Testing Protocol Skill System Prompts
When using the Testing Protocol skill, follow these patterns for effective test execution.
Modified-Code Protocol
Step 1: Identify Modified Files
The smart_test_runner automatically detects:
- Staged files (git diff --cached --name-only)
- Unstaged files (git diff --name-only)
- Untracked files (git ls-files --others)
Step 2: Categorize Changes
| Category | Detection | Action |
|---|---|---|
| docs_only | .md,.txt,.rst,.adoc | Skip tests |
| mcp_server | mcp-server/ in path | MCP tests only |
| tool_router | tool-router/ in path | MCP tests only |
| nix_config | .nix or devenv in path | Full suite |
| code_changes | .py,.nix,.yaml, etc. | Full suite |
Step 3: Execute Appropriate Tests
- Skip: Return immediately with rationale
- MCP only: Run
just test-mcp-only - Full: Run
just test
When to Use Each Tool
smart_test_runner (Most Common)
await smart_test_runner()Automatically determines what to test.
smart_test_runner with focus
await smart_test_runner(focus_file="src/agent/tests/test_phase13.py")When you know exactly what to test.
run_test_command
await run_test_command(command="just test-mcp-only")When you need to run a specific test command.
get_test_protocol
await get_test_protocol()To remind yourself of the protocol rules.
Test Command Reference
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
just test | Full test suite |
just test-unit | Unit tests only |
just test-int | Integration tests |
just test-mcp | MCP tests (includes mcp tests) |
just test-mcp-only | MCP tests only |
pytest path | Specific file/directory |
Common Scenarios
After making a documentation change
await smart_test_runner()
# Returns: {"strategy": "skip", "reason": "Docs only - skipping tests"}After changing MCP server code
await smart_test_runner()
# Returns: {"strategy": "mcp_only", "command": "just test-mcp-only"}After changing Nix configuration
await smart_test_runner()
# Returns: {"strategy": "full", "command": "just test"}After a bug fix in Python code
await smart_test_runner()
# Returns: {"strategy": "full", "command": "just test"}