Scaffolds pytest unit tests for Python backend functions and classes. Use when creating tests for FastAPI endpoints, services, and utilities.
Scanned 9/8/2026
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---
name: pytest-test-scaffolder
description: Scaffolds pytest unit tests for Python backend functions and classes. Use when creating tests for FastAPI endpoints, services, and utilities.
---
# Pytest Test Scaffolder
Generates comprehensive unit tests for Python backend code using pytest with Pydantic validation, Firestore mocking, and Genkit integration testing patterns.
## Workflow
1. **Identify function/class to test:**
- Ask for file path (e.g., `backend/app/api/endpoints/profiles.py`)
- Read file to extract:
- Function/class name
- Parameters and type annotations
- Return types
- Dependencies (Firestore, Genkit, services)
- Determine test location: `backend/app/tests/{{module}}/test_{{name}}.py`
2. **Analyze code structure:**
- Extract function signature and parameters
- Identify external dependencies (database, API, AI services)
- Determine input validation (Pydantic models)
- Identify error cases (ValueError, ValidationError, HTTPException)
- Check for async/await patterns
3. **Generate test file:**
- Replace placeholders in template:
- `{{FUNCTION_NAME}}` - Function being tested
- `{{FUNCTION_MODULE}}` - Module import path
- `{{PARAMETERS}}` - Function parameters with defaults
- `{{RETURN_TYPE}}` - Expected return type
- `{{HAPPY_PATH_TESTS}}` - Success scenarios
- `{{ERROR_TESTS}}` - Exception handling
- `{{FIXTURES}}` - Mock/fixture setup
- Write to: `backend/app/tests/{{module}}/test_{{name}}.py`
4. **Include comprehensive test scenarios:**
- ✅ **Happy Path**: Valid inputs produce expected output
- ✅ **Validation Error**: Invalid Pydantic models rejected (422)
- ✅ **Not Found Error**: Resource not found handled (404)
- ✅ **Permission Error**: Unauthorized access rejected (401)
- ✅ **Server Error**: Exceptions caught and logged (500)
- ✅ **Mock Dependencies**: Firestore, Genkit, services mocked
- ✅ **Async Support**: Use pytest-asyncio for async functions
- ✅ **Fixture Reuse**: Shared fixtures in conftest.py
5. **Use pytest best practices:**
- Use fixtures for mock setup (Firestore, Firebase, Genkit)
- Use `monkeypatch` for environment variables
- Use `@pytest.mark` for test categorization
- Mock external services (Firestore, Genkit flows)
- Test both sync and async functions
- Use descriptive test names: `test_{{function}}_{{scenario}}`
6. **Report success:**
- Show test file path
- Display test count
- Provide run command: `pytest backend/app/tests/{{module}}/test_{{name}}.py -v`
- Link to mock patterns in references/
## Test Categories
### Endpoint Tests
```python
# Happy path: Valid request → 200 response
def test_create_user_success(client, monkeypatch):
mock_firestore = monkeypatch.setattr(...)
response = client.post("/api/users", json={...})
assert response.status_code == 200
assert response.json()["id"]
# Validation error: Invalid input → 422 response
def test_create_user_validation_error(client):
response = client.post("/api/users", json={"name": ""})
assert response.status_code == 422
# Permission error: No auth → 401 response
def test_create_user_unauthorized(client):
response = client.post("/api/users", json={...})
assert response.status_code == 401
# Not found: Resource missing → 404 response
def test_get_user_not_found(client):
response = client.get("/api/users/invalid-id")
assert response.status_code == 404
```
### Service Tests
```python
# Mock Firestore for service tests
@pytest.fixture
def mock_firestore(monkeypatch):
mock_db = MagicMock()
monkeypatch.setattr("app.services.firestore_client", mock_db)
return mock_db
def test_service_with_firestore(mock_firestore):
mock_firestore.collection.return_value.document.return_value.get.return_value.exists = True
result = UserService.get_user("user-123")
assert result is not None
```
### Genkit Flow Tests
```python
# Mock Genkit responses
@pytest.fixture
def mock_genkit(monkeypatch):
mock_flow = MagicMock()
monkeypatch.setattr("app.ai.genkit_service.flow", mock_flow)
return mock_flow
@pytest.mark.ai_services
async def test_genkit_flow_execution(mock_genkit):
mock_genkit.return_value = {"text": "Generated response"}
result = await ai_service.generate_content(prompt="test")
assert "Generated" in result
```
### Async Function Tests
```python
@pytest.mark.asyncio
async def test_async_database_query(client, monkeypatch):
mock_db = AsyncMock()
mock_db.get_user.return_value = {"id": "123", "name": "Test"}
monkeypatch.setattr("app.db.get_user", mock_db)
result = await fetch_user_profile("123")
assert result["name"] == "Test"
```
## Fixtures & Mocking
See `references/backend-test-patterns.md` for:
- Firestore mocking patterns
- Firebase Auth mocking
- Genkit flow mocking
- TestClient setup for endpoints
- Async fixture setup
- Pydantic model factories
## Template Files
Templates located in `.claude/skills/pytest-test-scaffolder/templates/`:
- `endpoint.test.py.tpl` - FastAPI endpoint tests
- `service.test.py.tpl` - Service/utility tests
- `async.test.py.tpl` - Async function tests
- `conftest.py.tpl` - Shared fixture template
## Integration with Testing Strategy
- **testing-specialist**: Uses this skill to generate backend tests
- **test-automation-specialist**: Parallelizes backend test generation across modules
- **test-runner**: Executes generated tests via `pytest backend/app/tests/ -v`
- **fullstack-integration-specialist**: Uses alongside api-integration-test-scaffolder
## Coverage Goals
- **Current**: 85% (manual testing)
- **Target**: 95% with scaffolded tests
- **Priority**: Critical path endpoints → service layer → utilities
Run `pytest backend/app/tests/ --cov=app --cov-report=html` to measure coverage.
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