Testing Workflow

After code is developed, tests must be run to ensure the integrity of the final result.

Crucial: Tests MUST be run inside the container to access the correct runtime environment (DB, Config, Dependencies).

0. Pre-requisites: Environment Check

Before running any tests, verify you are inside the development container:

ls -d /workspaces/NetAlertX

IF this directory does not exist, you are likely on the host machine. You MUST immediately activate the devcontainer-management skill to enter the container or run commands inside it.

activate_skill("devcontainer-management")

1. Full Test Suite (MANDATORY DEFAULT)

Unless the user explicitly requests "fast" or "quick" tests, you MUST run the full test suite. Do not optimize for time. Comprehensive coverage is the priority over speed.

cd /workspaces/NetAlertX; pytest test/

2. Fast Unit Tests (Conditional)

ONLY use this if the user explicitly asks for "fast tests", "quick tests", or "unit tests only". This excludes slow tests marked with docker or feature_complete.

cd /workspaces/NetAlertX; pytest test/ -m 'not docker and not feature_complete'

3. Running Specific Tests

To run a specific file or folder:

cd /workspaces/NetAlertX; pytest test/<path_to_test>

Example:

cd /workspaces/NetAlertX; pytest test/api_endpoints/test_mcp_extended_endpoints.py

Authentication & Environment Reset

Authentication tokens are required to perform certain operations such as manual testing or crafting expressions to work with the web APIs. After making code changes, you MUST reset the environment to ensure the new code is running and verify you have the latest API_TOKEN.

1. Reset Environment: Run the setup script inside the container.

   bash /workspaces/NetAlertX/.devcontainer/scripts/setup.sh

2. Wait for Stabilization: Wait at least 5 seconds for services (nginx, python server, etc.) to start.

   sleep 5

3. Obtain Token: Retrieve the current token from the container.

   python3 -c "from helper import get_setting_value; print(get_setting_value('API_TOKEN'))"

The retrieved token MUST be used in all subsequent API or test calls requiring authentication.

Troubleshooting

If tests fail with 403 Forbidden or empty tokens:

1. Verify server is running and use the setup script (/workspaces/NetAlertX/.devcontainer/scripts/setup.sh) if required.
2. Verify app.conf inside the container: cat /data/config/app.conf

Check for Pre-Existing Failures

Before attributing failures to your changes, check what was already broken:

cd /workspaces/NetAlertX; pytest test/ --tb=no -q 2>&1 | tail -20

Do not fix pre-existing failures unless that is the explicit goal.

PYTHONPATH

The test environment is pre-configured with:

• /app — primary location where Python runs in production
• /app/server — symlink to /workspaces/NetAlertX/server
• /app/front/plugins — symlink to /workspaces/NetAlertX/front/plugins
• /workspaces/NetAlertX/test
• /workspaces/NetAlertX/server
• /workspaces/NetAlertX

Docker Test Image

If the Dockerfile or dependencies changed, rebuild the test image before running:

docker buildx build -t netalertx-test .

Takes ~30 seconds; ~90 seconds if the venv stage changed. 3. Verify Python can read it: python3 -c "from helper import get_setting_value; print(get_setting_value('API_TOKEN'))"