# godot-gdscript-headless-testing

Runs GDScript test suites in Godot 4 via godot --headless and returns real process exit codes. It helps verify game logic in CI pipelines without launching the editor GUI.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 3100 installs · ★ 4506
- Author: gamedev-skills
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/godot/godot-gdscript-headless-testing/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/godot-gdscript-headless-testing

## What it does

The skill covers headless GDScript testing for Godot 4.x and 4.7 without external testing addons. The test runner extends `SceneTree`, so its `_initialize()` method runs before any frame renders. On a fresh repository checkout, you must run `godot --headless --path <project_dir> --import` first. Without that step, Godot lacks the `.godot/` import cache. This breaks `class_name` type resolution and fails resource loading.

A major trap in headless execution is Godot's built-in `assert()`. A failed `assert()` in debug builds halts execution before `quit()` ever runs. The process hangs indefinitely. CI runs until hitting a job timeout. The runner avoids this by tracking passes and failures in custom counters, then exiting via `quit(1)`. For timers or signals, tests must `await process_frame` first because `root` is not attached to the tree during `_initialize()`.

## Requirements
- Works with: Godot

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills --skill godot-gdscript-headless-testing -a claude-code
```

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

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills --skill godot-gdscript-headless-testing -a codex
```

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

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills --skill godot-gdscript-headless-testing -a cursor
```

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

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills godot-gdscript-headless-testing
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/godot-gdscript-headless-testing/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills --skill godot-gdscript-headless-testing -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills --path skills/godot/godot-gdscript-headless-testing
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

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

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills --skill godot-gdscript-headless-testing -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/gamedev-skills/awesome-gamedev-agent-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/godot/godot-gdscript-headless-testing/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- run GDScript unit tests from the terminal without opening the Godot editor
- return a non-zero exit code to CI when a test fails
- prevent headless Godot processes from hanging on failed assertions
- initialize the `.godot/` import cache on clean CI checkouts

## Example prompts
- Create a SceneTree test runner for GDScript that exits with code 1 on failure
- Configure a GitHub Actions step to run Godot 4 headless tests and catch failures
- Debug why godot --headless hangs in CI when an assertion fails

## 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: 846c062c561e566b.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 846c062c561e566b
```text
---
name: godot-gdscript-headless-testing
description: >
  Run GDScript test suites from the command line with `godot --headless`, using a
  SceneTree/MainLoop runner script that exits non-zero on failure so CI can gate
  merges. Use when a Godot project needs unit tests without opening the editor,
  when wiring a CI job (GitHub Actions or similar) that must fail the build on a
  failing `.gd` test, or when a `godot --headless` invocation hangs, opens a
  window, or exits 0 despite failed assertions.
---

# Godot GDScript headless testing (4.x)

Run GDScript tests from the command line, without the editor GUI, and get a real
process exit code CI can act on. Targets **Godot 4.7** headless CLI.

## When to use

- Use when a Godot project has no testing addon installed and needs a fast way to
  verify GDScript logic (pure functions, resource loading, autoload state) from a
  terminal or CI pipeline.
- Use when wiring a CI job that must fail the build when a `.gd` test fails.
- Use when debugging why a `godot --headless` invocation hangs, opens a window, or
  exits 0 despite failing assertions.

**When *not* to use:** GDScript syntax or language features themselves →
`godot-gdscript`; export/build pipeline and platform templates → `godot-export`
(its own `--headless` use case, producing a binary, not running tests).

## Workflow

1. **Confirm the binary resolves headless.** Godot 4.x ships `--headless` built in
   (no export template needed); run `godot --headless --version` and confirm it
   prints a version string, not a GUI window.
2. **On a fresh checkout, import before running tests.** `.godot/` is normally not
   committed, so a clean checkout has no import cache: `class_name` types fail to
   resolve (`Identifier "X" not declared in the current scope`) and imported
   assets fail to load (`No loader found for resource: res://...`). Run
   `godot --headless --path <project_dir> --import` once first, in CI and locally.
3. **Write the runner as a `SceneTree` script, not a `Node` scene.** A `SceneTree`
   script's `_initialize()` runs once before any frame — enough for pure-logic
   tests and no `.tscn` required to launch.
4. **Track pass/fail counts yourself and call `quit(<code>)` explicitly. Do not use
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 846c062c561e566b

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the 846c062c561e566b 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.

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