Testing - lesson 7 | HackIndia Skills

Key point

Proof beats claims

A recruiter should not have to trust your resume line. Your repo should show the proof in under two minutes: tests exist, tests pass, and CI ran on the latest push.

Your goal is not to test everything. Your goal is to make the important behaviour visible and repeatable.

Your to-do

Repo checklist

Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.

Make the repository public before you submit the project.
Keep the test files inside the repo, not only screenshots or local output.
Show at least one unit test for business logic or a helper function.
Show at least one API or integration test for a route, database flow, or service connection.
Keep the CI workflow file committed so every push runs the tests.
Check that the latest commit has a passing status before sharing the link.

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What recruiters scan

They usually open your GitHub repo, then scan the README, file tree, and latest workflow status. Make those three things easy.

Use simple names. A folder called tests is easier to spot than random files hidden inside the app. If your framework uses __tests__ or spec files, that is also fine.

Example

README test section

Add a short section that tells someone how to run your tests locally. Mention what each test type covers.

Keep it honest. If your API test uses a test database or mock server, say so.

## Tests

This project includes:
- Unit test: validates price calculation in src/utils/calculateTotal.js
- API test: checks POST /api/orders returns 201 for a valid order
- CI: GitHub Actions runs tests on every push

Run locally:

npm install
npm test

Latest CI status: check the Actions tab for the latest run on main.

Common mistake

Do not fake confidence

Do not write “fully tested” if you only have two tests. Say what is covered.

Do not submit a repo where CI is red. A failing workflow tells reviewers that you did not check your own proof before sharing it.

Tip

Use AI carefully

You can ask ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude to review your README and test names. Ask: “Can a recruiter understand what is tested in 60 seconds?”

Check the answer yourself. AI may suggest claims your repo does not prove. Remove any line that is not backed by a real file or CI run.

Your to-do

Before you submit

Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.

Open the repo in an incognito window and confirm it is public.
Click the Actions tab and confirm the latest run is green.
Open the test files and confirm names describe behaviour, not only implementation.
Run the install and test commands from a fresh clone if you have time.
Paste the repo link in your HackIndia submission, not a ZIP file.

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Your to-do

Do this now

Do each one yourself, then tap it to tick it off. The ticks are only a checklist for you: they are not marked or scored.

Add or update the Tests section in your README.
Push your latest code and test files to GitHub.
Wait for CI to finish and confirm it passes.
Open your public repo link like a reviewer would.
Submit the repo link with your hackathon project.

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Ship a tested public repo

Proof beats claims

Repo checklist

What recruiters scan

README test section

Do not fake confidence

Use AI carefully

Before you submit

Do this now

Quick check