running-apex-tests

running-apex-tests: Salesforce Test Execution & Coverage Analysis

Use this skill when the user needs Apex test execution and failure analysis: running tests, checking coverage, interpreting failures, improving coverage, and managing a disciplined test-fix loop for Salesforce code.

When This Skill Owns the Task

Use running-apex-tests when the work involves:

• sf apex run test workflows
• Apex unit-test failures
• code coverage analysis
• identifying uncovered lines and missing test scenarios
• structured test-fix loops for Apex code

Delegate elsewhere when the user is:

• writing or refactoring production Apex → generating-apex skill
• testing Agentforce agents → testing-agentforce skill
• testing LWC with Jest → generating-lwc-components

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Required Context to Gather First

Ask for or infer:

• target org alias
• desired test scope: single class, specific methods, suite, or local tests
• coverage threshold expectation
• whether the user wants diagnosis only or a test-fix loop
• whether related test data factories already exist

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Recommended Workflow

1. Discover test scope

Identify:

• existing test classes
• target production classes
• test data factories / setup helpers

2. Run the smallest useful test set first

Start narrow when debugging a failure; widen only after the fix is stable.

3. Analyze results

Focus on:

• failing methods
• exception types and stack traces
• uncovered lines / weak coverage areas
• whether failures indicate bad test data, brittle assertions, or broken production logic

4. Run a disciplined fix loop

When the issue is code or test quality:

• delegate code fixes to generating-apex skill when needed
• add or improve tests
• rerun focused tests before broader regression

5. Improve coverage intentionally

Cover:

• positive path
• negative / exception path
• bulk path (251+ records where appropriate)
• callout or async path when relevant

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High-Signal Rules

Rule	Rationale
Default to SeeAllData=false	Ensures test isolation; prevents reliance on org-specific data
Every test must assert meaningful outcomes	Tests with no assertions prove nothing and give false confidence
Test bulk behavior with 251+ records	Triggers process in batches of 200; 251 records crosses the boundary
Use factories / @TestSetup when they improve clarity	Consistent data creation in one place; rolled back between test methods
Pair Test.startTest() with Test.stopTest() for async	Ensures async operations (queueable, future) complete before assertions
Do not hide flaky org dependencies inside tests	Prevents intermittent failures tied to org state

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Gotchas

Issue	Resolution
Test passes locally but fails in CI org	Check for SeeAllData=true or undeclared dependencies on org-specific records
Coverage drops unexpectedly after refactor	Run focused class-level tests first, then widen to RunLocalTests to confirm
"Uncommitted work pending" error in callout test	DML and HTTP callouts cannot be mixed in the same test context without Test.startTest() wrapping
Mock not taking effect in test	Ensure Test.setMock() is called before the code that makes the callout
@TestSetup data missing in test method	@TestSetup data is committed per test method — re-query it; do not store in static variables

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Output Format

When finishing, report in this order:

1. What tests were run
2. Pass/fail summary
3. Coverage result
4. Root-cause findings
5. Fix or next-run recommendation

Suggested shape:

Test run: <scope>
Org: <alias>
Result: <passed / partial / failed>
Coverage: <percent / key classes>
Issues: <highest-signal failures>
Next step: <fix class, add test, rerun scope, or widen regression>

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Cross-Skill Integration

Need	Delegate to	Reason
Fix production code or author test classes	generating-apex skill	Code generation and repair
Create bulk / edge-case test data	handling-sf-data	Realistic test datasets
Deploy updated tests to org	deploying-metadata	Deployment workflows
Inspect detailed runtime logs	debugging-apex-logs	Deeper failure analysis

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Reference File Index

File	When to read
references/cli-commands.md	All sf apex run test command flags, output formats, async execution, and coverage commands
references/test-patterns.md	Test class templates — basic, bulk (251+), mock callout, and data factory patterns
references/testing-best-practices.md	Core testing principles — AAA pattern, naming conventions, bulk, negative, and mock strategies
references/test-fix-loop.md	Agentic test-fix loop implementation and failure analysis decision tree
references/mocking-patterns.md	HttpCalloutMock, DML mocking, StubProvider, and selector mocking patterns
references/performance-optimization.md	Techniques to reduce test execution time — DML mocking, SOQL mocking, loop optimizations
assets/basic-test.cls	Template: standard test class with @TestSetup, positive / negative / bulk / edge-case methods
assets/bulk-test.cls	Template: bulk test with 251+ records that crosses the 200-record trigger batch boundary
assets/mock-callout-test.cls	Template: HTTP callout mock using HttpCalloutMock
assets/test-data-factory.cls	Template: reusable TestDataFactory with create and insert helpers
assets/dml-mock.cls	Template: IDML interface + DMLMock implementation for database-free unit tests
assets/stub-provider-example.cls	Template: StubProvider-based dependency injection stub
hooks/scripts/parse-test-results.py	Post-tool hook — parses sf apex run test JSON output and formats failures for the auto-fix loop

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Score Guide

Score	Meaning
108+	strong production-grade test confidence
96–107	good test suite with minor gaps
84–95	acceptable but strengthen coverage / assertions
< 84	below standard; revise before relying on it