Runs feature-scoped mutation testing to validate test suite quality. Use after implementation to verify tests catch real bugs (kill rate >= 80%).
Scanned 5/27/2026
Install via CLI
openskills install nWave-ai/nWave---
name: nw-mutation-test
description: "Runs feature-scoped mutation testing to validate test suite quality. Use after implementation to verify tests catch real bugs (kill rate >= 80%)."
user-invocable: true
argument-hint: '[feature-id] - Optional: --threshold=[75|80|85] --language=[auto|python|java|javascript]'
---
# NW-MUTATION-TEST: Feature-Scoped Mutation Testing
**Wave**: QUALITY_GATE
**Agent**: Crafter (nw-software-crafter)
## Overview
Run mutation testing against implementation files from the current feature. Extracts targets from execution-log.json|generates feature-scoped configs|delegates to software-crafter. Uses cosmic-ray (Python)|PIT (Java)|Stryker (JS/TS/C#).
## Context Files Required
- `docs/feature/{feature-id}/deliver/execution-log.json` - Implementation file extraction
- `scripts/mutation/generate_scoped_configs.py` - Automated config generation (if available)
## Pre-Invocation
Orchestrator performs before delegating:
1. **Extract files** — Read `execution-log.json`, extract implementation files from `completed_steps[].files_modified.implementation`. Gate: file list non-empty.
2. **Verify on disk** — Check all extracted files exist on disk. Gate: zero missing files.
3. **Detect language** — Scan config files (pyproject.toml, pom.xml, package.json, etc.) to select tool. Gate: language identified.
4. **Confirm tests pass** — Run `pytest -x {test_scope}` (or equivalent). Gate: exit code 0, no failures.
5. **Ensure mutation venv** — For Python, verify `.venv-mutation/` exists with cosmic-ray installed. Gate: `cosmic-ray --version` succeeds.
## Agent Invocation
@nw-software-crafter
Execute mutation testing for project {feature-id}.
**Context to pass inline (agent has no Skill access):**
- Project ID
- Implementation file list (from execution-log.json)
- Test scope path (e.g., `tests/des/`)
- Kill rate threshold (default: 80%)
- Language and tool selection
**Configuration:**
- threshold: 80 (percentage, minimum kill rate)
- approach: feature-scoped (one config per component, scoped test commands)
- config_generator: `scripts/mutation/generate_scoped_configs.py` (preferred over manual)
**Output file:** `docs/feature/{feature-id}/deliver/mutation/mutation-report.md`
## Examples
### Example 1: Python project with config generator
```bash
/nw-mutation-test des-hook-enforcement tests/des/
```
Reads execution-log.json, runs `generate_scoped_configs.py des-hook-enforcement`, delegates to software-crafter with per-component configs. Agent runs cosmic-ray, produces mutation-report.md.
### Example 2: Python project without config generator
```bash
/nw-mutation-test auth-upgrade tests/auth/
```
Extracts files manually from execution-log.json, creates single cosmic-ray config with `module-path = [file1, file2, ...]` and `test-command = "pytest -x tests/auth/"`, delegates to agent.
### Example 3: Non-Python project
```bash
/nw-mutation-test payment-gateway tests/payment/
```
Detects `package.json`, selects Stryker, delegates with Stryker-specific instructions.
## Success Criteria
- [ ] Implementation files extracted from execution-log.json
- [ ] All implementation files verified on disk
- [ ] Mutation testing executed without errors
- [ ] Per-file breakdown in mutation-report.md
- [ ] Kill rate meets threshold (>= 80% PASS, 70-80% WARN, < 70% FAIL)
- [ ] Source files restored to HEAD after mutation run (git checkout -- src/ tests/)
## Post-Mutation Safety (mandatory)
After EVERY mutation run (success, failure, or interruption):
1. **Restore source files** — Run `git checkout -- src/ tests/`. Gate: working tree clean (no mutations remain).
2. **Verify no corruption** — Confirm test suite still passes after restore. Gate: `pytest -x {test_scope}` exits 0.
Mutation tools apply mutations directly to source files. An interrupted run can leave corrupted code (e.g. `is not None` -> `is None`). Agent MUST execute these steps even if the run errors out.
## Quality Gate
Kill rate thresholds:
1. **>= 80% PASS** — Proceed to next wave.
2. **70-80% WARN** — Review surviving mutants, document findings, proceed with caution.
3. **< 70% FAIL** — Add tests targeting surviving mutants before proceeding.
Skip conditions (each requires documented justification in mutation-report.md):
1. **No tool for language** — No mutation framework available for detected language.
2. **Project opt-out** — `.mutation-config.yaml` has `skip: true` with justification.
3. **Broken test suite** — Pre-invocation step 4 fails; fix tests before mutation testing.
Note: Python projects require mutation testing. All skips need documented justification.
## Next Wave
**Handoff To**: Phase 8 - Finalize (orchestrator continues develop.md workflow)
**Deliverables**: `docs/feature/{feature-id}/deliver/mutation/mutation-report.md`
## Expected Outputs
```
docs/feature/{feature-id}/deliver/mutation/
mutation-report.md
cosmic-ray-*.toml (ephemeral)
```
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