added testing docs

Author: Swiftyos

autogpt_platform/backend/TESTING.md

@@ -0,0 +1,237 @@
+# Backend Testing Guide
+
+This guide covers testing practices for the AutoGPT Platform backend, with a focus on snapshot testing for API endpoints.
+
+## Table of Contents
+- [Overview](#overview)
+- [Running Tests](#running-tests)
+- [Snapshot Testing](#snapshot-testing)
+- [Writing Tests for API Routes](#writing-tests-for-api-routes)
+- [Best Practices](#best-practices)
+
+## Overview
+
+The backend uses pytest for testing with the following key libraries:
+- `pytest` - Test framework
+- `pytest-asyncio` - Async test support
+- `pytest-mock` - Mocking support
+- `pytest-snapshot` - Snapshot testing for API responses
+
+## Running Tests
+
+### Run all tests
+```bash
+poetry run test
+```
+
+### Run specific test file
+```bash
+poetry run pytest path/to/test_file.py
+```
+
+### Run with verbose output
+```bash
+poetry run pytest -v
+```
+
+### Run with coverage
+```bash
+poetry run pytest --cov=backend
+```
+
+## Snapshot Testing
+
+Snapshot testing captures the output of your code and compares it against previously saved snapshots. This is particularly useful for testing API responses.
+
+### How Snapshot Testing Works
+
+1. First run: Creates snapshot files in `snapshots/` directories
+2. Subsequent runs: Compares output against saved snapshots
+3. Changes detected: Test fails if output differs from snapshot
+
+### Creating/Updating Snapshots
+
+When you first write a test or when the expected output changes:
+
+```bash
+poetry run pytest path/to/test.py --snapshot-update
+```
+
+⚠️ **Important**: Always review snapshot changes before committing! Use `git diff` to verify the changes are expected.
+
+### Snapshot Test Example
+
+```python
+import json
+from pytest_snapshot.plugin import Snapshot
+
+def test_api_endpoint(snapshot: Snapshot):
+    response = client.get("/api/endpoint")
+    
+    # Snapshot the response
+    snapshot.snapshot_dir = "snapshots"
+snapshot.assert_match(
+        json.dumps(response.json(), indent=2, sort_keys=True),
+        "endpoint_response"
+    )
+```
+
+### Best Practices for Snapshots
+
+1. **Use descriptive names**: `"user_list_response"` not `"response1"`
+2. **Sort JSON keys**: Ensures consistent snapshots
+3. **Format JSON**: Use `indent=2` for readable diffs
+4. **Exclude dynamic data**: Remove timestamps, IDs, etc. that change between runs
+
+Example of excluding dynamic data:
+```python
+response_data = response.json()
+# Remove dynamic fields for snapshot
+response_data.pop("created_at", None)
+response_data.pop("id", None)
+
+snapshot.snapshot_dir = "snapshots"
+snapshot.assert_match(
+    json.dumps(response_data, indent=2, sort_keys=True),
+    "static_response_data"
+)
+```
+
+## Writing Tests for API Routes
+
+### Basic Structure
+
+```python
+import json
+import fastapi
+import fastapi.testclient
+import pytest
+from pytest_snapshot.plugin import Snapshot
+
+from backend.server.v2.myroute import router
+
+app = fastapi.FastAPI()
+app.include_router(router)
+client = fastapi.testclient.TestClient(app)
+
+def test_endpoint_success(snapshot: Snapshot):
+    response = client.get("/endpoint")
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    
+    # Test specific fields
+    data = response.json()
+    assert data["status"] == "success"
+    
+    # Snapshot the full response
+    snapshot.snapshot_dir = "snapshots"
+    snapshot.assert_match(
+        json.dumps(data, indent=2, sort_keys=True),
+        "endpoint_success_response"
+    )
+```
+
+### Testing with Authentication
+
+```python
+def override_auth_middleware():
+    return {"sub": "test-user-id"}
+
+def override_get_user_id():
+    return "test-user-id"
+
+app.dependency_overrides[auth_middleware] = override_auth_middleware
+app.dependency_overrides[get_user_id] = override_get_user_id
+```
+
+### Mocking External Services
+
+```python
+def test_external_api_call(mocker, snapshot):
+    # Mock external service
+    mock_response = {"external": "data"}
+    mocker.patch(
+        "backend.services.external_api.call",
+        return_value=mock_response
+    )
+    
+    response = client.post("/api/process")
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    
+    snapshot.snapshot_dir = "snapshots"
+    snapshot.assert_match(
+        json.dumps(response.json(), indent=2, sort_keys=True),
+        "process_with_external_response"
+    )
+```
+
+## Best Practices
+
+### 1. Test Organization
+- Place tests next to the code: `routes.py` → `routes_test.py`
+- Use descriptive test names: `test_create_user_with_invalid_email`
+- Group related tests in classes when appropriate
+
+### 2. Test Coverage
+- Test happy path and error cases
+- Test edge cases (empty data, invalid formats)
+- Test authentication and authorization
+
+### 3. Snapshot Testing Guidelines
+- Review all snapshot changes carefully
+- Don't snapshot sensitive data
+- Keep snapshots focused and minimal
+- Update snapshots intentionally, not accidentally
+
+### 4. Async Testing
+- Use regular `def` for FastAPI TestClient tests
+- Use `async def` with `@pytest.mark.asyncio` for testing async functions directly
+
+### 5. Fixtures
+Create reusable fixtures for common test data:
+
+```python
+@pytest.fixture
+def sample_user():
+    return {
+        "email": "[email protected]",
+        "name": "Test User"
+    }
+
+def test_create_user(sample_user, snapshot):
+    response = client.post("/users", json=sample_user)
+    # ... test implementation
+```
+
+## CI/CD Integration
+
+The GitHub Actions workflow automatically runs tests on:
+- Pull requests
+- Pushes to main branch
+
+Snapshot tests work in CI by:
+1. Committing snapshot files to the repository
+2. CI compares against committed snapshots
+3. Fails if snapshots don't match
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### Snapshot Mismatches
+- Review the diff carefully
+- If changes are expected: `poetry run pytest --snapshot-update`
+- If changes are unexpected: Fix the code causing the difference
+
+### Async Test Issues
+- Ensure async functions use `@pytest.mark.asyncio`
+- Use `AsyncMock` for mocking async functions
+- FastAPI TestClient handles async automatically
+
+### Import Errors
+- Check that all dependencies are in `pyproject.toml`
+- Run `poetry install` to ensure dependencies are installed
+- Verify import paths are correct
+
+## Summary
+
+Snapshot testing provides a powerful way to ensure API responses remain consistent. Combined with traditional assertions, it creates a robust test suite that catches regressions while remaining maintainable.
+
+Remember: Good tests are as important as good code!