TiDB Testing Flow for Agents

This document provides command playbooks for test execution. Root AGENTS.md is the source of truth for policy-level requirements; this file is operational guidance. Use AGENTS.md -> Task -> Validation Matrix first, run the smallest valid command set, and report exact commands. Detailed command snippets in this file are the canonical operational reference; skills under .agents/skills/ should point here rather than duplicating long command blocks.

Unit tests (/pkg/...)

pushd pkg/<package_name>
go test -run <TestName> -tags=intest,deadlock
popd

• If execution succeeds, review changed result/testdata files.
• Prefer targeted runs (-run <TestName>); use package-wide runs only when needed.
• Use -record only for test suites that explicitly support it.

Failpoint decision for unit tests

• Policy reference: AGENTS.md -> Quick Decision Matrix (Unit tests in a package that uses failpoints).

rg -n --fixed-strings -- "failpoint." pkg/<package_name>
rg -n --fixed-strings -- "testfailpoint." pkg/<package_name>
# If BUILD.bazel exists, also check failpoint dependency.
test -f pkg/<package_name>/BUILD.bazel && rg -n --fixed-strings -- "@com_github_pingcap_failpoint//:failpoint" pkg/<package_name>/BUILD.bazel

• Use the checks above as the default decision basis.
• If rg finds matches, run with failpoints enabled.
• If rg finds no matches, run without failpoint enable/disable and state the check evidence in the final report.
• -tags=intest,deadlock does not enable failpoints.

Failpoint-enabled run

./tools/check/failpoint-go-test.sh pkg/<package_name> -run <TestName>

• The script enables failpoints, runs go test, and always disables failpoints during cleanup.
• Pass additional go test flags after the package path, for example ./tools/check/failpoint-go-test.sh pkg/<package_name> -run <TestName> -count=1.
• If -tags is omitted, the script defaults to -tags=intest,deadlock.
• Pass -tags=intest,deadlock,nextgen when a test run also needs nextgen.
• If running Bazel directly (for example bazel test), run make bazel-failpoint-enable first, then make bazel-failpoint-disable after tests.
• If using make bazel_test, do not run make bazel-failpoint-enable separately because bazel_test already depends on it; still run make bazel-failpoint-disable after tests.

Related guidance

• Bug-fix regression policy lives in AGENTS.md -> Quick Decision Matrix (Bug fix).
• Test placement, naming, shard_count, and package-specific testdata rules live in .agents/skills/tidb-test-guidelines.
• Include exact test commands in PR description under Tests when preparing a PR update.

Integration tests (/tests/integrationtest)

• Test inputs are in tests/integrationtest/t.
• Expected results are in tests/integrationtest/r.

pushd tests/integrationtest
./run-tests.sh -r <TestName>
popd

• Review changed files in tests/integrationtest/r and confirm each diff matches expected behavior.
• Result files usually do not need manual edits; if edits are necessary, keep them minimal and verify correctness before reporting.
• Mapping example: if you modify t/planner/core/binary_plan.test, then TestName is planner/core/binary_plan.

RealTiKV tests (/tests/realtikvtest)

• Use for cases requiring real TiKV/TiUP Playground behavior and tests under tests/realtikvtest/.
• Policy reference: AGENTS.md -> Quick Decision Matrix (RealTiKV tests).

Start playground in background:

tiup playground --mode tikv-slim --tag realtikvtest &
PLAYGROUND_PID=$!

Default PD is 127.0.0.1:2379; if it is unavailable, use a non-default port or port offset. Using --tag realtikvtest keeps data under ${HOME}/.tiup/data/realtikvtest after exit; remove it during cleanup.

tiup playground --mode tikv-slim --tag realtikvtest --pd.port 12379 &
PLAYGROUND_PID=$!
# or
tiup playground --mode tikv-slim --tag realtikvtest --port-offset 10000 &
PLAYGROUND_PID=$!

PD_ADDR=127.0.0.1:2379
# If started with `--pd.port 12379` or `--port-offset 10000`, use:
# PD_ADDR=127.0.0.1:12379
curl -f "http://${PD_ADDR}/pd/api/v1/version"
until curl -sf "http://${PD_ADDR}/pd/api/v1/version" >/dev/null; do sleep 1; done

go test -run <TestName> -tags=intest,deadlock ./tests/realtikvtest/<dir>/...
# non-default PD example
go test -run <TestName> -tags=intest,deadlock ./tests/realtikvtest/<dir>/... -args \
  -tikv-path "tikv://127.0.0.1:12379?disableGC=true"

• If failpoints are used, enable before running and disable afterward.
• Do not add -v by default; add it only for debugging.

[ -n "${PLAYGROUND_PID:-}" ] && kill "${PLAYGROUND_PID}" 2>/dev/null || true
[ -n "${PLAYGROUND_PID:-}" ] && wait "${PLAYGROUND_PID}" 2>/dev/null || true
rm -rf "${HOME}/.tiup/data/realtikvtest"

# Cleanup check: PD endpoint should be unreachable after teardown.
! curl -sf "http://${PD_ADDR}/pd/api/v1/version"

Cleanup-safe template (recommended for long local debug runs):

PD_ADDR=127.0.0.1:2379
(
  cleanup() {
    [ -n "${PLAYGROUND_PID:-}" ] && kill "${PLAYGROUND_PID}" 2>/dev/null || true
    [ -n "${PLAYGROUND_PID:-}" ] && wait "${PLAYGROUND_PID}" 2>/dev/null || true
    rm -rf "${HOME}/.tiup/data/realtikvtest"
  }
  trap cleanup EXIT INT TERM

  tiup playground --mode tikv-slim --tag realtikvtest &
  PLAYGROUND_PID=$!

  until curl -sf "http://${PD_ADDR}/pd/api/v1/version" >/dev/null; do sleep 1; done
  go test -run <TestName> -tags=intest,deadlock ./tests/realtikvtest/<dir>/...
)
! curl -sf "http://${PD_ADDR}/pd/api/v1/version"

• For fmt-only PRs, follow Quick Decision Matrix and skip costly realtikvtest.
• Alternative RealTiKV workflows are available in tests/realtikvtest/scripts/classic/ and tests/realtikvtest/scripts/next-gen/.