Skill · Testing
Bats testing patterns
Master Bash Automated Testing System (Bats) for comprehensive shell script testing. Use when writing tests for shell scripts, CI/CD pipelines, or requiring test-driven development of shell utilities.
How to use it
- Start your plan and connect your AI once
- Add the skill to your AI, one time only: press Copy skill and paste it into your AI's instructions: a project in ChatGPT, Claude or Grok, a Gem in Gemini, an agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot, or a rule in Cursor. It stays there for every new chat. In Kimi, paste it at the start of a new chat.
- Ask for the task in your own words, or say it directly:
Use the Bats testing patterns skill to help me with this.Bats Testing Patterns
Comprehensive guidance for writing comprehensive unit tests for shell scripts using Bats (Bash Automated Testing System), including test patterns, fixtures, and best practices for production-grade shell testing.
Use this skill when
- Writing unit tests for shell scripts
- Implementing TDD for scripts
- Setting up automated testing in CI/CD pipelines
- Testing edge cases and error conditions
- Validating behavior across shell environments
Do not use this skill when
- The project does not use shell scripts
- You need integration tests beyond shell behavior
- The goal is only linting or formatting
Instructions
- Confirm shell dialects and supported environments.
- Set up a test structure with helpers and fixtures.
- Write tests for exit codes, output, and side effects.
- Add setup/teardown and run tests in CI.
- If detailed examples are required, open
resources/implementation-playbook.md.
Resources
resources/implementation-playbook.mdfor detailed patterns and examples.
Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.