Debug Visual Regression

When a user mentions failing visual tests or screenshot differences, follow these steps to investigate and help them understand what changed.

Step 1: Read the Comparison Data

Use the Read tool to get .vizzly/report-data.json:

Read .vizzly/report-data.json

If the file is too large, use Bash to extract just the failing comparisons:

cat .vizzly/report-data.json | node -e "
  const data = JSON.parse(require('fs').readFileSync('/dev/stdin', 'utf8'));
  console.log(JSON.stringify(data.comparisons?.filter(c => c.status === 'failed'), null, 2));
"

Find the failing comparison in the comparisons array. Each comparison has:

• name - Screenshot identifier
• status - "failed", "passed", or "new"
• diffPercentage - How much the screenshot differs (percentage)
• threshold - The allowed difference threshold
• current - Path to current screenshot (relative, like /images/current/name.png)
• baseline - Path to baseline screenshot
• diff - Path to diff image

Step 2: View the Screenshots

Convert the paths from report-data.json to filesystem paths:

• /images/current/name.png → .vizzly/current/name.png
• /images/baselines/name.png → .vizzly/baselines/name.png

Note: If paths don't match this format, use the screenshot name field directly:

• Baseline: .vizzly/baselines/{name}.png
• Current: .vizzly/current/{name}.png

Use the Read tool to view both images:

1. Read the baseline image: .vizzly/baselines/<name>.png
2. Read the current image: .vizzly/current/<name>.png

Skip the diff image (.vizzly/diffs/): The diff images are algorithmically generated overlays that highlight pixel differences. They're useful for humans in the dashboard but not helpful for AI analysis - comparing the actual baseline and current images directly gives you better context about what changed.

Step 3: Analyze the Visual Differences

Compare the two images and describe what you observe:

Look for:

• Layout shifts (elements moved, spacing changed)
• Color changes (backgrounds, text, borders)
• Content changes (text, images, icons)
• Missing or added elements
• Typography changes (font size, weight, family)
• State differences (hover, focus, loading states)

Categorize by diff percentage:

• < 1%: Anti-aliasing, font rendering, subpixel differences - often acceptable
• 1-5%: Layout shifts, padding/margin changes, color variations - investigate
• > 5%: Significant changes - likely needs attention

Step 4: Identify Possible Causes

Based on what you observe, suggest likely causes:

CSS changes:

• Margin/padding adjustments
• Positioning changes
• Color or background modifications
• Font changes

Content changes:

• Dynamic text or data
• Date/time displays
• User-generated content

State issues:

• Screenshot captured during loading
• Hover state captured unintentionally
• Animation frame captured

Environment differences:

• Browser version changed
• Font availability
• Screen resolution

Step 5: Suggest Next Steps

If the change is intentional: Explain that they can accept the new baseline:

• Via the TDD dashboard at http://localhost:47392
• Via CLI (cloud): vizzly comparisons -b <build-id> to find ID, then vizzly approve <id>
• Via file copy (local TDD): cp .vizzly/current/<name>.png .vizzly/baselines/<name>.png

If the change is unintentional: Help them investigate:

• Suggest specific files to check based on what changed
• Recommend git commands to find recent changes: git diff --name-only HEAD~5
• Point to likely CSS or component files

If it's unclear: Ask clarifying questions:

• "Was this change expected as part of recent work?"
• "Should the button text have changed from X to Y?"

Example Analysis

Based on the comparison data and viewing both screenshots:

**Screenshot:** homepage
**Diff:** 2.3% (threshold: 0.1%)

**What I observed:**
The navigation header has shifted down by approximately 15 pixels. The logo
is now positioned lower, and the nav items are overlapping slightly with
the hero section below.

**Likely cause:**
This appears to be a margin or padding change on the header element. The
layout shift suggests CSS was modified.

**Suggested investigation:**
Check recent changes to header styles:
- `src/components/Header.css` or similar
- Any global layout styles

Run: `git diff HEAD~3 -- "*.css" | grep -A5 -B5 "header\|nav"`

**If intentional:**
Accept the new baseline:
- TDD dashboard at `http://localhost:47392`
- Cloud: `vizzly comparisons -b <build-id>` → `vizzly approve <id>`
- Local TDD: `cp .vizzly/current/homepage.png .vizzly/baselines/homepage.png`

When TDD Server Isn't Running

If .vizzly/report-data.json doesn't exist or is empty, the TDD server may not be running:

1. Check if server is running: Look for .vizzly/server.json
2. If not running, suggest: vizzly tdd start
3. Then run tests to generate screenshots

Tips for Better Analysis

• Always view BOTH baseline and current images before analyzing
• Be specific about what changed (not just "it looks different")
• Quantify changes when possible ("shifted ~15px", "color changed from #fff to #f0f0f0")
• Consider the context of recent code changes
• Ask if you need more information about what the user was working on