Regression Test
A Regression Test checks that a later code change did not break behavior that worked before.
Another example
A retry once caused duplicate charges. A new test repeats the payment key and expects only one charge.
Main parts
- 01Code or behavior under test
- 02Observable evidence
- 03Coverage, failure, and recovery
Use it when
Add one for a repeatable bug, stable contract, key flow, or edge that may fail again.
Do not use it when
Avoid meaningless snapshots and brittle internal checks. Reproduce the original failure before claiming prevention.
Name used in code
reproduce failure → assert corrected behavior Before you ship
Check the environment and prepared test data (fixture). Define a result you can observe, failure and edge cases, isolation, stable inputs, useful error details, and cleanup. Set a time budget, owner, and flaky-test rule.
Outcome: Use Regression Test to gather repeatable evidence about this behavior or quality risk. User context: A retry once caused duplicate charges. A new test repeats the payment key and expects only one charge. Validation approach: Regression Test. Why it fits: Add one for a repeatable bug, stable contract, key flow, or edge that may fail again. Do not use it when: Avoid meaningless snapshots and brittle internal checks. Reproduce the original failure before claiming prevention. Test requirements: Name the system and test environment. Define prepared test data, other inputs, and the result you can observe. Include failure and edge cases, allowed error, isolation, and cleanup. Test operations: Make failures easy to diagnose. Control random or changing inputs. Name an owner. Keep the test fast and simple enough for its release gate. Acceptance criteria: The test fails for the known bug and passes after the fix. It repeats in the target environment, gives useful evidence, and does not expose or change unrelated data. Evidence and limits (evidence boundary): No single official standard controls the whole term. Its meaning may change across teams, platforms, or frameworks. Unknowns to confirm: Release gate, environment, prepared test data, allowed error, time budget, owner, and flaky-test rule.
Check this request
Review the current use of Regression Test. Definition: A Regression Test checks that a later code change did not break behavior that worked before. Release checks: Check the environment and prepared test data (fixture). Define a result you can observe, failure and edge cases, isolation, stable inputs, useful error details, and cleanup. Set a time budget, owner, and flaky-test rule. Before changing code, report the evidence you found, gaps, severity, and the smallest safe fix.