Agent skill
add-test
Scaffold a test file for an existing tool, resource, or service. Use when the user asks to add tests, improve coverage, or when a definition exists without a matching test file.
Install this agent skill to your Project
npx add-skill https://github.com/cyanheads/mcp-ts-core/tree/main/skills/add-test
Metadata
Additional technical details for this skill
- type
- reference
- author
- cyanheads
- version
- 1.2
- audience
- external
SKILL.md
Context
Tests use Vitest and createMockContext from @cyanheads/mcp-ts-core/testing. Freshly scaffolded servers place tests under tests/ (for example tests/tools/echo.tool.test.ts), and the default Vitest config also supports src/**/*.test.ts. Match the repo's existing layout instead of forcing one.
For the full createMockContext API and testing patterns, read:
skills/api-testing/SKILL.md
Steps
- Identify the target — which tool, resource, or service needs tests
- Read the source file — understand the handler's logic, input/output schemas, error paths, and which
ctxfeatures it uses - Create the test file in the repo's existing test layout
- Write test cases covering happy path, error paths, and edge cases
- Run
bun run testto verify - Run
bun run devcheckto verify types
Determining What to Test
Read the handler and identify:
| Aspect | Test Strategy |
|---|---|
| Happy path | Valid input → expected output. Include at least one. |
| Input variations | Optional fields omitted, defaults applied, boundary values |
| Error paths | Invalid state, missing resources, service failures → correct error thrown |
ctx.state usage |
Use createMockContext({ tenantId: 'test' }) to enable storage |
ctx.elicit / ctx.sample |
Mock with vi.fn(), also test the absent case (undefined) |
ctx.progress |
Use createMockContext({ progress: true }) for task tools |
format function |
Test separately if defined — it's pure, no ctx needed. Verify it renders the IDs and fields the model needs, not just a count or title. For projection-style tools, test non-default field selections. |
| Sparse upstream payloads | For third-party API integrations, build a fixture with omitted fields. Assert normalized output still validates and format() preserves unknown values instead of inventing facts. |
| Auth scopes | Not tested at handler level (framework enforces) — skip |
Templates
Tool test
/**
* @fileoverview Tests for {{TOOL_NAME}} tool.
* @module tests/tools/{{TOOL_NAME}}.tool.test
*/
import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
import { createMockContext } from '@cyanheads/mcp-ts-core/testing';
import { {{TOOL_EXPORT}} } from '@/mcp-server/tools/definitions/{{tool-name}}.tool.js';
describe('{{TOOL_EXPORT}}', () => {
it('returns expected output for valid input', async () => {
const ctx = createMockContext();
const input = {{TOOL_EXPORT}}.input.parse({
// valid input matching the Zod schema
});
const result = await {{TOOL_EXPORT}}.handler(input, ctx);
expect(result).toMatchObject({
// expected output shape
});
});
it('throws on invalid state', async () => {
const ctx = createMockContext();
const input = {{TOOL_EXPORT}}.input.parse({
// input that triggers an error path
});
await expect({{TOOL_EXPORT}}.handler(input, ctx)).rejects.toThrow();
});
it('formats output completely', () => {
const output = { /* mock output matching the output schema */ };
const blocks = {{TOOL_EXPORT}}.format!(output);
expect(blocks.some((block) => block.type === 'text')).toBe(true);
// Assert the rendered text includes the IDs/fields the LLM needs to act on.
});
});
Resource test
/**
* @fileoverview Tests for {{RESOURCE_NAME}} resource.
* @module tests/resources/{{RESOURCE_NAME}}.resource.test
*/
import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
import { createMockContext } from '@cyanheads/mcp-ts-core/testing';
import { {{RESOURCE_EXPORT}} } from '@/mcp-server/resources/definitions/{{resource-name}}.resource.js';
describe('{{RESOURCE_EXPORT}}', () => {
it('returns data for valid params', async () => {
const ctx = createMockContext({ tenantId: 'test-tenant' });
const params = {{RESOURCE_EXPORT}}.params.parse({
// valid params matching the Zod schema
});
const result = await {{RESOURCE_EXPORT}}.handler(params, ctx);
expect(result).toBeDefined();
});
it('throws when resource not found', async () => {
const ctx = createMockContext({ tenantId: 'test-tenant' });
const params = {{RESOURCE_EXPORT}}.params.parse({
// params for a non-existent resource
});
await expect({{RESOURCE_EXPORT}}.handler(params, ctx)).rejects.toThrow();
});
it('lists available resources', async () => {
const listing = await {{RESOURCE_EXPORT}}.list!();
expect(listing.resources).toBeInstanceOf(Array);
expect(listing.resources.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
for (const r of listing.resources) {
expect(r).toHaveProperty('uri');
expect(r).toHaveProperty('name');
}
});
});
Service test
/**
* @fileoverview Tests for {{SERVICE_NAME}} service.
* @module tests/services/{{domain}}/{{domain}}-service.test
*/
import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
import { createMockContext } from '@cyanheads/mcp-ts-core/testing';
import { get{{ServiceClass}}, init{{ServiceClass}} } from '@/services/{{domain}}/{{domain}}-service.js';
describe('{{ServiceClass}}', () => {
beforeEach(() => {
// Re-initialize with fresh config/storage for each test
init{{ServiceClass}}(mockConfig, mockStorage);
});
it('performs the expected operation', async () => {
const ctx = createMockContext({ tenantId: 'test-tenant' });
const service = get{{ServiceClass}}();
const result = await service.doWork('input', ctx);
expect(result).toBeDefined();
});
});
If you need to test the accessor's "not initialized" guard, do it in a separate isolated-module test (vi.resetModules() before importing the service module). Don't mix that assertion into a suite that already calls init{{ServiceClass}}() in beforeEach().
Task tool test
For tools with task: true, use createMockContext({ progress: true }):
it('reports progress during execution', async () => {
const ctx = createMockContext({ progress: true });
const input = {{TOOL_EXPORT}}.input.parse({ count: 3, delayMs: 10 });
await {{TOOL_EXPORT}}.handler(input, ctx);
const progress = ctx.progress as ContextProgress & {
_total: number;
_completed: number;
_messages: string[];
};
expect(progress._total).toBe(3);
expect(progress._completed).toBe(3);
});
it('respects cancellation', async () => {
const controller = new AbortController();
const ctx = createMockContext({ progress: true, signal: controller.signal });
const input = {{TOOL_EXPORT}}.input.parse({ count: 100, delayMs: 10 });
// Abort after a short delay
setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), 50);
const result = await {{TOOL_EXPORT}}.handler(input, ctx);
// Should have stopped early
expect(result.finalCount).toBeGreaterThan(0);
});
Generating Tests from Schemas
When scaffolding tests for an existing handler, use the Zod schemas to generate meaningful test cases:
- Read
inputschema — identify required fields, optional fields with defaults, constrained types (enums, min/max, patterns) - Read
outputschema — know what shape to assert against - Happy path — construct the simplest valid input, assert output matches schema
- Defaults — omit optional fields, verify defaults are applied in the output
- Boundaries — if the schema has
.min(),.max(),.length(), test at the boundaries - Error paths — trace the handler logic for throw conditions, construct inputs that trigger each
- Sparse upstream fixtures — if the handler/service wraps a third-party API, add at least one fixture where upstream omits optional fields entirely. Assert that the output still validates and that
format()renders uncertainty honestly (Not available, omitted badge, etc.) instead of fabricating values.
Checklist
- Test file created in the repo's existing layout (
tests/...or colocated with source) - JSDoc
@fileoverviewand@moduleheader present - Happy path tested with valid input → expected output
- Error paths tested (at least one
.rejects.toThrow()) -
formatfunction tested if defined -
createMockContextoptions match handler's ctx usage (tenantId,progress,elicit,sample) - Service re-initialized in
beforeEachif handler depends on a service singleton - If wrapping external API: sparse-payload case tested (omitted upstream fields still validate;
format()does not invent facts) -
bun run testpasses -
bun run devcheckpasses
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