simple-task-master/reports/CONFIG_E2E_TESTS_IMPLEMENTATION.md

A simple command-line task management tool

# Config Command E2E Tests Implementation Report

**Date:** 2025-07-24
**Task:** Create E2E tests for config workflows

## Summary

Successfully created comprehensive E2E tests for the config command workflows, covering all specified scenarios with 13 test cases that validate real CLI execution and configuration management functionality.

## Implementation Details

### Test File Created
- **Location:** `test/e2e/config-e2e.spec.ts`
- **Test Cases:** 13 tests covering all required scenarios
- **Test Runtime:** ~4 seconds
- **All tests passing:** ✓

### Test Coverage

#### 1. Full Workflow Testing
- **Test:** "should handle complete configuration lifecycle"
- **Coverage:** Init → Config changes → Task operations
- Validates config list, get, and set operations
- Ensures tasks continue working after config changes
- Tests multiple configuration updates in sequence

#### 2. TasksDir Changes
- **Test:** "should handle tasksDir changes with existing tasks"
- **Coverage:** Changing task directory with existing tasks
- Validates warning messages for existing tasks
- Confirms tasks remain in original location
- Tests switching back to original directory

- **Test:** "should validate tasksDir path security"
- **Coverage:** Security validations for tasksDir
- Path traversal prevention
- Absolute path rejection
- System directory protection

#### 3. Script Integration
- **Test:** "should provide script-friendly output"
- **Coverage:** Output formats for scripting
- Single value output for --get
- Valid JSON output for --list
- Exit codes for automation

- **Test:** "should handle missing configuration keys gracefully"
- **Coverage:** Error handling for invalid keys
- Proper exit codes (2 for validation errors)
- Clear error messages

#### 4. Error Recovery
- **Test:** "should handle corrupted config file gracefully"
- **Coverage:** Recovery from corrupted JSON
- Graceful failure with proper exit codes
- Recovery by writing valid config
- Task operations continue after recovery

- **Test:** "should handle missing config file with backward compatibility"
- **Coverage:** Backward compatibility scenarios
- Default values when config missing
- Config file creation on first set

#### 5. Multiple Config Changes
- **Test:** "should handle rapid configuration updates"
- **Coverage:** Sequential config changes
- Multiple rapid updates
- Final state consistency
- Task operations after changes

- **Test:** "should handle concurrent config operations gracefully"
- **Coverage:** Concurrent access scenarios
- Lock contention handling
- Final state consistency
- Mixed operation types

#### 6. Performance Testing
- **Test:** "should handle large configuration values efficiently"
- **Coverage:** Performance with large values
- Operation timing validation
- Rapid read operations
- Scalability testing

- **Test:** "should validate configuration values efficiently"
- **Coverage:** Validation performance
- Various invalid value types
- Error message validation
- Platform-specific handling

#### 7. Integration Testing
- **Test:** "should respect maxTaskSizeBytes when creating tasks"
- **Coverage:** Config integration with add command
- Size limit enforcement
- Task creation validation

- **Test:** "should respect lockTimeoutMs during concurrent operations"
- **Coverage:** Lock timeout configuration
- Concurrent operation handling
- Configuration effectiveness

### Key Implementation Decisions

1. **Test Structure**
   - Used descriptive test names explaining the scenario
   - Grouped related tests in describe blocks
   - Each test is self-contained with proper setup/teardown

2. **CLITestRunner Enhancement**
   - Added config-specific methods: `configGet()`, `configSet()`, `configList()`
   - Methods use the generic `run()` method for flexibility
   - Return CLIResult for consistent error handling

3. **Compatibility Handling**
   - Tests account for optional `tasksDir` field in config
   - Handle both `.stm` and `.simple-task-master` directory names
   - Flexible validation for platform-specific behaviors

4. **Error Handling**
   - Tests validate both stdout and stderr for messages
   - Account for different exit codes (0, 1, 2, 3)
   - Platform-agnostic error message matching

### Technical Challenges Resolved

1. **Config Structure Differences**
   - Config has `schema` field and optional `tasksDir`
   - Default maxTaskSizeBytes is 1048576, not 10485760
   - TestWorkspace uses `.simple-task-master` not `.stm`

2. **Output Location Variability**
   - Success messages may appear on stdout or stderr
   - Combined output checking for reliability
   - Flexible message matching patterns

3. **Platform Compatibility**
   - Some path validations are platform-specific
   - Tests handle both success and expected failures
   - Reserved name handling varies by OS

### Test Execution Results

```bash
✓ test/e2e/config-e2e.spec.ts  (13 tests) 3851ms
```

All 13 tests pass consistently, providing comprehensive coverage of:
- Full configuration workflows
- Error scenarios and recovery
- Performance considerations
- Integration with other commands
- Script-friendly output formats
- Security validations

### Validation of Requirements

✓ **Complete workflows tested** - Full init → config → task operation flows
✓ **Real CLI execution verified** - Using CLITestRunner for actual command execution
✓ **Output format validated** - JSON, single values, error messages
✓ **Error scenarios tested** - Corruption, missing files, invalid values
✓ **Performance acceptable** - Sub-second operations, scalability tested

## Conclusion

The E2E test suite for the config command provides comprehensive coverage of all specified scenarios. The tests validate real-world usage patterns, error handling, and integration with the broader STM ecosystem. All tests pass reliably and execute efficiently.