docs: update CHANGELOG and pytest logging for improved visibility

- Enhanced `CHANGELOG.md` to include a new entry for improved pytest logging, which now prints progress messages during session start and test collection to avoid confusion during execution.
- Updated `api/test/tests/conftest.py` to implement a `_pytest_log` function that provides visible progress updates, enhancing the user experience during testing.

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Author: Andreas-Garcia

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ All contributors (including maintainers) should update `CHANGELOG.md` when creat
 
 - **Postgres and publish pins**: Compose and CI use **`postgres:16.4`** only (removed **`docker-compose.ci.yml`**, **`COMPOSE_DB_IMAGE`**, and **`DB_VERSION`**). [**`publish.yml`**](.github/workflows/publish.yml) **`check-pinned-tags`** enforces **`AFP_VERSION`** only; **`set-version-db`** writes tag **`16.4`**.
 
+### Improved
+
+- **Pytest logs**: [`api/test/tests/conftest.py`](api/test/tests/conftest.py) prints **`[pytest]`** progress after Django settings load (sessionstart ffprobe / collection_finish) so long **collection** does not look like a hang.
+
 ### Changed
 
 - **Audio Fingerprinter**: Default and dev example **`AFP_VERSION`** **`v1.4.4`** ([**Release 1.4.4**](https://github.com/BehindTheMusicTree/audio-fingerprinter/releases/tag/v1.4.4)) in [`docker-compose.yml`](docker-compose.yml) and [`env/dev/.env.compose.dev.example`](env/dev/.env.compose.dev.example) / [`env/dev/.env.dev.example`](env/dev/.env.dev.example). Set GitHub repository variable **`AFP_VERSION`** to **`v1.4.4`** (or **`1.4.4`** per existing publish convention) so CI and publish match.

api/test/tests/conftest.py

@@ -198,7 +198,13 @@ def _require_optional_services_enabled() -> None:
         )
 
 
+def _pytest_log(msg: str) -> None:
+    """Visible progress during sessionstart/collection (avoids 'hangs' after Django settings load)."""
+    print(f"[pytest] {msg}", flush=True)
+
+
 def pytest_sessionstart(session: Session) -> None:
+    _pytest_log("sessionstart: checking ffprobe (after Django settings; next is test collection)")
     ffprobe = shutil.which("ffprobe")
     if ffprobe is None:
         pytest.exit(
@@ -222,6 +228,7 @@ def pytest_sessionstart(session: Session) -> None:
         )
     wav_fixture = Path(__file__).parent.parent / "utils" / "uploaded_track" / "files" / "duration=472s.wav"
     if wav_fixture.exists():
+        _pytest_log(f"sessionstart: probing WAV fixture ({wav_fixture.name}, timeout 30s)")
         probe_result = subprocess.run(
             [ffprobe, "-v", "quiet", "-print_format", "json", "-show_format", "-show_streams", str(wav_fixture)],
             capture_output=True,
@@ -235,6 +242,7 @@ def pytest_sessionstart(session: Session) -> None:
                 f"ffprobe output: {err or probe_result.returncode}",
                 returncode=2,
             )
+    _pytest_log("sessionstart: ffprobe checks OK; collecting tests (this can take a while with no output)")
 
 
 def pytest_configure(config):
@@ -336,6 +344,7 @@ def _check_musicbrainz_reachable() -> tuple[bool, str]:
 
 
 def pytest_collection_finish(session: Session) -> None:
+    _pytest_log(f"collection_finish: {len(session.items)} items; checking optional services / e2e reachability")
     _require_optional_services_enabled()
     if not _run_has_e2e_tests(session):
         return