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

1. Compile project before test-strategy changes

Run ./mvnw compile or mvn compile and stop immediately if compilation fails.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Verify with full build

Run ./mvnw clean verify or mvn clean verify after applying improvements.

Reference

For detailed guidance, examples, and constraints, see:

• references/130-java-testing-strategies-right-bicep.md
• references/130-java-testing-strategies-a-trip.md
• references/130-java-testing-strategies-correct.md