This skill should be used when the user asks to "improve test coverage", "add unit tests", "TDD", "test this module", "write tests for", "increase coverage", "/ut command", or discusses unit testing strategies. Covers the unit test loop workflow, React Testing Library best practices, query priorities, and coverage improvement strategies.
Install
npx skillscat add somtougeh/somto-dev-toolkit/unit-test-loop Install via the SkillsCat registry.
Unit Test Loop - Coverage Improvement
Current branch: !git branch --show-current 2>/dev/null || echo "not in git repo"
The unit test loop uses a 2-phase workflow with Dex task tracking for
persistent, cross-session test coverage improvement.
The 2-Phase Approach
| Phase | Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coverage Analysis | Identify gaps, prioritize files |
| 2 | Dex Handoff | Create epic + tasks from analysis |
After Phase 2, use /complete <task-id> for each test task.
Starting the Loop
/ut "Improve coverage for auth module" # Basic
/ut "Add tests" --target 80% # With targetPhase 1: Coverage Analysis
- Run coverage command to see current state
- Identify files with low coverage
- Prioritize 3-7 test tasks for user-facing behavior
Output: <phase_complete phase="1"/>
Phase 2: Dex Handoff
Create Dex epic with target, then tasks for each gap:
# Create epic
dex create "Unit Test Coverage" --description "Target: 80% coverage"
# For each gap
dex create "Test: login validation" --parent <epic-id> --description "
File: src/auth/login.ts
Current: 45%
Test should verify:
- [ ] Valid credentials succeed
- [ ] Invalid credentials show error
"Output: <phase_complete phase="2"/> or <promise>UT SETUP COMPLETE</promise>
Working on Tasks
Use Dex + /complete workflow:
dex list --pending # See what's ready
dex start <id> # Start working
/complete <id> # Run reviewers and completeReact Testing Library Patterns
"The more your tests resemble the way your software is used,
the more confidence they can give you."
Query Priority (Use in Order)
| Priority | Query | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | getByRole |
Default choice, use name option |
| 2 | getByLabelText |
Form fields with labels |
| 3 | getByPlaceholderText |
Only if no label available |
| 4 | getByText |
Non-interactive elements |
| 5 | getByTestId |
Last resort only |
Query Types
| Type | When to Use |
|---|---|
getBy/getAllBy |
Element exists (throws if not found) |
queryBy/queryAllBy |
Only for asserting absence |
findBy/findAllBy |
Async elements (returns Promise) |
Best Practices
// Use screen
screen.getByRole('button', { name: /submit/i })
// Use userEvent.setup()
const user = userEvent.setup()
await user.click(button)
// Use jest-dom matchers
expect(button).toBeDisabled() // Not: expect(button.disabled).toBe(true)
// Avoid act() - RTL handles it
await screen.findByText('Loaded') // Not: act(() => ...)Quality Standards
- ONE test per task - Focused, reviewable commits
- User-facing behavior only - Test what users depend on
- Quality over quantity - One great test beats ten shallow ones
- No coverage gaming - Use
/* v8 ignore */for untestable code
Command Reference
/ut "prompt" # Start analysis
/ut "prompt" --target 80% # With target
/cancel-ut # Cancel loop
/complete <task-id> # Complete task with reviewersRelated
/complete- Run reviewers and mark Dex task completedex list- View pending tasksdex-workflowskill - Full Dex usage patterns