/godot-auditor

Aurelius Protocol: Testing Patterns NEVER List

• NEVER test implementation details — assert_eq(player._internal_state, 5)? Private variables = brittle tests. Test PUBLIC behavior, not internals [20].
• NEVER share state between tests — Test 1 modifies global variable, test 2 assumes clean state? Flaky tests. Use before_each() for fresh setup [21].
• NEVER use sleep() for timing — await get_tree().create_timer(1.0).timeout in tests? Slow + unreliable. Use GUT's wait_seconds() OR manual frame stepping [22].
• NEVER skip cleanup in after_each() — Test spawns 100 nodes, doesn't free? Memory leak + slow test suite. ALWAYS free nodes in after_each() [23].
• NEVER test randomness without seeding — randi() in test = non-deterministic failure. Use seed(12345) for repeatable tests [24].
• NEVER forget to watch signals — assert_signal_emitted(obj, "died") without watch_signals? Fails silently. MUST call watch_signals(obj) first [25].
• NEVER perform tests without an explicit "Definition of Done" — Vague tests like assert_true(true) provide zero value. Every test should verify a specific requirement.
• NEVER rely on editor-only features for CI/CD tests — Headless environments lack Viewports. Ensure tests are headless-compatible.
• NEVER ignore the cost of "Integration Tests" — Testing a whole level is slow. Favor narrow Unit Tests for logic and small Scene Tests for interaction.
• NEVER hardcode file paths in tests — Use Path constants or project-relative strings. If a resource directory moves, your suite shouldn't break.
• NEVER test third-party plugins — Trust the library; test YOUR integration of it.