# Specification: Test Suite Stabilization & Consolidation (test_stabilization_20260302)

## Overview
The goal of this track is to stabilize and unify the project's test suite. This involves resolving pervasive `asyncio` lifecycle errors, consolidating redundant testing paradigms (specifically manual GUI subprocesses), ensuring artifact isolation in `./tests/artifacts/`, implementing functional assertions for currently mocked-out tests, and updating documentation to reflect the finalized verification framework.

## Architectural Constraints: Combating Mock-Rot
To prevent future testing entropy caused by "Green-Light Bias" and stateless Tier 3 delegation, this track establishes strict constraints:
- **Ban on Aggressive Mocking:** Tests MUST NOT use `unittest.mock.patch` to arbitrarily hollow out core infrastructure (e.g., the `App` lifecycle or async loops) just to achieve exit code 0.
- **Mandatory Centralized Fixtures:** All tests interacting with the GUI or AI client MUST use the centralized `app_instance` or `live_gui` fixtures defined in `conftest.py`.
- **Structural Testing Contract:** The project workflow must enforce that future AI agents write integration tests against the live state rather than hallucinated mocked environments.

## Functional Requirements
- **Asyncio Lifecycle Stabilization:**
  - Resolve `RuntimeError: Event loop is closed` across the suite.
  - Implement `ThreadPoolExecutor` for blocking calls in GUI-bound tests.
  - Audit and fix fixture cleanup in `conftest.py`.
- **Paradigm Consolidation (from testing_consolidation_20260302):**
  - Refactor integration/visual tests to exclusively use the `live_gui` pytest fixture.
  - Eliminate all manual `subprocess.Popen` calls to `gui_2.py` in the `tests/` and `simulation/` directories.
  - Update legacy tests (e.g., `test_gui_events.py`, `test_gui_diagnostics.py`) that still import the deprecated `gui_legacy.py` to use `gui_2.py`.
  - Completely remove `gui_legacy.py` from the project to eliminate confusion.
- **Artifact Isolation & Discipline:**
  - All test-generated files (temporary projects, mocks, sessions) MUST be isolated in `./tests/artifacts/`.
  - Prevent leakage into `conductor/tracks/` or project root.
- **Enhanced Test Reporting:**
  - Implement structured, sectioned logging in `./tests/logs/` with timestamps (consolidating `VerificationLogger` outputs).
- **Assertion Implementation:**
  - Replace `pytest.fail` placeholders with full functional implementation.
- **Simulation Regression Fixes:**
  - Debug and resolve `test_context_sim_live` entry count issues.
- **Documentation Updates:**
  - Update `Readme.md` (Testing section) to explain the new log/artifact locations and the `--enable-test-hooks` requirement.
  - Update `docs/guide_simulations.md` to document the centralized `pytest` usage instead of standalone simulator scripts.

## Acceptance Criteria
- [ ] Full suite run completes without `RuntimeError: Event loop is closed` warnings.
- [ ] No `subprocess.Popen` calls to `gui_2.py` exist in the test codebase.
- [ ] No test files import `gui_legacy.py`.
- [ ] `gui_legacy.py` has been deleted from the repository.
- [ ] All test artifacts are isolated in `./tests/artifacts/`.
- [ ] All tests previously marked with `pytest.fail` now have passing functional assertions.
- [ ] Simulation tests pass with correct entry counts.
- [ ] `Readme.md` and `docs/guide_simulations.md` accurately reflect the new testing infrastructure.
