args get validated but not function returns

[tobiasholler]

convex-test appears to validate function arguments, but not function return values against returns validators.
This causes tests to pass while real Convex runtime rejects the same function result.

Repro scenario

A query with a strict returns validator:

export const queryRoles = query({
  args: { search: v.optional(v.string()) },
  returns: v.array(
    v.object({
      _id: v.id("roles"),
      name: v.string(),
      permissions: v.array(permissionValidator),
    }),
  ),
  handler: async (ctx) => {
    // raw documents include _creationTime
    return await ctx.db.query("roles").collect();
  },
});

In real runtime, this fails return validation because _creationTime is extra.
In convex-test, this passes.

Source findings

In index.ts:

• queryFromPath validates only exportArgs:
  • validateValidator(JSON.parse((func as any).exportArgs()), args ?? {});
  • around line ~1966
• mutationFromPath and actionFromPath do the same for args only:
  • around ~1982 and ~1995
• Query execution then goes through runQueryWithHandler (around ~1895), which wraps the function with:
  • queryGeneric({ handler: ... })
  • but does not apply func.exportReturns() from the original function definition.

Because the original function definition (with its returns) is not passed through, return validation is effectively skipped in tests.

Expected behavior

convex-test should enforce returns validators similarly to runtime, or clearly document that returns are not validated.

Impact

• False positives in tests
• Runtime-only failures
• Contract drift between test and production behavior

Request

• Validate returned values against exportReturns()

Environment

• convex-test: 0.0.41
• convex: 1.32.0
• Bun + Vitest setup