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.

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. When to Use This Skill Writing unit tests for shell scripts Implementing test driven development (TDD) for scripts Setting up automated testing in CI/CD pipelines Testing edge cases and error conditions Validating behavior across different shell environments Building maintainable test suites for scripts Creating fixtures for complex test scenarios Testing multiple shell dialects (bash, sh, dash) Detailed patterns and worked examples Detailed pattern documentation lives in references/details.md . Read that file when the navigation tier above is insufficient. Testing Error Conditions Testing with Dependencies Testing Shell Compatibility Parallel Execution Test Helper Pattern test helper.sh Integration with CI/CD GitHub Actions Workflow Makefile Integration Best Practices 1. Test one thing per test Single responsibility principle 2. Use descriptive test names Clearly states what is being tested 3. Clean up after tests Always remove temporary files in teardown 4. Test both success and failure paths Don't just test happy path 5. Mock external dependencies Isolate unit under test 6. Use fixtures for complex data Makes tests more readable 7. Run tests in CI/CD Catch regressions early 8. Test across shell dialects Ensure portability 9. Keep tests fast Run in parallel when possible 10. Document complex test setup Explain unusual patterns

bats-testing-patterns