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integration-test-scaffold skill

/skills/testing/integration-test-scaffold

This skill generates a cross-module integration test scaffold with mock servers, in-memory stores, and test configuration to validate full-stack flows.

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---
name: integration-test-scaffold
description: Generate cross-module test harness with mock servers, in-memory stores, and test configuration. Use when testing networking + persistence + business logic together.
allowed-tools: [Read, Write, Edit, Glob, Grep, Bash, AskUserQuestion]
---

# Integration Test Scaffold

Generate test infrastructure for testing multiple modules working together — networking + persistence + business logic — without hitting real servers or databases.

## When This Skill Activates

Use this skill when the user:
- Wants to "test the full stack" or "integration test"
- Needs a mock server or mock API
- Wants to test networking + caching together
- Asks about "end-to-end tests without real servers"
- Needs to test data flow across layers (API → Repository → ViewModel)
- Mentions "test harness" or "test environment"

## Why Integration Tests

```
Unit tests:         Test ONE thing in isolation (fast, focused)
Integration tests:  Test MULTIPLE things together (realistic, catches wiring bugs)

Unit test passes:   PriceCalculator works alone ✅
Integration test:   PriceCalculator + API + Cache work together ✅
                    (Catches: wrong data format, missing mapping, race conditions)
```

## Process

### Phase 1: Map the Integration Boundaries

Identify what modules interact:

```
Grep: "import |@testable import" to find module dependencies
Read: source files to understand data flow
```

Common integration boundaries:
- **Network → Parser → Repository** (API data flow)
- **Repository → ViewModel → View** (UI data flow)
- **UserAction → Service → Storage → Notification** (write flow)

### Phase 2: Configuration Questions

Ask via AskUserQuestion:

1. **What layers to integrate?**
   - Network + Repository
   - Repository + ViewModel
   - Full stack (Network → ViewModel)
   - Custom combination

2. **Mock strategy?**
   - URLProtocol-based mock server (intercepts real URLSession)
   - Protocol-based mock (swap implementation)
   - In-memory database (SwiftData/CoreData)

### Phase 3: Generate Mock Server

#### URLProtocol Mock Server

```swift
// Tests/Infrastructure/MockURLProtocol.swift

final class MockURLProtocol: URLProtocol {
    /// Map of URL path → (status code, response data)
    static var mockResponses: [String: (Int, Data)] = [:]
    /// Captured requests for verification
    static var capturedRequests: [URLRequest] = []
    /// Simulated delay
    static var responseDelay: TimeInterval = 0

    static func reset() {
        mockResponses = [:]
        capturedRequests = []
        responseDelay = 0
    }

    override class func canInit(with request: URLRequest) -> Bool {
        true  // Intercept all requests
    }

    override class func canonicalRequest(for request: URLRequest) -> URLRequest {
        request
    }

    override func startLoading() {
        Self.capturedRequests.append(request)

        let path = request.url?.path ?? ""
        let (statusCode, data) = Self.mockResponses[path] ?? (404, Data())

        let response = HTTPURLResponse(
            url: request.url!,
            statusCode: statusCode,
            httpVersion: nil,
            headerFields: ["Content-Type": "application/json"]
        )!

        if Self.responseDelay > 0 {
            Thread.sleep(forTimeInterval: Self.responseDelay)
        }

        client?.urlProtocol(self, didReceive: response, cacheStoragePolicy: .notAllowed)
        client?.urlProtocol(self, didLoad: data)
        client?.urlProtocolDidFinishLoading(self)
    }

    override func stopLoading() {}
}
```

#### Mock Server Helper

```swift
// Tests/Infrastructure/MockServer.swift

struct MockServer {
    /// Register a successful JSON response for a path
    static func respondWith<T: Encodable>(
        _ value: T,
        for path: String,
        statusCode: Int = 200
    ) {
        let data = try! JSONEncoder().encode(value)
        MockURLProtocol.mockResponses[path] = (statusCode, data)
    }

    /// Register a raw data response
    static func respondWith(
        data: Data,
        for path: String,
        statusCode: Int = 200
    ) {
        MockURLProtocol.mockResponses[path] = (statusCode, data)
    }

    /// Register an error response
    static func respondWithError(
        for path: String,
        statusCode: Int = 500
    ) {
        let error = ["error": "Server Error"]
        let data = try! JSONEncoder().encode(error)
        MockURLProtocol.mockResponses[path] = (statusCode, data)
    }

    /// Create a URLSession configured to use mock responses
    static func session() -> URLSession {
        let config = URLSessionConfiguration.ephemeral
        config.protocolClasses = [MockURLProtocol.self]
        return URLSession(configuration: config)
    }
}
```

### Phase 4: Generate In-Memory Store

#### SwiftData In-Memory

```swift
// Tests/Infrastructure/InMemoryModelContainer.swift

import SwiftData

enum TestModelContainer {
    @MainActor
    static func create(for types: any PersistentModel.Type...) -> ModelContainer {
        let schema = Schema(types)
        let config = ModelConfiguration(isStoredInMemoryOnly: true)
        return try! ModelContainer(for: schema, configurations: config)
    }
}

// Usage in tests:
@Test("saves and fetches items")
@MainActor
func savesAndFetches() async throws {
    let container = TestModelContainer.create(for: Item.self)
    let context = container.mainContext

    let item = Item(title: "Test")
    context.insert(item)
    try context.save()

    let fetched = try context.fetch(FetchDescriptor<Item>())
    #expect(fetched.count == 1)
}
```

#### UserDefaults In-Memory

```swift
// Tests/Infrastructure/MockUserDefaults.swift

final class MockUserDefaults: UserDefaults {
    private var storage: [String: Any] = [:]

    override func object(forKey defaultName: String) -> Any? {
        storage[defaultName]
    }

    override func set(_ value: Any?, forKey defaultName: String) {
        storage[defaultName] = value
    }

    override func removeObject(forKey defaultName: String) {
        storage.removeValue(forKey: defaultName)
    }

    override func bool(forKey defaultName: String) -> Bool {
        storage[defaultName] as? Bool ?? false
    }

    override func string(forKey defaultName: String) -> String? {
        storage[defaultName] as? String
    }

    func reset() {
        storage.removeAll()
    }
}
```

### Phase 5: Generate Test Environment

#### Dependency Container for Tests

```swift
// Tests/Infrastructure/TestEnvironment.swift

@testable import YourApp

struct TestEnvironment {
    let session: URLSession
    let container: ModelContainer
    let defaults: MockUserDefaults
    let apiClient: APIClient
    let repository: ItemRepository
    let viewModel: ItemListViewModel

    @MainActor
    static func create() -> TestEnvironment {
        let session = MockServer.session()
        let container = TestModelContainer.create(for: Item.self)
        let defaults = MockUserDefaults()

        let apiClient = APIClient(session: session)
        let repository = ItemRepository(
            apiClient: apiClient,
            modelContext: container.mainContext
        )
        let viewModel = ItemListViewModel(repository: repository)

        return TestEnvironment(
            session: session,
            container: container,
            defaults: defaults,
            apiClient: apiClient,
            repository: repository,
            viewModel: viewModel
        )
    }
}
```

### Phase 6: Generate Integration Tests

#### Full Stack Test: API → Repository → ViewModel

```swift
import Testing
import SwiftData
@testable import YourApp

@Suite("Integration: Item Data Flow")
struct ItemDataFlowIntegrationTests {

    @Test("fetches items from API and displays in ViewModel")
    @MainActor
    func fetchAndDisplay() async throws {
        // Arrange
        MockURLProtocol.reset()
        let env = TestEnvironment.create()
        let items = [
            APIItem(id: "1", title: "First", description: "Desc 1"),
            APIItem(id: "2", title: "Second", description: "Desc 2")
        ]
        MockServer.respondWith(items, for: "/api/items")

        // Act
        await env.viewModel.loadItems()

        // Assert — verify end-to-end
        #expect(env.viewModel.items.count == 2)
        #expect(env.viewModel.items.first?.title == "First")
        #expect(env.viewModel.state == .loaded)
    }

    @Test("caches items and serves from cache when offline")
    @MainActor
    func cacheAndOffline() async throws {
        MockURLProtocol.reset()
        let env = TestEnvironment.create()

        // First load — from API
        MockServer.respondWith([APIItem(id: "1", title: "Cached")], for: "/api/items")
        await env.viewModel.loadItems()
        #expect(env.viewModel.items.count == 1)

        // Second load — API fails, should use cache
        MockServer.respondWithError(for: "/api/items")
        await env.viewModel.loadItems()
        #expect(env.viewModel.items.count == 1)
        #expect(env.viewModel.items.first?.title == "Cached")
    }

    @Test("saves item through full stack")
    @MainActor
    func saveFullStack() async throws {
        MockURLProtocol.reset()
        let env = TestEnvironment.create()
        MockServer.respondWith(APIItem(id: "new", title: "New Item"), for: "/api/items")

        // Act
        try await env.viewModel.addItem(title: "New Item")

        // Assert — saved to local store
        let descriptor = FetchDescriptor<Item>()
        let stored = try env.container.mainContext.fetch(descriptor)
        #expect(stored.count == 1)

        // Assert — API was called
        let postRequests = MockURLProtocol.capturedRequests.filter { $0.httpMethod == "POST" }
        #expect(postRequests.count == 1)
    }

    @Test("handles API error gracefully")
    @MainActor
    func apiErrorGraceful() async throws {
        MockURLProtocol.reset()
        let env = TestEnvironment.create()
        MockServer.respondWithError(for: "/api/items", statusCode: 500)

        await env.viewModel.loadItems()

        #expect(env.viewModel.state == .error)
        #expect(env.viewModel.items.isEmpty)
    }
}
```

#### Request Verification Tests

```swift
@Suite("Integration: API Request Formation")
struct APIRequestFormationTests {

    @Test("sends correct headers")
    @MainActor
    func correctHeaders() async throws {
        MockURLProtocol.reset()
        let env = TestEnvironment.create()
        MockServer.respondWith([APIItem](), for: "/api/items")

        await env.viewModel.loadItems()

        let request = MockURLProtocol.capturedRequests.first
        #expect(request?.value(forHTTPHeaderField: "Content-Type") == "application/json")
        #expect(request?.value(forHTTPHeaderField: "Accept") == "application/json")
    }

    @Test("includes auth token in request")
    @MainActor
    func authToken() async throws {
        MockURLProtocol.reset()
        let env = TestEnvironment.create()
        env.defaults.set("test-token", forKey: "auth_token")
        MockServer.respondWith([APIItem](), for: "/api/items")

        await env.viewModel.loadItems()

        let request = MockURLProtocol.capturedRequests.first
        #expect(request?.value(forHTTPHeaderField: "Authorization") == "Bearer test-token")
    }
}
```

## File Structure

```
Tests/
├── Infrastructure/           # Shared test infrastructure
│   ├── MockURLProtocol.swift
│   ├── MockServer.swift
│   ├── TestModelContainer.swift
│   ├── MockUserDefaults.swift
│   └── TestEnvironment.swift
├── IntegrationTests/         # Integration test suites
│   ├── ItemDataFlowTests.swift
│   ├── AuthFlowTests.swift
│   └── SyncFlowTests.swift
├── Factories/                # Test data (from test-data-factory)
│   └── ...
└── UnitTests/                # Unit tests (from test-generator)
    └── ...
```

## Output Format

```markdown
## Integration Test Scaffold

### Infrastructure Created
| Component | File | Purpose |
|-----------|------|---------|
| Mock Server | MockURLProtocol.swift | Intercepts URLSession |
| Server Helper | MockServer.swift | Register mock responses |
| In-Memory Store | TestModelContainer.swift | SwiftData in-memory |
| Mock Defaults | MockUserDefaults.swift | UserDefaults substitute |
| Test Environment | TestEnvironment.swift | Wires everything together |

### Integration Tests Generated
| Test Suite | Tests | Layers Covered |
|-----------|-------|---------------|
| ItemDataFlowTests | 4 | API → Repo → VM |
| AuthFlowTests | 3 | Auth → API → Keychain |

### Verified Scenarios
- [x] Happy path: fetch → cache → display
- [x] Offline: cache fallback when API fails
- [x] Write: save through full stack
- [x] Error: graceful degradation on server error
- [x] Request: correct headers and auth tokens
```

## References

- `testing/test-data-factory/` — factories used in integration tests
- `testing/test-contract/` — protocol contracts tested at integration level
- `generators/networking-layer/` — networking code being tested
- `generators/persistence-setup/` — persistence code being tested

Overview

This skill generates a cross-module integration test scaffold for Swift projects. It builds mock servers, in-memory stores, and a test environment that wires networking, persistence, and business logic together so you can run realistic integration tests without real servers or databases.

How this skill works

The skill inspects module boundaries and suggests which layers to integrate (network, repository, view model, etc.). It generates a URLProtocol-based mock server, a mock server helper, in-memory SwiftData and UserDefaults substitutes, and a test dependency container that wires session, model container, defaults, API client, repository, and view models. Example integration tests covering happy paths, caching/offline behavior, writes, and request verification are produced.

When to use it

  • You want end-to-end integration tests that avoid real servers and DBs
  • You need to verify data flow across layers (API → Repository → ViewModel)
  • You want to test networking plus caching or persistence together
  • You need a repeatable test harness with captured requests and predictable responses
  • You want request verification (headers, auth) and caching/offline scenarios

Best practices

  • Map integration boundaries before generating scaffolding so only relevant layers are included
  • Prefer URLProtocol when you need to intercept real URLSession traffic; prefer protocol-based swaps for finer unit-test isolation
  • Reset mock server and in-memory stores between tests to avoid state leakage
  • Keep test data in factories and reuse TestEnvironment.create() to keep tests concise
  • Write both happy-path and failure-path integration tests to catch wiring and mapping issues

Example use cases

  • Full-stack flow: API → Repository → ViewModel fetch, cache, and display verification
  • Offline fallback: load from cache when API fails and ensure UI state reflects cached data
  • Write-through: add item via ViewModel, assert API POST was sent and item saved in the in-memory store
  • Request formation: assert headers, authorization, and HTTP methods using captured requests
  • Error handling: simulate server 500 and verify ViewModel enters error state and no invalid writes occur

FAQ

How does the mock server intercept network calls?

It provides a MockURLProtocol registered on a URLSessionConfiguration that intercepts requests, returns configured responses, and records captured requests for verification.

Can I test Core Data or SwiftData with this scaffold?

Yes. The scaffold creates an in-memory ModelContainer for SwiftData (or you can adapt to an in-memory Core Data stack) so tests persist and query without disk IO.