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description: Rules and patterns for simulating real user behavior in E2E tests. Covers UI interactions, API flows, and scenario-based testing strategies. name: user-simulation-test allowed-tools: ["Read", "Grep", "Glob", "Bash", "Task", "mcp__plugin_playwright_playwright__*"]

User Simulation Test Rules

Core Principle

Test as users do, not as developers think.

Simulate complete user journeys including:

• UI interactions (clicks, inputs, drag-drop, scrolls)
• Form submissions with realistic data
• Multi-step workflows with wait states
• Error scenarios and edge cases

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Test Type Selection

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Scenario Structure

Every test scenario must include:

CopyScenario:
  name: string           # Descriptive name
  description: string    # What this tests
  preconditions: []      # Required state before test
  steps: Step[]          # User actions in sequence
  assertions: []         # Expected outcomes
  cleanup: []            # Post-test cleanup actions

Detailed templates: Read("references/scenario-templates.md")

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UI Interaction Patterns

Click & Input

Advanced Interactions

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API Testing Patterns

HTTP Sequence Test

CopyAPISequence:
  - name: "Login"
    method: POST
    endpoint: /api/auth/login
    body: { email, password }
    extract: { token: "response.data.token" }

  - name: "Create Resource"
    method: POST
    endpoint: /api/resources
    headers: { Authorization: "Bearer ${token}" }
    body: { ... }
    assertions:
      - status: 201
      - response.data.id: exists

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Test Data Strategy

Realistic Data Generation

Data Isolation

• Always use test-specific data prefixes
• Clean up created data after tests
• Use separate test database/environment when possible

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Wait Strategies

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Assertion Patterns

UI Assertions

CopyUIAssertions:
  - type: text_visible
    value: "Success message"

  - type: element_exists
    selector: "[data-testid='result']"

  - type: url_contains
    value: "/dashboard"

  - type: no_console_errors
    level: error

API Assertions

CopyAPIAssertions:
  - type: status_code
    expected: 200

  - type: response_time
    max_ms: 2000

  - type: json_path
    path: "$.data.items"
    condition: "length > 0"

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Error Handling

Graceful Degradation

1. Screenshot on failure - Capture visual state
2. Console log capture - Get browser errors
3. Network request dump - See failed API calls
4. State preservation - Keep test state for debugging

Recovery Actions

CopyOnFailure:
  - capture_screenshot
  - capture_console_logs
  - capture_network_requests
  - preserve_browser_state  # Don't close immediately

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Test Categories

Test patterns: Read("references/test-patterns.md")