Generate comprehensive test suites with houtini-lm

Quick Start

Jump straight in and watch as comprehensive test suites appear in seconds:

Generate comprehensive unit tests for this React component at C:/project/src/UserProfile.jsx

Create Jest tests for this Node.js service at C:/api/UserService.js with database mocking

Generate PyTest tests with fixtures for C:/src/calculator.py focusing on edge cases

What It Does

Think of this as your personal testing expert who never gets tired of writing thorough test suites. generate_unit_tests creates comprehensive test suites with framework-specific patterns and intelligent coverage that goes far beyond basic "happy path" testing.

Here's what makes it special:

• Intelligent Coverage Analysis - Understands your code structure and generates tests for all public methods, edge cases, and error conditions
• Sophisticated Mocking - Creates realistic mocks for external dependencies, databases, APIs, and complex integrations
• Framework Expertise - Knows the best patterns for Jest, PyTest, PHPUnit, Mocha, and more
• Edge Case Detection - Spots boundary conditions, null handling, and error scenarios you might miss
• Production-Ready Quality - Tests that actually help prevent bugs, not just increase coverage numbers

The generated tests follow AAA patterns (Arrange, Act, Assert), include proper setup and teardown, and provide clear, descriptive test names that serve as living documentation of your code's expected behaviour.

Parameters

Customise your test generation to match your project's needs and testing philosophy:

*Either filePath or code is required - choose whichever fits your workflow

Real-World Examples

Here's how to generate tests for different scenarios:

React Component with Hooks

houtini-lm:generate_unit_tests with:
- filePath: "C:/project/src/components/UserProfile.tsx"
- testFramework: "jest"
- coverageTarget: "comprehensive"
- context: {
    "framework": "React",
    "hooks": true,
    "testing_library": true,
    "typescript": true
  }

Node.js API with Database

houtini-lm:generate_unit_tests with:
- filePath: "C:/api/services/UserService.js"
- testFramework: "jest"
- coverageTarget: "comprehensive"
- context: {
    "async": true,
    "database": "PostgreSQL",
    "framework": "Express",
    "mocking": "database_operations"
  }

Python Class with Complex Logic

houtini-lm:generate_unit_tests with:
- filePath: "C:/src/models/DataProcessor.py"
- testFramework: "pytest"
- coverageTarget: "edge-cases"
- context: {
    "pandas": true,
    "large_datasets": true,
    "fixtures": true
  }

WordPress Plugin Function

houtini-lm:generate_unit_tests with:
- filePath: "C:/wp-plugin/includes/ContactFormHandler.php"
- testFramework: "phpunit"
- coverageTarget: "comprehensive"
- context: {
    "wordpress": true,
    "hooks": true,
    "database": "WordPress",
    "security": true
  }

Utility Functions (Edge Case Focus)

houtini-lm:generate_unit_tests with:
- code: "function calculateDiscount(price, percentage) { return price * (1 - percentage / 100); }"
- testFramework: "jest"
- coverageTarget: "edge-cases"
- context: {"focus": "boundary_conditions", "validation": true}

What You Get Back

You'll receive production-ready test suites that go far beyond basic coverage:

🎯 Complete Test Files

• Comprehensive test suites covering all public methods and functionality
• Proper file structure with clear organisation and imports
• Setup and teardown methods for clean test isolation
• Descriptive test names that clearly indicate what's being tested

🔍 Edge Case Testing

• Boundary condition tests - minimum/maximum values, empty inputs
• Null and undefined handling - proper defensive programming tests
• Invalid input scenarios - malformed data, wrong types
• Error condition testing - network failures, timeouts, exceptions

🎭 Sophisticated Mock Setup

• External dependency mocking - APIs, databases, third-party services
• Function spies and stubs for behaviour verification
• Realistic test data that mirrors production scenarios
• Mock cleanup to prevent test interference

🏗️ Framework-Specific Patterns

• Jest: describe/it blocks, beforeEach/afterEach, custom matchers
• PyTest: Fixture-based dependency injection, parametrised tests
• PHPUnit: TestCase classes, data providers, mock objects
• React Testing Library: User-centric testing patterns

📊 Testing Best Practices

• AAA Pattern - Arrange, Act, Assert structure for clarity
• Test isolation - Each test can run independently
• Clear assertions - Specific, meaningful test expectations
• Performance considerations - Tests for critical performance scenarios

Framework-Specific Features

Each framework gets specialised treatment based on its unique patterns and best practices:

🟨 JavaScript/TypeScript (Jest/Vitest)

• Modern async testing - Proper handling of Promises and async/await
• Module mocking - jest.mock() patterns for dependencies
• Custom matchers - Framework-specific assertions
• Snapshot testing where appropriate for component output

⚛️ React Components

• React Testing Library patterns - User-centric testing approach
• Hook testing - Custom hooks with proper act() wrapping
• Event simulation - Click, input, and interaction testing
• Context provider mocking - Clean context setup for tests

🐍 Python (PyTest)

• Fixture-based setup - Reusable test dependencies
• Parametrised tests - Multiple test scenarios with one function
• Mock and patch decorators - Clean mocking patterns
• Pytest marks - Test categorisation and filtering

🐘 PHP (PHPUnit)

• TestCase inheritance - Proper PHPUnit class structure
• Data providers - Parametrised testing with datasets
• Mock builders - PHPUnit's mock object patterns
• Setup and teardown - Database and state management

🌐 Node.js APIs

• Supertest integration - HTTP endpoint testing
• Database mocking - Clean database test patterns
• Middleware testing - Express middleware isolation
• Error handling tests - Proper error boundary testing

Perfect Use Cases

Here's when this function becomes absolutely invaluable:

🚀 Test-Driven Development (TDD)

Generate comprehensive test suites before writing implementation code. The tests serve as your specification and guide your development process, ensuring you build exactly what's needed.

🏥 Legacy Code Safety Net

Inherited some mysterious code that needs modification? Generate tests first to understand its behaviour, then make changes confidently knowing you'll catch any regressions.

⚡ Rapid Development Cycles

When deadline pressure makes you want to skip testing, this generates comprehensive suites in seconds. No more "I'll add tests later" - they're done now.

🎓 Learning Testing Patterns

Study the generated tests to learn framework-specific patterns, mocking strategies, and edge case identification. It's like having a testing mentor.

🔒 Critical Function Protection

For payment processing, authentication, or security functions, generate comprehensive tests that cover every possible edge case and error condition.

📋 Code Review Preparation

Generate tests before submitting code for review. Reviewers love seeing thorough tests, and you'll catch issues before they do.

🔄 Refactoring Confidence

Before refactoring complex code, generate comprehensive tests to ensure your changes don't break existing functionality. Refactor fearlessly with a robust safety net.

Best Practices

Get the most value from your generated test suites:

📝 Provide Rich Context

The more context you provide, the better the tests:

• Mention your framework and version (React 18, Node.js 20, Laravel 10)
• Include database or external service dependencies
• Note async patterns or performance requirements
• Specify testing philosophy (unit vs integration focus)

🎯 Choose the Right Coverage Level

• "basic" - Quick test coverage for simple functions
• "comprehensive" - Production-ready testing (recommended default)
• "edge-cases" - Exhaustive testing for critical functions

🔧 Framework-Specific Tips

• React: Always mention if you're using hooks, context, or Redux
• Node.js: Specify database type and whether you need Supertest
• Python: Mention if you need fixtures for complex setup
• PHP: Include WordPress context for plugin/theme testing

⚡ Workflow Integration

Make testing part of your development rhythm:

• Generate tests alongside new features (parallel development)
• Use TDD approach - tests first, then implementation
• Add tests before refactoring existing code
• Review and customise generated tests for your specific needs

🎨 Customisation Strategy

Use generated tests as your foundation:

• Review test names and adjust for clarity
• Add project-specific test cases
• Modify mock data to reflect real scenarios
• Add performance tests for critical paths

Troubleshooting

Hit a snag? Here are solutions to common testing generation issues: