Test Coverage
Expand unit test coverage by targeting untested branches and edge cases.
Repo Sync Before Edits (mandatory)
Before making any changes, sync with the remote to avoid conflicts:
branch="$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)"
git fetch origin
git pull --rebase origin "$branch"
If the working tree is dirty, stash first, sync, then pop. If origin is missing or conflicts occur, stop and ask the user before continuing.
Workflow
0. Create Feature Branch
Before making any changes:
- Check the current branch - if already on a feature branch for this task, skip
- Check the repo for branch naming conventions (e.g.,
feat/,feature/, etc.) - Create and switch to a new branch following the repo's convention, or fallback to:
feat/test-coverage
1. Analyze Coverage
Run the appropriate coverage command for the project's stack:
# JavaScript/TypeScript (Jest)
npx jest --coverage --coverageReporters=text --coverageReporters=json-summary
# JavaScript/TypeScript (Vitest)
npx vitest run --coverage
# Python (pytest)
python -m pytest --cov=. --cov-report=term-missing
# Go
go test -coverprofile=coverage.out ./... && go tool cover -func=coverage.out
# Rust
cargo tarpaulin --out Stdout
From the report, identify:
- Untested branches and code paths (look for lines marked as uncovered)
- Low-coverage files/functions (below 80% line coverage)
- Missing error handling tests
2. Identify Test Gaps
Read the source files with low coverage and look for:
- Logical branches: if/else, switch/match, ternary operators
- Error paths: try/catch, error returns, validation failures
- Boundary values: min, max, zero, empty string, null/undefined, off-by-one
- Edge cases: empty collections, single-element collections, duplicate values
- State transitions: before/after mutations, async race conditions
- Integration points: API calls, database queries, file I/O
Prioritize gaps by risk: error paths and boundary values cause the most production bugs.
3. Write Tests
Use the project's existing testing framework and follow its conventions. Detect which framework is in use by checking config files and existing test files.
| Stack | Framework | Test Location Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| JS/TS | Jest | __tests__/ or *.test.ts |
| JS/TS | Vitest | *.test.ts or *.spec.ts |
| Python | pytest | tests/ or test_*.py |
| Go | testing | *_test.go in same package |
| Rust | built-in | #[cfg(test)] module in same file |
For each gap, write focused test cases:
- One assertion per logical concept (a test can have multiple asserts if they test the same behavior)
- Use descriptive names:
test_parse_returns_error_on_empty_inputnottest_parse_2 - Group related tests logically (by function or behavior)
4. Verify Improvement
Run coverage again with the same command from Step 1 and confirm:
- New tests pass
- Coverage percentage increased
- Previously uncovered lines are now covered
Report the before/after coverage numbers to the user.
Guidelines
- Follow existing test patterns and naming conventions in the project
- Add tests to existing test files when appropriate (don't create new files unnecessarily)
- Focus on meaningful coverage — skip trivial getters/setters unless they contain logic
- Use descriptive test names that explain the scenario being tested
- Avoid mocking unless the project already uses mocks extensively