Test Generator

The test-gen skill generates Vitest unit tests for a specified file or Playwright E2E tests for a given user flow. It analyzes existing code and conventions to produce relevant, runnable tests.

What it does

It generates Vitest unit tests for a target file by analyzing exports, dependencies, side effects, and parameter types. It also checks for existing tests to avoid duplication and identifies test cases for happy paths, edge cases, error paths, and asynchronous logic. For E2E tests, it understands application structure, identifies critical user flows, and writes Playwright tests using accessible selectors.

When it fits

  • When new features are developed and require unit test coverage.

  • When refactoring existing code and needing to ensure functionality remains intact with E2E tests.

  • When establishing a baseline of E2E tests for critical user journeys like authentication or CRUD operations.

Setup

  1. Copy the skill definition file to the .claude/skills/test-gen/SKILL.md path within the repository.

  2. Agents run on request or via the agent mechanism.

  3. Invoke unit test generation by typing /test-gen [filename] in the Claude Code chat.

  4. Invoke E2E test generation by typing /test-gen e2e [flow description].

The content

Test Generator

Generate tests for the given target.

Mode selection: If $0 is the literal token e2e, skip to the E2E Mode (Playwright) section at the bottom. Otherwise generate Vitest unit tests for the file per Steps 1–7 below.

Target: $ARGUMENTS Test framework: !cat package.json 2>/dev/null | grep -o '"vitest"' | head -1 || echo "vitest not found" Existing tests: !find src -name "*.test.ts" -o -name "*.test.tsx" -o -name "*.spec.ts" -o -name "*.spec.tsx" 2>/dev/null | head -10 || echo "none found"

Step 1: Analyze the Target File

Read $ARGUMENTS and extract:

  • All exported functions, classes, components, and types
  • Dependencies and imports (what needs mocking)
  • Side effects (API calls, database queries, file system access)
  • Input parameter types and return types

Step 2: Check for Existing Tests

Search for existing test files:

  • <filename>.test.ts / <filename>.test.tsx
  • <filename>.spec.ts / <filename>.spec.tsx
  • __tests__/<filename>.ts

If tests exist, read them and only add missing coverage. Do NOT duplicate existing test cases.

Step 3: Identify Test Cases

For each export, determine:

CategoryWhat to test
Happy pathNormal input produces expected output
Edge casesEmpty input, null/undefined, boundary values
Error pathsInvalid input, thrown errors, rejected promises
AsyncPromise resolution/rejection, timeout behavior
DependenciesMock external calls (API, DB, third-party libs)

Step 4: Follow Existing Conventions

If existing test files were found in Step 2, match their:

  • Import style (import { describe } from 'vitest' vs global)
  • Mock patterns (vi.mock, vi.fn, vi.spyOn)
  • File naming convention (.test.ts vs .spec.ts)
  • Describe/it block structure
  • Assertion style (expect().toBe(), expect().toEqual())

If no existing tests, use this default structure:

import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest';

Step 5: Generate Tests

Write the test file next to the source file (e.g., src/utils/calc.ts -> src/utils/calc.test.ts).

Rules:

  • One describe block per exported function/component
  • Descriptive test names: it('returns empty array when input is empty')
  • Arrange-Act-Assert pattern in each test
  • Mock external dependencies, never call real APIs/DB
  • Test the public interface, not implementation details
  • For React components: use @testing-library/react if available, otherwise test logic only

Step 6: Verify

Run the generated tests:

npx vitest run <test-file-path> --reporter=verbose

If tests fail:

  • Read the error output
  • Fix the test (not the source code)
  • Re-run until all pass

Step 7: Summary

Output:

  • Number of test cases generated
  • Coverage areas: happy path, edge cases, error paths
  • Any exports that were NOT tested (and why)
  • Test run result: PASS / FAIL

E2E Mode (Playwright)

Invoked as /test-gen e2e [flow description]. The remaining arguments after e2e describe the user flow to test (e.g. /test-gen e2e login flow). If no flow is given, generate tests for all critical paths (priority below).

E2E Step 1: Understand the Application

Identify:

  • Routing setup (Next app/ routes or react-router config)
  • Authentication flow (login page, auth guards)
  • Main user-facing pages, form components and their validation
  • API calls made during user flows
cat package.json | grep -o '"@playwright/test"' || echo "Playwright not installed"
ls playwright.config.* 2>/dev/null || echo "No Playwright config"
ls e2e/ tests/e2e/ tests/ 2>/dev/null | head -20

If Playwright is not installed:

npm install -D @playwright/test && npx playwright install chromium

E2E Step 2: Identify Critical User Flows

If no specific flow requested, prioritize:

  1. Authentication — sign up, login, logout, password reset
  2. Core CRUD — create, read, update, delete main entities
  3. Navigation — landing page → key features → back
  4. Error states — invalid form submission, 404 pages, unauthorized access
  5. Payment/checkout — if applicable

E2E Step 3: Analyze Page Structure

For each page: read the component file, identify interactive elements, find data-testid attributes or accessible roles, trace triggered API calls, identify loading/success/error states.

E2E Step 4: Generate Tests

Create test files in the project's E2E directory (usually e2e/ or tests/e2e/). Follow Playwright best practices:

  • Prefer accessible selectors: page.getByRole(), page.getByText(), page.getByTestId()
  • page.waitForURL() for navigation, expect(page).toHaveURL() for route verification
  • await expect(locator).toBeVisible() over waitForSelector
  • Group related tests in test.describe() blocks
  • test.beforeEach() for common setup (login, navigation)
  • If a storageState auth fixture exists, use it for authenticated flows; otherwise log in via UI in beforeEach

Each test must assert meaningfully: URL changed, expected content visible, form feedback shown, data persists after reload where applicable.

E2E Step 5: Verify

npx playwright test <test-file> --reporter=list 2>&1

If tests fail: read the error output, fix the test (selectors, timing, assertions), re-run until passing.

E2E Step 6: Summary

Output:

  • Files generated and flows covered
  • Selector breakdown (roles / test IDs / text)
  • Test run result: PASS / FAIL / SKIP with reasons
  • Missing coverage and recommended data-testid additions

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