Generating and managing tests

How to create, modify, and remove tests in Bugster.

Generating tests in Bugster is simple and flexible. The approach depends on your framework: Next.js and React have enhanced automatic generation with routing analysis, while Angular, Svelte, Vue, and other frameworks use AI-assisted generation. All frameworks support manual YAML creation for precise scenarios. Once created, tests are easy to edit and delete as your application evolves.

Framework-specific generation: Next.js and React use bugster generate with routing analysis. Angular, Svelte, Vue, and other frameworks use AI assistance with Cursor or Claude Code.

In this guide you will learn:

1. How to generate tests
2. The required test morphology
3. How to edit any test field and validate changes
4. How to delete tests

Prerequisites

• Bugster CLI installed and authenticated.
• Run commands from your repo root (same folder containing /.bugster/).
• Your app runs locally (if you plan to validate with bugster run).

1. Generate tests (3 ways)

Bugster supports three creation modes, with availability depending on your framework:

If you want to…	Use	Available For	Why
Seed broad coverage fast	Automatic bugster generate	Next.js & React	Highest coverage per minute with routing analysis
Generate targeted scenarios	bugster generate --prompt	Next.js & React	AI-guided generation with custom focus
Capture a very specific scenario	Manual YAML	All frameworks	Full control over task/steps/expected_result
Write/refine with an AI editor	Assisted (Claude Code/Cursor)	All frameworks	AI-powered generation with Agent rules

1.1 Automatic (bulk) — bugster generate

Available for: Next.js and React applications with enhanced routing analysis.

Bugster can propose and create many tests across your app or for specific pages using automatic route discovery.

Commands:

# Bulk auto-generation (across some pages)
bugster generate

# Generate for specific pages (using source file paths)
bugster generate --page path/to/page.tsx path/to/another/page.tsx

# Generate N tests distributed across pages
bugster generate --count 10

# Combine: 13 tests for a specific page
bugster generate --count 13 --page path/to/page.tsx

# Generate with custom AI guidance (requires --page)
bugster generate --page path/to/page.tsx --prompt "Focus on edge cases and error handling"

# Combine count, page, and custom prompt
bugster generate --count 5 --page path/to/page.tsx --prompt "Test form validation and user input scenarios"

• Pros: fast, broad initial coverage, zero overhead, customizable with --prompt for targeted scenarios.
• Cons: if you need a very specific use case, it might not appear on the first pass (complement with a manual test or use --prompt for guidance).

1.2 Manual (YAML template)

For precise scenarios, create your own test explicitly.

Requirements:

1. Content: follow the YAML morphology (see next section).
2. File: place it under the Bugster tests folder, mirroring your app’s filesystem hierarchy.

page = route (e.g., /dashboard/users)
page_path = source file path (e.g., app/dashboard/users/page.tsx)

Suggested template (copy/paste):

name: User details page navigation
page: /dashboard/users
page_path: app/dashboard/users/page.tsx
task: Navigate from users list to a specific user's details page
steps:
- Navigate to the dashboard users page
- Click on a specific user from the list
- Verify that the user is redirected to the user details page
- Verify that the user details are displayed correctly
expected_result: User should be redirected to the specific user's details page

Run your manual test to validate it:

bugster run relative_path_to_my_test.yaml

1.3 Assisted (Claude Code / Cursor)

Available for: Angular, Svelte, Vue, and other frameworks (including Nuxt, SvelteKit, Remix, Preact, and more).

Use AI coding assistants like Cursor or Claude Code to generate Bugster-compliant test specifications with intelligent guidance using Bugster Agent rules.

Advantages:

• AI-powered: Intelligent test scenario generation
• Compliant: Follows Bugster YAML structure using Agent rules
• Fast: Quicker than manual YAML writing
• Flexible: Works with any framework or routing pattern
• Guided: Built-in best practices and validation

Cursor Integration Guide

See the complete setup instructions for using Bugster with Cursor or Claude Code

2. Test morphology in Bugster

Definition: the minimal structure Bugster expects in a test.

name: Title of the test
page: Main page path of the test in /folder/subfolder format, e.g. "/dashboard/users"
page_path: Source path of the page, e.g. app/dashboard/users/page.tsx
credential_id (optional): The credential/role/permission you want Bugster to use.
task: The goal the test must achieve
steps:
- General or specific steps
- What you want the agent to do to achieve the task
- Because there can be multiple paths to the same goal
expected_result: What the agent should verify to confirm the goal was achieved

Test quality checklist:

• One clear task per test (avoid multi-goals).
• Steps are actionable (verbs first) and ordered.
• expected_result is observable (URL change, element visible, text equals).

Here’s an example of a good vs. a bad expected_result:

❌ Vague

expected_result: The page works

Example:

name: User details page navigation
page: /dashboard/users
page_path: app/dashboard/users/page.tsx
task: Navigate from users list to a specific user's details page
steps:
- Navigate to the dashboard users page
- Click on a specific user from the list
- Verify that the user is redirected to the user details page
- Verify that the user details are displayed correctly
expected_result: User should be redirected to the specific user's details page

3. Editing an existing test

You can edit any Bugster-generated (or user-created) test, as long as you keep the YAML morphology (name, page, page_path, task, steps, expected_result).

• Rename the test for team clarity.
• Adjust the task to be more precise.
• Add/remove steps to better guide the agent.
• Update the expected_result if the verification changes.

Before/after example:

Old

name: User details page navigation
page: /dashboard/users
page_path: app/dashboard/users/page.tsx
task: Navigate from users list to a specific user's details page
steps:
- Navigate to the dashboard users page
- Click on a specific user from the list
- Verify that the user is redirected to the user details page
- Verify that the user details are displayed correctly
expected_result: User should be redirected to the specific user's details page

Recommendation: run the test again to confirm the changes are honored:

bugster run relative_path_to_my_test.yaml

4. Deleting tests

You can delete any test with no restrictions:

• Single file: remove the test file.
• Batch: delete a folder under .bugster/tests/... to remove all tests beneath it.

This does not disrupt Bugster’s functionality or your workflows.

5. File location and naming conventions

• Bugster tests folder: /.bugster/tests/
• Hierarchy: mirror your app structure (based on page_path).

Mapping example:

If your test declares page_path: app/dashboard/users/page.tsx, the recommended location is:

.bugster/tests/dashboard/users/test.yaml

File naming:

• use snake_case, lowercase, descriptive.

• If name: Navigation back to home from about page, the recommended file name is:

  navigation_back_to_home_from_about_page.yaml