Java testing strategies
Apply proven testing strategies (RIGHT-BICEP, A-TRIP, CORRECT) to design and verify Java unit tests.
What is covered in this Skill?
- RIGHT-BICEP: Key questions to guide test creation — Right results, Boundary conditions, Inverse relationships, Cross-checks, Error conditions, Performance
- A-TRIP: Characteristics of good tests — Automatic, Thorough, Repeatable, Independent, Professional
- CORRECT: Boundary condition verification — Conformance, Ordering, Range, Reference, Existence, Cardinality, Time
Constraints
Before applying any test strategy changes, ensure the project compiles. If compilation fails, stop immediately — do not proceed until resolved. After applying improvements, run full verification.
- MANDATORY: Run
./mvnw compile or mvn compile before applying any change
- SAFETY: If compilation fails, stop immediately and do not proceed — compilation failure is a blocking condition
- VERIFY: Run
./mvnw clean verify or mvn clean verify after applying improvements
- BEFORE APPLYING: Read only the testing-strategy references selected by the user's concern before changing tests
- FOCUSED ROUTING: For missing behavior coverage or RIGHT-BICEP requests, read
references/130-java-testing-strategies-right-bicep.md by default
- FOCUSED ROUTING: For flaky, brittle, manual, order-dependent, shared-state, or maintainability requests, read
references/130-java-testing-strategies-a-trip.md by default
- FOCUSED ROUTING: For boundary-condition or CORRECT requests, read
references/130-java-testing-strategies-correct.md by default
- BROAD REVIEW: For broad test-strategy reviews, combine RIGHT-BICEP, A-TRIP, and CORRECT references and categorize findings by technique
- EDGE CASE: If the user goal is ambiguous, stop and ask a clarifying question before editing files or running project-wide commands
- EDGE CASE: If required context, files, credentials, or tools are missing, report the blocker explicitly and ask whether to proceed with setup or fallback guidance
- EDGE CASE: If requested changes conflict with project constraints or safety boundaries, explain the conflict and ask for user confirmation on the preferred trade-off
When to use this skill
- Review Java code for testing strategies
- Find missing Java test cases or behavior coverage gaps
- Apply RIGHT-BICEP testing strategies in Java code
- Review flaky, brittle, order-dependent, or hard-to-maintain Java tests
- Apply A-TRIP testing strategies in Java code
- Review Java boundary condition tests
- Apply CORRECT boundary condition verification in Java code
Workflow
- Compile project before test-strategy changes
Run ./mvnw compile or mvn compile and stop immediately if compilation fails.
- Select focused testing-strategy references
Route the request before reading references:
- Read
references/130-java-testing-strategies-right-bicep.md when the request asks what to test, which behavior is missing, whether assertions prove the right result, how to force errors, how to cross-check, or how to add performance guardrails.
- Read
references/130-java-testing-strategies-a-trip.md when the request asks why tests are flaky, brittle, manual, slow to run locally, order-dependent, shared-state dependent, unclear, or hard to maintain.
- Read
references/130-java-testing-strategies-correct.md when the request asks for boundary-condition review, CORRECT analysis, invalid input handling, conformance, ordering, range, external reference, existence, cardinality, or time cases.
- For broad test-strategy reviews, read all three focused references and organize findings by RIGHT-BICEP, A-TRIP, and CORRECT.
Do not require unrelated references for a narrow request unless the user's concern crosses technique boundaries.
- Apply strategy-driven test improvements
Improve or add tests using the selected technique: produce a RIGHT-BICEP gap matrix for missing behavior coverage, an A-TRIP quality finding list for test reliability and maintainability issues, a CORRECT boundary checklist for boundary reviews, or all three sections for broad reviews.
- Verify with full build
Run ./mvnw clean verify or mvn clean verify after applying improvements.
Reference
For detailed guidance, examples, and constraints, see: