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This skill helps you write and run Bun test suites with Jest-compatible syntax, including describe/it, patterns, and modifiers.
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---
name: Bun Test Basics
description: Use for bun:test syntax, assertions, describe/it, test.skip/only/each, and basic patterns.
version: 1.0.0
---
# Bun Test Basics
Bun ships with a fast, built-in, Jest-compatible test runner. Tests run with the Bun runtime and support TypeScript/JSX natively.
## Quick Start
```bash
# Run all tests
bun test
# Run specific file
bun test ./test/math.test.ts
# Run tests matching pattern
bun test --test-name-pattern "addition"
```
## Writing Tests
```typescript
import { test, expect, describe } from "bun:test";
test("2 + 2", () => {
expect(2 + 2).toBe(4);
});
describe("math", () => {
test("addition", () => {
expect(1 + 1).toBe(2);
});
test("subtraction", () => {
expect(5 - 3).toBe(2);
});
});
```
## Test File Patterns
Bun discovers test files matching:
- `*.test.{js|jsx|ts|tsx}`
- `*_test.{js|jsx|ts|tsx}`
- `*.spec.{js|jsx|ts|tsx}`
- `*_spec.{js|jsx|ts|tsx}`
## Test Modifiers
```typescript
// Skip a test
test.skip("not ready", () => {
// won't run
});
// Only run this test
test.only("focus on this", () => {
// other tests won't run
});
// Placeholder for future test
test.todo("implement later");
// Expected to fail
test.failing("known bug", () => {
throw new Error("This is expected");
});
```
## Parameterized Tests
```typescript
test.each([
[1, 1, 2],
[2, 2, 4],
[3, 3, 6],
])("add(%i, %i) = %i", (a, b, expected) => {
expect(a + b).toBe(expected);
});
// With objects
test.each([
{ a: 1, b: 2, expected: 3 },
{ a: 5, b: 5, expected: 10 },
])("add($a, $b) = $expected", ({ a, b, expected }) => {
expect(a + b).toBe(expected);
});
```
## Concurrent Tests
```typescript
// Run tests in parallel
test.concurrent("async test 1", async () => {
await fetch("/api/1");
});
test.concurrent("async test 2", async () => {
await fetch("/api/2");
});
// Force sequential when using --concurrent
test.serial("must run alone", () => {
// runs sequentially
});
```
## Common Matchers
```typescript
// Equality
expect(value).toBe(4); // Strict equality
expect(obj).toEqual({ a: 1 }); // Deep equality
expect(value).toStrictEqual(4); // Strict + type
// Truthiness
expect(value).toBeTruthy();
expect(value).toBeFalsy();
expect(value).toBeNull();
expect(value).toBeDefined();
expect(value).toBeUndefined();
// Numbers
expect(value).toBeGreaterThan(3);
expect(value).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(3);
expect(value).toBeLessThan(5);
expect(value).toBeCloseTo(0.3, 5); // Floating point
// Strings
expect(str).toMatch(/pattern/);
expect(str).toContain("substring");
expect(str).toStartWith("Hello");
expect(str).toEndWith("world");
// Arrays
expect(arr).toContain(item);
expect(arr).toContainEqual({ a: 1 });
expect(arr).toHaveLength(3);
// Objects
expect(obj).toHaveProperty("key");
expect(obj).toHaveProperty("key", value);
expect(obj).toMatchObject({ a: 1 });
// Exceptions
expect(() => fn()).toThrow();
expect(() => fn()).toThrow("message");
expect(() => fn()).toThrow(CustomError);
// Async
await expect(promise).resolves.toBe(value);
await expect(promise).rejects.toThrow();
// Negation
expect(value).not.toBe(5);
```
## CLI Options
```bash
# Timeout per test (default 5000ms)
bun test --timeout 20
# Bail after N failures
bun test --bail
bun test --bail=10
# Watch mode
bun test --watch
# Random order
bun test --randomize
bun test --seed 12345
# Concurrent execution
bun test --concurrent
bun test --concurrent --max-concurrency 4
# Filter by name
bun test -t "pattern"
```
## Output Reporters
```bash
# Dots (compact)
bun test --dots
# JUnit XML (CI/CD)
bun test --reporter=junit --reporter-outfile=./results.xml
```
## Common Errors
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|-------|-------|-----|
| `Test timeout` | Test exceeds 5s | Use `--timeout` or optimize |
| `No tests found` | Wrong file pattern | Check file naming |
| `expect is not defined` | Missing import | Import from `bun:test` |
| `Assertion failed` | Test failure | Check expected vs actual |
## When to Load References
Load `references/matchers.md` when:
- Need complete matcher reference
- Custom matcher patterns
Load `references/cli-options.md` when:
- Full CLI flag reference
- Advanced execution options
This skill teaches Bun's built-in test runner patterns and syntax for fast, Jest-compatible testing in TypeScript/JSX. It covers core test primitives, file discovery patterns, modifiers like skip/only/todo, parameterized and concurrent tests, common matchers, and useful CLI options. Use it to get tests running quickly and to standardize test patterns for projects using Bun.
The skill inspects and explains Bun test primitives (test, describe, expect) and file naming conventions that Bun auto-discovers. It walks through test modifiers (skip/only/todo/failing), parameterized tests with test.each, concurrent/serial execution, and common assertion matchers. It also summarizes CLI flags for running, filtering, and reporting test runs.
How do I run only tests matching a name?
Use bun test --test-name-pattern "pattern" or the short flag -t "pattern" to filter by test name.
What file names will Bun discover as tests?
Bun finds files matching patterns like *.test.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}, *_test.*, *.spec.*, and *_spec.*.
How do I handle flaky or expected-failing tests?
Use test.failing for expected failures and test.skip to skip flaky cases until fixed; avoid long-term skips.