Zig Testing Loop

You are running the Zig build and test cycle. Follow these steps EXACTLY.

Step 1: Run Build First

zig build 2>&1

If build succeeds (no output or just warnings): Go to Step 2.

If build fails: Fix the errors shown, then re-run zig build 2>&1. Repeat until it passes.

Step 2: Run Tests

zig build test 2>&1

If tests pass (shows only test output, no errors): You're done!

If tests fail: Read the error output, fix the failing test or code, then re-run zig build test 2>&1. Repeat until all tests pass.

Common Zig Error Patterns and Fixes

Compile Errors

Test-Specific Errors

Type Coercion Fixes

// Integer literal to specific type
try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 5), myFunc());

// Compare optionals
try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(?i32, null), result);

// Compare slices/strings (use expectEqualStrings)
try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("expected", actual);

Writing New Tests

Tests go at the bottom of the source file they test:

// === Production code above ===

test "descriptive name of what is tested" {
    const allocator = std.testing.allocator;  // Always use this - detects leaks

    // Setup
    var thing = try MyThing.init(allocator);
    defer thing.deinit();  // ALWAYS defer cleanup

    // Act
    const result = thing.doSomething();

    // Assert
    try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(ExpectedType, expected), result);
}

Test Assertions Quick Reference

// Boolean check
try std.testing.expect(condition);

// Equality (order: expected, actual)
try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(i32, 5), getValue());

// String equality
try std.testing.expectEqualStrings("expected", actual);

// Error expected
try std.testing.expectError(error.InvalidInput, mightFail());

// Approximate equality for floats
try std.testing.expectApproxEqAbs(@as(f32, 1.0), result, 0.001);

Test Discovery

Tests are discovered through imports in src/main.zig:

test {
    _ = @import("api/client.zig");
    _ = @import("api/types.zig");
    // Add new modules here
}

If your new tests don't run: Ensure the file is imported in src/main.zig's test block.

Project-Specific Commands

Workflow Summary

1. zig build 2>&1        → Fix any compile errors
2. zig build test 2>&1   → Fix any test failures
3. Repeat until both pass

IMPORTANT: Always run zig build before zig build test. A failing build means tests won't run.