Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Go Testing Patterns agent skill (golang-testing)
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The golang-testing skill is a set of Go testing conventions that an AI agent reads when you ask it to write or improve Go tests. It covers table-driven tests, helper functions, cleanup, the race detector, coverage, benchmarks and integration tests separated by build tags. This guide explains what the skill changes, how to install it, how to trigger it and what to check before relying on its output.
Go Testing Patternsaffaan-m/ECC · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download and unzip the skill. Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it to get SKILL.md.
- 2Place it where the agent can read it. Move the folder into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into your project's .claude/skills/ folder for a single repository.
- 3Open your Go project. Start your AI agent in the root of the Go project you want tests for.
- 4Ask for Go tests in plain language. Describe the function or behaviour to test and mention that it is Go code.
- 5Review the generated tests. Read the table cases and helpers, and check they assert the behaviour you actually need.
- 6Run the tests with the race detector. Run go test -race ./... locally and confirm everything passes.
What the skill makes the agent do
The skill is a guide of patterns and example code, not a tool that runs anything by itself. When it is active, the agent is steered toward standard Go testing style: table-driven tests with t.Run() subtests, helpers marked with t.Helper(), resources released with t.Cleanup(), and tests run with go test -race.
It also shapes how the agent handles benchmarks (go test -bench with -benchmem), mocking through small interfaces, integration tests guarded by a build tag, and common cases such as HTTP handlers and context timeouts.
- Table-driven tests with t.Parallel() and t.Run()
- Helpers with t.Helper() for correct failure line numbers
- Cleanup with t.Cleanup() and temporary directories with t.TempDir()
- Race detection, coverage reports and benchmark comparison with benchstat
- Integration tests separated with //go:build integration
Install the golang-testing skill
Download the ZIP for the skill from this page and unzip it. The skill is contained in a SKILL.md file. Put the unzipped folder in one of these locations, depending on how you want to use it:
- Personal use across projects: unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: unzip into the project's .claude/skills/ folder, so teammates who use the repository get it too
- Claude apps: upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need a special command. The skill's description says it applies when writing or improving Go tests, so ask for that work in plain language. Mentioning Go and the kind of test you want helps the agent match the skill to your request.
- Write table-driven tests for the ValidateEmail function in user.go
- Add a race-detection step to our CI workflow for this Go project
- Find out why TestOrderSync is flaky and fix it
- Set up integration tests for the user repository that only run with a build tag
- Write a benchmark for the parser and compare results before and after my change
Example: what a generated test looks like
For a function such as ValidateEmail, the skill's pattern produces a struct slice of named cases, each run with t.Run(). Each case states the input and whether an error is expected. Adding a case means adding one more entry to the slice.
func TestValidateEmail(t *testing.T) {
tests := []struct {
name string
email string
wantErr bool
}{
{name: "valid email", email: "user@example.com", wantErr: false},
{name: "missing @", email: "userexample.com", wantErr: true},
}
for _, tt := range tests {
t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
err := ValidateEmail(tt.email)
if (err != nil) != tt.wantErr {
t.Errorf("ValidateEmail(%q) error = %v, wantErr %v", tt.email, err, tt.wantErr)
}
})
}
}Commands the skill uses
The skill refers to standard Go tooling. Run these from your project root. The skill itself does not execute them; you or your CI run them.
- go test ./... runs all tests
- go test -race ./... runs tests with the race detector
- go test -cover ./... prints coverage per package
- go test -coverprofile=coverage.out ./... then go tool cover -html=coverage.out opens a coverage report
- go test -bench=. -benchmem runs benchmarks
- go test -tags=integration ./... runs integration tests
go test -race ./...Safety notes and requirements
The skill requires a Go toolchain, since it relies on go test and go tool cover. Benchmark comparison uses the optional benchstat tool. The container example needs testcontainers-go and Docker, and the database example needs an sqlite3 driver. The skill runs no scripts and makes no network calls.
Treat the coverage threshold example with caution. The skill's threshold command is a grep pattern over coverage output and may not behave as intended, so check it before using it as a gate. Confirm any generated tests pass locally before committing them.
- Requires: Go toolchain (go test, go tool cover)
- Optional: benchstat, testcontainers-go with Docker, sqlite3 driver
- Runs scripts: no. Uses network: no.
- Verify the coverage threshold command before relying on it
What people use it for
- Generating table-driven unit tests for validation functions
- Adding a race-detection step to a Go CI pipeline
- Diagnosing and fixing flaky Go tests
- Setting up integration tests behind the integration build tag
- Writing benchmarks and comparing results with benchstat
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the golang-testing skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it. Place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one repository. In the Claude apps, you can instead upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
What do I need to use it?
You need a Go toolchain, since the patterns use go test and go tool cover. benchstat, testcontainers-go with Docker, and an sqlite3 driver are optional and only needed for specific examples.
Is the golang-testing skill free?
The skill is published under the MIT licence, as listed on this page. The source does not mention pricing, so check the repository for any licence details beyond that.
Does the skill run tests or scripts for me?
No. It is a guide of patterns and example code. It runs no scripts and makes no network calls, so the agent writes the tests and you or your CI run them with go test.
Why does my agent not use the skill?
Make sure the folder with SKILL.md sits in the correct .claude/skills/ location or was uploaded in the Claude apps, and that your request is about writing or improving Go tests. Mention Go explicitly so the request matches the skill's description.
Can the skill enforce a coverage minimum?
Not reliably. The coverage threshold example in the skill is a grep command that may not behave as intended. Use go test -cover to read the numbers and verify any threshold check yourself before relying on it.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you write Go and want an AI assistant to produce tests in standard Go style, or if your team is adding race detection, coverage reporting or integration test separation to a Go project. Pick something else if your project is not in Go, or if you need a tool that enforces coverage thresholds automatically.
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