Skip to main content Test Temporal workflows with pytest, time-skipping, and mocking strategies. Covers unit testing, integration testing, replay testing, and local development setup. Use when implementing Temporal workflow tests or debugging test failures.
npx skills add wshobson/agents --skill temporal-python-testing agents claude claude-code subagents anthropic automation
Temporal Python Testing Strategies
Comprehensive testing approaches for Temporal workflows using pytest, progressive disclosure resources for specific testing scenarios.
When to Use This Skill
Unit testing workflows - Fast tests with time-skipping
Integration testing - Workflows with mocked activities
Replay testing - Validate determinism against production histories
Local development - Set up Temporal server and pytest
CI/CD integration - Automated testing pipelines
Coverage strategies - Achieve ≥80% test coverage
Testing Philosophy
Recommended Approach (Source: docs.temporal.io/develop/python/testing-suite):
Write majority as integration tests
Use pytest with async fixtures
Time-skipping enables fast feedback (month-long workflows → seconds)
Mock activities to isolate workflow logic
Validate determinism with replay testing
Three Test Types :
Unit : Workflows with time-skipping, activities with ActivityEnvironment
Integration : Workers with mocked activities
End-to-end : Full Temporal server with real activities (use sparingly)
Available Resources
This skill provides detailed guidance through progressive disclosure. Load specific resources based on your testing needs:
Unit Testing Resources
File : resources/unit-testing.md
: Testing individual workflows or activities in isolation
:
When to load
Contains
WorkflowEnvironment with time-skipping
ActivityEnvironment for activity testing
Fast execution of long-running workflows
Manual time advancement patterns
pytest fixtures and patterns
Integration Testing Resources File : resources/integration-testing.md
When to load : Testing workflows with mocked external dependencies
Contains :
Activity mocking strategies
Error injection patterns
Multi-activity workflow testing
Signal and query testing
Coverage strategies
Replay Testing Resources File : resources/replay-testing.md
When to load : Validating determinism or deploying workflow changes
Contains :
Determinism validation
Production history replay
CI/CD integration patterns
Version compatibility testing
Local Development Resources File : resources/local-setup.md
When to load : Setting up development environment
Contains :
Docker Compose configuration
pytest setup and configuration
Coverage tool integration
Development workflow
Quick Start Guide
Basic Workflow Test import pytest
from temporalio.testing import WorkflowEnvironment
from temporalio.worker import Worker
@pytest.fixture
async def workflow_env():
env = await WorkflowEnvironment.start_time_skipping()
yield env
await env.shutdown()
@pytest.mark.asyncio
async def test_workflow(workflow_env):
async with Worker(
workflow_env.client,
task_queue="test-queue",
workflows=[YourWorkflow],
activities=[your_activity],
):
result = await workflow_env.client.execute_workflow(
YourWorkflow.run,
args,
id="test-wf-id",
task_queue="test-queue",
)
assert result == expected
Basic Activity Test from temporalio.testing import ActivityEnvironment
async def test_activity():
env = ActivityEnvironment()
result = await env.run(your_activity, "test-input")
assert result == expected_output
Coverage Targets Recommended Coverage (Source: docs.temporal.io best practices):
Workflows : ≥80% logic coverage
Activities : ≥80% logic coverage
Integration : Critical paths with mocked activities
Replay : All workflow versions before deployment
Key Testing Principles
Time-Skipping - Month-long workflows test in seconds
Mock Activities - Isolate workflow logic from external dependencies
Replay Testing - Validate determinism before deployment
High Coverage - ≥80% target for production workflows
Fast Feedback - Unit tests run in milliseconds
How to Use Resources Load specific resource when needed :
"Show me unit testing patterns" → Load resources/unit-testing.md
"How do I mock activities?" → Load resources/integration-testing.md
"Setup local Temporal server" → Load resources/local-setup.md
"Validate determinism" → Load resources/replay-testing.md
Additional References
Python SDK Testing: docs.temporal.io/develop/python/testing-suite
Testing Patterns: github.com/temporalio/temporal/blob/main/docs/development/testing.md
Python Samples: github.com/temporalio/samples-python
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Create or update AgentSkills. Use when designing, structuring, or packaging skills with scripts, references, and assets.
Create or update AgentSkills. Use when designing, structuring, or packaging skills with scripts, references, and assets.
Set up and use 1Password CLI (op). Use when installing the CLI, enabling desktop app integration, signing in (single or multi-account), or reading/injecting/running secrets via op.
CLI to manage emails via IMAP/SMTP. Use `himalaya` to list, read, write, reply, forward, search, and organize emails from the terminal. Supports multiple accounts and message composition with MML (MIME Meta Language).