check-test

Check the test harness for a file

Run the require_test_harness MCP tool from the claude-crap server against a user-supplied file path and report whether a matching test exists.

Arguments

The user supplies a file path as the argument, typed after the skill name:

/claude-crap:check-test src/foo/bar.ts
/claude-crap:check-test pkg/mod.py
/claude-crap:check-test app/src/main/java/com/example/Service.java

Pass $ARGUMENTS verbatim as the filePath argument to the MCP tool. Do not normalize, strip quotes, or resolve the path yourself — the server's workspace guard handles that.

Steps

1. Invoke the MCP tool require_test_harness with filePath: "$ARGUMENTS".
2. If the tool returns hasTest: true:
   • Tell the user the test file path from the testFile field, formatted as a clickable relative path.
   • If isTestFile: true, note that the user's input was itself already a test file — the resolver short-circuited. This usually means the user meant to ask about a different file; suggest they re-run the skill with the production file path.
3. If the tool returns hasTest: false:
   • Tell the user no matching test was found.
   • Remind them that CLAUDE.md's Golden Rule forbids writing functional code in this file until a characterization test exists — that's the plugin's core contract.
   • List the first 3 paths from the candidates array as suggested locations for the new test. These are ordered by the resolver's convention priority: sibling <name>.test.<ext> first, then __tests__/<name>.test.<ext>, then mirror-tree layouts under tests/, test/, and __tests__/ at the workspace root, then the nearest-ancestor flat tests/ directory, then Python test_<name>.py variants. Suggest the highest-priority candidate that matches the project's existing conventions — if you can see other test files in the repo, pick the layout that matches them.
4. If the tool returns an error (status: "error"):
   • The most common cause is a path that escapes the workspace root. Tell the user to use a workspace-relative path (e.g. src/foo.ts, not ../other-repo/foo.ts).
   • The second-most-common cause is a typo in the file path. Ask them to double-check the path exists.

What the user will see

A one-line verdict ("Test found: src/foo.test.ts" or "No test found") followed by guidance on what to do next. For the "no test" case, the list of candidate paths is the most valuable thing — it tells the user exactly where the plugin's resolver expects the test to live, without them having to read the resolver source.

Why this skill exists

The Golden Rule in CLAUDE.md forbids writing functional code before a characterization test exists. The require_test_harness tool is the deterministic check for that prerequisite, and it is wired into the PostToolUse hook to catch violations after the fact. But a pre-flight check before starting work on a file is cheaper than fighting the PostToolUse warning later — the user can decide up front whether to write the test first or pick a different file.

The resolver understands seven conventions (sibling, __tests__, mirror tree, nearest-ancestor flat tests/, Python test_ prefix, and two more) so it works across the five languages the plugin supports without requiring the user to configure anything.

Do not

• Do not guess at test file locations. The resolver enumerates every convention claude-crap supports — if it returns hasTest: false, a matching test genuinely does not exist yet.
• Do not suggest the user rename an existing spec file to match the convention. Instead, create a new test file at the highest-priority candidate path so the existing test remains in place if other tooling depends on its name.
• Do not invoke the skill with an absolute path that points outside the workspace. The workspace guard will reject it, and the user will be confused about why.