# compose-ui-testing-patterns

Guides Jetpack Compose UI testing for semantics, screenshots, keyboard input, focus, and interaction state.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 2200 installs · ★ 1120
- Author: chrisbanes
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/chrisbanes/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/compose-ui-testing-patterns/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-25
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/compose-ui-testing-patterns

## What it does

This skill picks the smallest test shape that proves the requested Compose behavior. It favours plain UI composables with controlled state for text, conditional content, and callbacks, while keeping navigation, lifecycle, and DI checks in integration tests.

For semantic behaviour, it uses `onNodeWithText`, enabled-state assertions, and absence checks. Test tags are reserved for nodes without stable visible text or with repeated labels. Building a `ViewModel` or dependency graph for a layout check is a poor fit here.

The guidance also covers keyboard input, focus, `MutableInteractionSource`, and screenshot tests. Rather than `Thread.sleep`, it calls for Compose synchronization through `waitForIdle`, `runOnIdle`, or bounded `waitUntil`.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add chrisbanes/skills --skill compose-ui-testing-patterns -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/compose-ui-testing-patterns/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/compose-ui-testing-patterns/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add chrisbanes/skills --skill compose-ui-testing-patterns -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/compose-ui-testing-patterns/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add chrisbanes/skills --skill compose-ui-testing-patterns -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/compose-ui-testing-patterns/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install chrisbanes/skills compose-ui-testing-patterns
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/compose-ui-testing-patterns/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add chrisbanes/skills --skill compose-ui-testing-patterns -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/chrisbanes/skills --path skills/compose-ui-testing-patterns
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/compose-ui-testing-patterns/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add chrisbanes/skills --skill compose-ui-testing-patterns -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/chrisbanes/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/compose-ui-testing-patterns/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- assert text and button state in Compose
- verify a callback after a click
- test keyboard-driven focus navigation
- record a visual contract with a screenshot test
- check hover, pressed, or focused state

## Example prompts
- Write a Compose UI test for `ProfileScreen` using controlled `ProfileUiState` and assert `onSaveClick`.
- Review this Compose test: does the state assertion need `runOnIdle`?
- Create a screenshot test for fixed state and describe how to verify the baseline artifact.

## Source text · SKILL.md · Apache-2.0

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 5049cc7ba81122f2.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 5049cc7ba81122f2
````text
---
name: compose-ui-testing-patterns
description: Use when writing or reviewing Jetpack Compose UI tests, screenshot tests or baseline-recording evidence, previews, semantics assertions, fake image loading, keyboard input, focus assertions, interaction state (hover/pressed/focused), or tests for plain state-driven UI composables.
---

# Compose: UI testing patterns

## Core principle

Test the smallest UI contract that proves the behavior. Prefer plain state-driven UI tests with callbacks. Add integration only when lifecycle, navigation, DI, or platform behavior is the thing under test.

## Procedure

1. State the behavior and test concern the task asks you to prove.
2. Inspect the existing test against that concern and choose the smallest
   sufficient seam from the table below.
3. Keep focused edits within the requested test concern. Do not move test-only
   helpers into production or broaden production APIs unless that production
   boundary is itself under test.
4. Drive controlled state or input, synchronize through Compose when needed,
   and assert an observable semantic, visual, or callback result.
5. Finish with no edit when the existing test already uses the narrowest valid
   seam and proves the requested behavior.

## Test target choice

| What you need to prove | Test shape |
|---|---|
| Text, button, loading/error branch, conditional content | Plain UI Compose test |
| Callback wiring from click/input | Plain UI Compose test |
| Focus navigation or keyboard behavior | Compose test with key input |
| Visual layout, clipping, elevation, typography, image composition | Screenshot test |
| State holder updates UI correctly | State holder/unit test plus one wiring smoke test |
| Hover, pressed, focused, dragged interaction state | Plain UI test with MutableInteractionSource |
| Navigation, lifecycle, DI integration | Integration test |

## Prefer plain UI tests

If the screen has a state holder/UI split, test the plain UI composable:

```kotlin
composeTestRule.setContent {
    ProfileScreen(
        state = ProfileUiState(name = "Ada", canSave = true),
        onNameChange = {},
        onSaveClick = { saved = true },
        onBackClick = {},
    )
}

composeTestRule.onNodeWithText("Ada").assertIsDisplayed()
composeTestRule.onNodeWithText("Save").performClick()

assertThat(saved).isTrue()
```

This avoids constructing ViewModels, components, repositories, navigation, and dependency graphs for layout behavior.

## Semantics first

Assert semantics when behavior is semantic:

- Text exists: `onNodeWithText`.
- Button is enabled/disabled: `assertIsEnabled`, `assertIsNotEnabled`.
- Content is selected/focused/toggled: use semantics assertions.
- Content is absent: `assertDoesNotExist`.
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 5049cc7ba81122f2

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the 5049cc7ba81122f2 tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

First 2742 of 7434 bytes. © chrisbanes · Apache-2.0 · https://github.com/chrisbanes/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/compose-ui-testing-patterns/SKILL.md

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