---
id: NS-0001
type: northstar
status: ready
title: Testing strategy confidence ladder
refs:
  - REQUIREMENTS.md
  - AGENTS.md
  - README.md
  - hemx-xtask/src/main.rs
  - hemx-test/src/lib.rs
  - examples/html_examples/README.md
---

## Objective

Make hemx verification boring and reliable by keeping a documented confidence ladder from fast crate tests, through focused browser/runtime smoke, to the full `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- test` authority. The outcome is not more test ceremony; it is clear proof selection for agents and contributors.

## Authority

- `AGENTS.md` and `README.md` define stable verification commands, focused browser smoke, full xtask authority, and the 10 minute local full-check budget.
- `REQUIREMENTS.md` `test/001` through `test/017` constrain generated-resource assertions, examples, browser smoke, no `/tmp` scripts, no-reload interactions, tiers, shard expectations, and diagnostic quality.
- `hemx-xtask/src/main.rs` owns repo-capped verification commands and `html-examples-smoke`.
- `hemx-test/src/lib.rs` owns reusable test inspection helpers.

## Close when

- Fast, focused browser, and full verification tiers have ready slices with exact commands and ownership boundaries.
- Browser/runtime confidence covers no-reload dynamic interactions, revealed fallback, interval/timing behavior, and generated target assertions.
- Regression boundaries prefer generated-resource assertions and `hemx_test` helpers over raw ids or raw effect matching.
- Requirement/test governance stays tied to redgate health/lint without turning lint cleanup into product work.

## Verification

- `work check`
- `work list`
- Later implementation slices choose the narrowest relevant command, then use `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- test` when changing shared verification authority.

## Non-goals

- Do not add a parallel test runner outside `hemx-xtask`.
- Do not replace meaningful behavior tests with mocks-only assertions.
- Do not make redgate warnings the product outcome unless the slice explicitly owns requirement maintainability.

## Evidence

- `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- html-examples-smoke` is the focused browser proof for html_examples dynamic behavior.
- `cargo run -p hemx-xtask -- test` is the full local authority wrapper.
- `redgate health --strict` and `redgate lint` are governance proof commands.