rea/docs/testing.md

Testing REA

Prefer evidence in this order: full end-to-end workflows with real production providers, integration tests across data/API boundaries, then golden regressions from real captured inputs. Keep focused module tests for distinct failure or semantic cases that these workflows cannot reliably reproduce. A test's path or suite name does not establish its behavioral depth.

Tests are grouped into Vitest projects so ownership, allowed dependencies and runtime cost are visible from their paths. Before pruning a test, identify the replacement scenario and its assertions; passing success journeys do not replace malformed input, cancellation, permission or cleanup coverage.

Behavioral depths

Depth	Location	What it proves
Module	src/**/*.test.ts	One domain, service, or adapter through its narrow public surface
Composition	tests/composition/**	Provider-neutral session and registry wiring; filesystem access is limited to fixture materialization
Boundary	tests/boundary/**	Exactly one production filesystem, process, network, browser, CLI, or provider boundary
MCP boundary	tests/boundary/mcp/**	MCP transport and tool-contract boundaries with isolated sessions and explicit cleanup
Acceptance	tests/acceptance/**	A compiled CLI or MCP journey; injected providers still make it integration
Conformance	tests/conformance/**	Shared provider contracts, parameterized by declared capabilities and explicit opt-outs
Evaluation	tests/evaluation/**	Deterministic evaluator parsing, scoring, and report generation

Colocated domain tests may import only their owning domain and inward dependencies. They do not construct sessions or servers and do not start subprocesses or network listeners. Colocated application tests exercise one service through explicit ports and recording adapters, never a CLI or MCP entrypoint. Composition tests may assemble provider-neutral sessions and registries but do not cross production filesystem, process, socket, or browser boundaries. Boundary tests cross one production boundary. Only acceptance tests assemble the complete runtime or invoke the compiled product surface.

Focused immutable builders and recording ports shared by one test family live beside their production owner as src/**/*.fixture.ts. They are typechecked with the suite and excluded from package builds; broader runtime and provider fixtures remain under tests/fixtures/**.

tests/process-global/** is reserved for cases with a demonstrated dependency on process-global state. Those tests use isolated forks so environment and exit-status changes cannot leak between files. Serialize a case only when it demonstrably shares an external resource that cannot be isolated. Reusable, test-scoped fixtures live under tests/support/**; immutable source artifacts remain under tests/fixtures/**. The process-global Vitest configuration contract rejects new direct temporary-root creation outside the workspace seam and its narrowly documented boundary/package exceptions.

Real Hopper, Ghidra, browser, package, and managed-code claims belong to their explicit npm run verify:* lanes. The reconstruction-readiness lane also checks deterministic rerun, tamper, and stale-input handling; those checks do not execute extracted JavaScript modules. When application runtime behavior is needed, exercise the actual target through browser, Electron, or process capture. Real model trials are manual; Vitest covers deterministic evaluator logic.

End-to-end, integration and golden evidence

Full E2E tests invoke the production command dispatcher and real providers, without fake launchers, runners or responses. verify:keyed-archive writes an actual Foundation binary archive, runs the CLI and a separate stdio MCP subprocess, checks parity and pagination, rejects an escaping path and checks an XML graph golden. verify:asset-catalog compiles source-owned colors with actool, invokes real assetutil, then checks CLI/MCP results, exact catalog digest, every raw metadata field, pagination and malformed input rejection. Neither artifact workflow requires Hopper or launches it. Both run in macOS CI.

MCP SDK transport tests with recording providers remain integration tests. They are useful for schema drift and failure projection but do not prove that Hopper, Ghidra or another substituted engine works. verify:package proves packaging/install behavior and fake-provider integration; use the corresponding real-provider lanes for engine claims. Real Apple dispatch and Interface Builder verifiers currently prove format integration through production readers.

Golden tests use immutable captured text inputs with producer/source provenance under tests/fixtures/golden/. Expected results are reviewed for the semantic claim; capture commands do not automatically approve new expected outputs. Do not call handcrafted utility output or synthetic binary builders real-data goldens. Keep unsupported binary layouts and malformed boundaries as targeted regressions until a real fixture establishes equivalent coverage.

verify:browser also captures a source-owned noise canvas as a real PNG above 8 MiB through the CLI and stdio MCP, with complete byte/digest parity and real PNG decoding. Its SDK client explicitly permits the larger inline JSON response; this lane does not establish large image-comparison request transport coverage.

The test suite audit records the pruning decisions, replacement evidence and remaining priorities.

Real-toolchain verification lanes

Each real-toolchain command must require only the host tools needed to prove its stated claim. Use a host-native fixture for host/provider acceptance, and place optional cross-target formats or platform-specific runners in separate commands. Check prerequisites before starting expensive work and name the missing command, target, and lane in any failure message. A lane must not imply that a host or target is covered when it was skipped.

Ghidra lane	Supported runner/target	Additional local tools
npm run verify:ghidra	Linux x64 ELF or macOS x64/arm64 Mach-O	Host C compiler, Ghidra 12.1.4, and full JDK 21
npm run verify:ghidra:switch	Linux x64 ELF; GCC/Clang optimized and stripped switch fixtures	GCC, Clang, GNU nm/objdump/strip, Ghidra 12.1.4, and full JDK 21
npm run verify:ghidra:aarch64-jump-table	Any supported Ghidra host; AArch64 ELF; byte/halfword tables; host ARM64 Mach-O	Clang with AArch64 target support, Ghidra 12.1.4, and full JDK 21
npm run verify:ghidra:cross-format	Any supported Ghidra host; also analyzes AArch64 ELF, x86-64 PE, and x86-64 Mach-O	clang, LLD, and lld-link in addition to host-lane prerequisites
npm run verify:ghidra:windows	Controlled Windows x64 with native x86-64 PE	Ghidra 12.1.4, full JDK 21, and the matching native artifact

Windows native conformance runs with npm run verify:windows-native and does not require Ghidra or Java. An optional independently compiled Windows fixture adds in-place reparse, breakaway, environment, and token observations. npm run verify:ghidra:windows:package additionally packs and installs REA into an isolated prefix and runs ordinary-user CLI/MCP operations against their canonical schemas. Run the controlled fixture generator before that lane, or supply an installed package root and an explicit fixture as arguments. The host-native Ghidra lane also verifies native value tracing through the production CLI and a separate stdio MCP process. It compares complete dependency graphs, validates Evidence and upstream/workflow profiles, checks capability discovery, and closes the MCP session. No provider or transport is mocked.

The Linux switch lane checks dense, sparse-with-holes, shared-body, nonzero, negative, and nonexact JSON integer labels plus a comparison-only control. Independent source labels, ELF file bytes, table slots, and bounds branches define expected case/default destinations. Production CLI and MCP must agree; debug labels must retain their signed values. For stripped negative fixtures, the independently checked 32-bit dispatch permits equivalent unsigned labels only alongside the reported low-confidence undefined4 parameter; original source signedness remains unknown and the ABI residual must remain visible. unsafe labels remain unresolved and every recovered destination is retained. The compiler oracle also injects malformed records to check that its assertions reject missing/default-confused labels, wrong destinations, and numeric guesses. It also invokes the actual bridge methods on detached Ghidra model objects to check ambiguous dispatches, signed literals, precision bounds, shared targets, and conflicting labels. This reflection fixture depends on the pinned Ghidra model and does not claim a compiler produced those synthetic graph shapes. Pass --entrypoint /path/to/installed/rea-agents/scripts/rea.mjs directly to scripts/verify-real-ghidra-switch.mjs to verify an installed package through the same compiler oracles and CLI/MCP checks.

The cross-format Ghidra lane also analyzes an optimized AArch64 ELF switch fixture. It checks the recovered case values against the source cases and requires unresolved table bounds or case mappings to remain visible as residual unknowns.

npm run verify:inspector requires the supported Node.js runtime and installed REA dependencies. CI runs it on Linux and Windows. It starts owned loopback Node Inspector fixtures and verifies discovery and passive observation through the CLI and stdio MCP, including special filenames, unresolved discovery locations, and independently resolved loaded scripts. Double-quote filenames are tested on POSIX only because Windows does not support them.

Android APK analysis

npm run verify:android requires an existing Java 17+ and an explicit REA_JADX_MCP_JAR for jadx-headless-mcp 0.7.1. Set REA_ANDROID_TEST_APK to the fixed public ApiDemos v6.0.18 fixture. Obtain both with the explicit npm run fixtures:android command; files are SHA-256 verified and kept under ignored _reference/. No Gradle build, Android SDK, emulator or application execution is required. The lane compares real CLI/MCP package, class search, class inventory, method decompilation and incoming references. See Android analysis for boundaries and resource budgets.

Synthetic producer regressions run independently:

npm run test:focused -- tests/boundary/android/jadxIntegration.test.ts tests/boundary/mcp/androidAnalysisMcp.test.ts

Optional NativeAOT Ghidra analysis

This lane is separate from the default native lane. build:fixtures:nativeaot requires an existing .NET SDK 8.0.416, the platform NativeAOT compiler/linker and runtime pack 8.0.22. It builds benign sources into ignored _reference/ and records independent symbol/directory/SHA oracles; it never executes the target. Linux also builds stripped, ordinary-native and small malformed/ambiguous/layout negative inputs. The optional Windows fixture workflow builds a PE on a Windows runner; analyzing that PE on Linux does not verify a Windows Ghidra host.

Build the clean pinned upstream adapter with build:ghidra:nativeaot, then set REA_GHIDRA_NATIVEAOT_JAR. Run verify:ghidra:nativeaot -- symbols, -- stripped, -- ordinary, -- unsupported, -- malformed, -- ambiguous, and -- loader-failure, and -- default-native separately. The loader-failure mode source-builds a deliberately failing JDK 21 initializer and checks the actual loader cause and cleanup. The default-native mode verifies ordinary analysis with the optional extension disabled. The real MCP lane checks source identity, inline format discovery, metadata relationships/slots against independent compiler symbols, frozen strings, pseudocode and owned cleanup. Set REA_NATIVEAOT_PROOF_CLI=1 for one equivalent CLI type inspection; this costs an additional full import. Select an unpacked installed package with REA_NATIVEAOT_PROOF_PACKAGE_ROOT, a fixture directory with REA_NATIVEAOT_PROOF_FIXTURE_ROOT, and optional evidence capture directory with REA_NATIVEAOT_PROOF_CAPTURE_DIR (absolute paths).

Keep builds/imports sequential on small hosts; scope GHIDRA_HEADLESS_MAXMEM (e.g. 768M) to this command and use CPU affinity if needed. REA does not install or upgrade Java, Ghidra, .NET or native toolchains. See the supported layout and provenance.

DOS Ghidra analysis

npm run verify:ghidra:dos requires the supported Ghidra and JDK installation on Linux x64 or macOS x64/arm64. It generates a source-owned MZ fixture without a DOS emulator or compiler, then checks real 16-bit decoding, segment relocation, near/far calls, decompilation, disjoint function body ranges, stable CLI/MCP observations, unchanged source bytes, and owned process/project cleanup. Raw p-code address-space selector tokens are reported separately from the stable observation comparison. Linux x64 is verified; macOS DOS remains unverified. This lane is separate from host-native and optional cross-format verification. See DOS analysis.

npm run verify:ghidra:com uses a generated headerless fixture with no compiler, DOS emulator or game data. It exercises explicit admission, BinaryLoader entry preparation, measured register context, whole-file byte readback, source offsets, unmapped PSP/partial reads, actual decompilation, CLI/MCP parity and owned cleanup. It has the same Ghidra/JDK prerequisites as the MZ lane. Neither lane claims DOS runtime or PC-98 device execution.

Apple Interface Builder archives

npm run verify:interface-builder compiles the source-owned AppKit XIB into a real .nib with Xcode ibtool, wraps it in a temporary app bundle, and checks the decoded view hierarchy, outlet, action, evidence coverage, and truncation status. Storyboard compilation additionally requires an installed iOS platform.

Keep the provider-specific acceptance path independent from optional cross-compilers. Cross-format failures belong to the cross-format lane and must not make native host acceptance unavailable.

Developer commands

Use source feedback while editing, explicit boundary checks for the changed behavior, and complete CI evidence before merging.

Command	Scope
npm run test:local	Dirty source tests via the import graph, without build; explicit source paths run regardless of Git status
npm run test:focused -- PATH...	Exact existing test files; compiled boundaries build first, and unmatched paths fail
npm run test:changed	Source tests affected since the merge base with origin/main, including committed and dirty changes
npm run test:fast	All domain, service, adapter, composition, conformance, and evaluation tests without build
npm run test:boundary	Boundary, MCP boundary, process boundary, and process-global projects
npm run test:mcp	MCP boundary project
npm run test:acceptance	Complete compiled CLI and MCP acceptance workflows
npm run test:watch	Dirty source tests in watch mode, without build
npm run test:watch:all	Changed tests from every project; builds at startup, so rebuild after production edits before relying on compiled tests
npm run check:changed	Cached typecheck/lint and branch-related source feedback
npm run check:pr	Opt-in complete local deterministic gate and generated-file checks
npm run docs:check	Committed generated-document freshness

For example:

npm run test:local -- src/config.test.ts
npm run test:focused -- tests/acceptance/applications/runtime.test.ts
npm run test:changed -- --base origin/main
npm run test:changed -- --dry-run

test:focused accepts exact repository-relative test file paths. Source-only paths do not build; boundary, acceptance, process-global, or unfamiliar tests/ paths build conservatively. Tests use Vitest concurrency and isolated workspaces; commands do not hold a broad test lock. Build and documentation writers retain checkout-local locks for their shared output files. Explicit selections do not use --changed or permit zero-test success. The dry-run option reports the chosen merge base, scope and build prerequisite without executing tests or building. A missing Git base reports how to fetch it or select another revision.

Changed selection can miss runtime registration, generated data, shell entrypoints, bridges, or other relationships absent from the import graph. An empty changed selection means no tests were selected, not verified correctness. Select relevant boundary files and real-provider lanes explicitly. Source projects also contain large capacity regressions; test:fast promises no compiled-runtime prerequisite, not a fixed time budget.

Routine iterations and rebases need focused regressions and relevant checks. Before handing off a PR, run npm run check and generated-document checks when applicable; CI owns the full suite and coverage. Use the full local gate for broad changes or diagnosing CI, rather than after every edit. Package/install changes additionally need package verification; provider changes need actual provider evidence.

Local full-suite Vitest runs use up to two workers and schedule projects one at a time. Process, acceptance and process-global projects serialize their files to prevent competing lifecycle observations. CI retains its two-worker budget. The pure domain/contracts and recording-port service projects share one worker module context because their tests own no mutable runtime resources. MCP boundary files also share the immutable server module graph while creating and closing independent in-memory sessions. Adapter, composition, acceptance, process-global, and other boundary projects retain per-file isolation. npm test, npm run docs:check, and npm run docs:generate share repository-local locks and fail fast when the same class of command is already running. The npm test build is inside that lock. check:pr runs its test task before starting generated-document validation.

Vitest and Node persistent compile caches are deliberately not enabled by default. To evaluate repeated local runs, opt in for both cold and warm measurements with an isolated cache:

NODE_COMPILE_CACHE=.cache/node-compile npm test

Do not report the warm result as a cold-suite improvement, and do not enable the cache in coverage or benchmark CI without first showing that its instrumentation remains equivalent.

Coverage and timing

CI owns coverage. The aggregate floors are 65% statements, 60% branches, 60% functions, and 68% lines. src/domain/** must reach 80% statements, 75% branches, 75% functions, and 80% lines. src/contracts/** must reach 85% statements, 80% branches, 80% functions, and 85% lines. Thresholds are glob-specific rather than per-file and are never updated automatically. Coverage does not replace named boundary, acceptance, or real-provider scenario matrices.

CI runs four native Vitest shards without retries. Each shard emits a blob report; the merge job produces aggregate coverage plus JUnit and JSON timing reports, uploads them together, and writes the slowest files to the workflow summary. Static checks, documentation, build, package verification, and real-system lanes remain separate jobs so one kind of evidence cannot stand in for another.

The PR acceptance target is a median npm run check:pr wall time below three minutes across three warm-build runs on the benchmark host. Keep Vitest caches cold unless separately identified. A PR that touches packaging or real-system behavior requires the applicable verify:* lanes; packaging and installation changes also require npm run verify:package. The full-gate benchmark measures that explicit lane, not the routine iteration requirement.

Apple native metadata and UI

npm run verify:apple-dispatch compiles Objective-C class/protocol and Swift conformance/vtable fixtures, inspects their bytes and repeats after stripping local symbols. It requires macOS and the host Xcode toolchain; targets are not executed. npm run verify:native-ui launches exactly one source-owned fixture window and requires successful selected-window capture and selected actions. An OS permission denial fails the positive lane. npm run verify:native-ui:permissions allows a host-permission-boundary-only result and explicitly reports positive_e2e: false; it must not be reported as capture/action proof. Both commands reject a changed executable digest and clean up the fixture process and helper. These lanes require an interactive macOS desktop. See native investigation for the exact ABI, authority, graph and observation boundaries.

Firmware adapters

npm run fixtures:firmware uses existing Python 3 and a host C compiler to make an ignored gzip/USTAR firmware fixture and independent offset/hash oracle. npm run verify:firmware requires caller-supplied Binwalk 3.1.0, Unblob 26.6.4 and util-linux prlimit on Linux. It verifies CLI/MCP parity, selected ranges, unknown chunks, depth limits and extracted child digests. The optional REA_FIRMWARE_VERIFY_EXT4=1 lane requires existing mke2fs/debugfs; the separate REA_FIRMWARE_VERIFY_GHIDRA=1 lane checks a selected host ELF through real Ghidra. Neither optional toolchain is a base-lane prerequisite. See firmware analysis for limits and unverified formats.