Testing Guide

This document outlines testing procedures for NPC Forge contributors using Next.js 15's development environment.

Core Testing Areas

Character Generation Wizard

• Test all four steps (Concept, Options, Model, Generate)
• Verify progress navigation and form persistence
• Test with different model combinations
• Verify character data displays correctly

Interactive Chat System

• Test chat initiation from character cards and library
• Verify message sending and character responses
• Test conversation persistence across browser sessions
• Confirm usage tracking against text model limits

Portrait Editing

• Test edit interface with gpt-image-1 model
• Verify model compatibility warnings for other models
• Test various edit prompts and processing
• Confirm usage integration with image model limits

Trait Management

• Test AI trait generation and individual regeneration
• Verify trait editing and formatting consistency
• Test custom trait addition and removal
• Confirm integration with character display

Testing Procedure

1. Environment Setup

• Start clean development environment
• Set up .env.local with valid OpenAI API key (for developers only)
• Clear browser cache and IndexedDB if needed

2. Basic Functionality

• Complete character creation wizard
• Save character to library
• Start chat conversation
• Test portrait editing (if character has portrait)
• Add/regenerate traits

3. Edge Cases

• Test with long inputs and special characters
• Test network interruption scenarios
• Verify error handling and user feedback
• Test usage limit enforcement (in production mode)

4. Cross-Browser Testing

• Verify functionality in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
• Test responsive design on different screen sizes
• Confirm mobile touch interactions work

Performance Testing

• Monitor character generation response times
• Test library performance with multiple characters
• Verify smooth UI animations and transitions
• Check API call optimization

Common Issues

Development vs Production Testing

Development Mode

• Usage Limits: Bypassed for unlimited testing
• API Costs: Developer's OpenAI account is charged
• Error Handling: More detailed error messages for debugging
• Performance: May be slower due to development optimizations

Production Mode (Public App)

• Usage Limits: Monthly limits enforced per user
• API Costs: Free for end users
• Error Handling: User-friendly error messages
• Performance: Optimized for production use

Testing New Features

When contributing new features:

• Test with various character types and configurations
• Verify integration with existing features
• Test error handling and edge cases
• Ensure responsive design and accessibility
• Update documentation for new functionality

Security Testing

Input Validation

• Test with malicious input strings
• Verify XSS prevention
• Test file upload security (for portrait editing)
• Confirm proper sanitization

Data Privacy

• Verify no data is transmitted to external servers
• Test local storage isolation
• Confirm data export/import security
• Test browser storage permissions

Automated Testing Considerations

Unit Testing

• Test utility functions and data processing
• Verify model configuration logic
• Test input validation functions
• Confirm data transformation accuracy

Integration Testing

• Test API endpoint functionality
• Verify database operations
• Test external service integration
• Confirm error handling paths

End-to-End Testing

• Test complete user workflows
• Verify cross-component interactions
• Test session persistence
• Confirm responsive behavior

Error Scenario Testing

Network Issues

• Test offline functionality
• Verify graceful degradation
• Test reconnection handling
• Confirm error message clarity

API Failures

• Test rate limiting scenarios
• Verify timeout handling
• Test malformed response handling
• Confirm retry logic

Browser Limitations

• Test storage quota limits
• Verify IndexedDB availability
• Test browser compatibility
• Confirm fallback behaviors

Performance Benchmarks

Character Generation

• Text Only: 10-30 seconds
• With Portrait: 30-120 seconds
• Chat Response: 5-15 seconds
• Portrait Editing: 30-90 seconds

Library Operations

• Character Load: < 1 second
• Search Results: < 500ms
• Filter Updates: < 200ms
• Export/Import: 1-5 seconds

Accessibility Testing

Keyboard Navigation

• Test tab order and focus indicators
• Verify keyboard shortcuts work
• Test screen reader compatibility
• Confirm ARIA label accuracy

Visual Accessibility

• Test color contrast ratios
• Verify text scaling behavior
• Test with reduced motion preferences
• Confirm responsive text sizing

Mobile Testing

Touch Interactions

• Test tap targets and gestures
• Verify scroll behavior
• Test virtual keyboard handling
• Confirm orientation changes

Quality Assurance Checklist

User Experience

• Interface is intuitive and responsive
• Error messages are helpful and clear
• Loading states provide appropriate feedback
• Navigation flows logically between features

Testing Documentation

When testing new features:

• Document test procedures and results
• Include screenshots of key functionality
• Note any browser-specific behaviors
• Record performance measurements
• Update user guides with new features

Continuous Testing

Regression Testing

• Test existing features after updates
• Verify backward compatibility
• Confirm data migration works
• Test upgrade paths

User Acceptance Testing

• Gather feedback from actual users
• Test with realistic usage patterns
• Verify feature completeness
• Confirm documentation accuracy

Related Documentation

• Contributing Guidelines - Development workflow
• Development Setup - Local environment setup
• Security Documentation - Security testing considerations