow

Test on:

• iPhone (Safari) - Most common iOS
• Android phone (Chrome) - Most common Android

Don't need to test:

• Every phone model
• Tablets (unless primary use case)
• Landscape mode (unless important)

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Cross-Browser Testing

Priority order:

1. Chrome (65% of users) - Test thoroughly
2. Safari (20% of users) - Test main flows
3. Firefox (5% of users) - Quick check
4. Edge (5% of users) - Usually works if Chrome works

Common browser issues:

• Date pickers look different
• Flexbox behaves differently
• Scrolling momentum feels different
• Animations may not work on old Safari

Quick test:

Open in each browser:
1. Load homepage
2. Sign up / Log in
3. Complete 1-2 main actions
4. Check nothing is broken

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Testing Forms

Form validation testing:

Form Testing Checklist:
- [ ] Required fields show error if empty
- [ ] Email validation works (format check)
- [ ] Password requirements enforced
- [ ] Can't submit invalid form
- [ ] Error messages clear and specific
- [ ] Success message shows after submit
- [ ] Form disables during submit (no double-submit)
- [ ] Errors clear when user fixes them

Tell AI:

Test form validation:
- Required field left empty: "This field is required"
- Invalid email: "Enter a valid email address"
- Weak password: "Password must be 8+ characters with 1 number"
- All valid: Allow submit
- Show errors inline, not alert()

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Testing Authentication

Auth flow testing:

Auth Testing:
- [ ] Can sign up with valid info
- [ ] Can't sign up with existing email
- [ ] Can log in with correct password
- [ ] Can't log in with wrong password
- [ ] Can reset password via email
- [ ] Session expires after timeout
- [ ] Logout works (can't access protected pages)
- [ ] Can't access protected routes without login
- [ ] Redirect to login when session expires

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Testing Integrations

Third-party services:

Payment (Stripe):

- [ ] Test card (4242 4242 4242 4242) processes
- [ ] Declined card shows error
- [ ] Receipt email sent
- [ ] Subscription status updates
- [ ] Can cancel subscription

Email (SendGrid):

- [ ] Welcome email sends on signup
- [ ] Password reset email arrives
- [ ] Emails have correct content
- [ ] Links in email work
- [ ] Unsubscribe link works

Tell AI:

Add test mode checking:
Log when using test API keys.
Show banner: "TEST MODE - No real charges"
Use Stripe test cards only in development.

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Finding Bugs Yourself

How to break your app:

1. Click fast and repeatedly

• Double-click submit button
• Click back button quickly
• Refresh during loading

2. Enter unexpected data

• Copy/​paste 10,000 characters
• Enter emojis 🎉 in text fields
• Try SQL: '; DROP TABLE users;--
• Enter HTML: <script>alert('xss')</​script>

3. Change state unexpectedly

• Log out in another tab
• Let session expire, then try action
• Open same page in multiple tabs

4. Use slow connection

• Chrome DevTools → Network → Slow 3G
• Try all main actions
• Do loading states show?

See BREAKING-THINGS.md for full list.

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Documenting Bugs

Bug report template:

Bug: [Short description]

Steps to reproduce:
1. [First action]
2. [Second action]
3. [What triggers the bug]

Expected: [What should happen]
Actual: [What actually happened]

Screenshot: [Attach if visual]
Browser: [Chrome 120 on Mac]
URL: [Where it happened]
Frequency: [Always / Sometimes / Once]

Give to AI to fix:

Bug found: [paste bug report]

Please:
1. Reproduce the bug
2. Identify root cause
3. Fix the issue
4. Verify fix works
5. Test that fix didn't break anything else

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Regression Testing

After fixing a bug, test:

Regression Checklist:
- [ ] Original bug is fixed
- [ ] Happy path still works
- [ ] Related features still work
- [ ] No new errors in console
- [ ] No new visual issues

Common regression issues:

• Fix breaks different browser
• Fix breaks mobile layout
• Fix breaks related feature
• Fix introduces new edge case bug

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Pre-Deployment Checklist

Before pushing to production:

Production Readiness:
- [ ] All features tested (happy path + edge cases)
- [ ] Works on mobile (iPhone + Android)
- [ ] Works in Safari and Chrome
- [ ] No console errors
- [ ] Forms validate correctly
- [ ] Authentication works
- [ ] No test data visible
- [ ] Error messages are user-friendly
- [ ] Loading states show
- [ ] Can't break it with weird input

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When to Get QA Help

Consider hiring QA when:

• 10 features to test before launch

• Complex user flows (multi-step processes)
• Multiple integrations to verify
• Preparing for big launch (> 1000 users)

For most MVPs: Following this checklist is sufficient.

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Common Testing Mistakes

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Quick Testing Shortcuts

5-minute quick test:

1. Load page in Chrome
2. Complete main user flow
3. Try one edge case (empty field)
4. Check mobile view (Chrome DevTools)
5. Look for console errors

15-minute thorough test:

1. Happy path in Chrome
2. 3-4 edge cases
3. Test on real phone
4. Check Safari
5. Try to break it (fast clicks, weird input)
6. Check all error messages

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Testing Tools

Built into browser:

• Chrome DevTools (Inspect)
• Network tab (check API calls)
• Console (check for errors)
• Device mode (test mobile sizes)
• Lighthouse (performance + best practices)

Free external tools:

• BrowserStack (free trial) - Test on real devices
• Can I Use (caniuse.com) - Check browser support
• Validator.nu - Check HTML validity

Usually don't need:

• Automated testing frameworks (too complex for non-technical)
• Paid testing services (manual testing sufficient for MVP)

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Success Looks Like

✅ Main user flow works perfectly
✅ Edge cases handled gracefully
✅ Works on mobile and desktop
✅ Works in Chrome and Safari
✅ Error messages clear and helpful
✅ Can't break it with weird input
✅ No bugs reported by users