@rangojs/router 0.0.0-experimental.debug-cache-fix → 0.0.0-experimental.df410dd5

package/skills/testing/SKILL.md

@@ -0,0 +1,776 @@
+---
+name: testing
+description: Test @rangojs/router apps — unit (loaders/middleware/reverse/components), integration (dispatch/Flight), and e2e (dev+prod parity, progressive enhancement)
+argument-hint: [layer]
+---
+
+# Testing @rangojs/router apps
+
+Rango ships six consumer-facing testing entries, one per test runtime/dependency:
+`@rangojs/router/testing` (unit + integration, under a Vite-driven Vitest
+project), `@rangojs/router/testing/vitest` (the `rangoTestConfig`/`rangoTestAliases` setup preset),
+`@rangojs/router/testing/dom` (`renderRoute`, needs RTL + a DOM env),
+`@rangojs/router/testing/e2e` (the Playwright harness),
+`@rangojs/router/testing/flight` (real Flight, react-server condition only), and
+`@rangojs/router/testing/flight-matchers` (the Flight matchers).
+The hard problem in an RSC app is that the layer you reach for is dictated by
+**what the behavior touches** — a pure predicate is a one-line vitest test; a
+real async Server Component cannot be a plain node test at all. Pick the layer
+**first**, then the primitive. Reaching one layer too high (e2e for a reverse
+function) is slow; one too low (a node test for Flight) fails to compile or
+silently asserts nothing.
+
+Compatibility (the setup that bit the first installed consumer — read before
+writing `vitest.config.ts`):
+
+- **Node >= 23:** use **`rangoTestConfig()`**, not the bare `rangoTestAliases()`.
+  `@rangojs/router` is consumed as SOURCE (its exports resolve to `./src/*.ts`),
+  and Node >= 23 refuses to type-strip `.ts` under `node_modules`
+  (`ERR_UNSUPPORTED_NODE_MODULES_TYPE_STRIPPING`). `rangoTestConfig` ships as
+  compiled JS (so the config itself loads under Node) AND adds the required
+  `server.deps.inline: [/@rangojs[/\\]router/]` so Vite — not Node — transpiles
+  rango's source under test. With bare `rangoTestAliases` you must wire
+  `deps.inline` yourself.
+- **Vitest:** the rango fragment goes under `test` (`test.alias` +
+  `test.server.deps.inline`, both returned by `rangoTestConfig`). The node/DOM
+  project keeps React as its CLIENT build; the Flight project uses the
+  `react-server` condition in a separate `vitest.rsc.config.ts`.
+
+For the prose guide with full setup and migration, see
+[`docs/testing.md`](https://github.com/ivogt/vite-rsc/blob/main/packages/rangojs-router/docs/testing.md)
+(the `docs/` directory is not shipped in the published package, so this is an
+absolute link).
+
+## When to use
+
+Use this skill when adding or changing tests for a Rango app: a loader,
+middleware, a route map, a client component, a response route, cache/SWR
+behavior, prerender, or a navigation/PE flow.
+
+Two non-negotiable mandates (from the repo's `CLAUDE.md`, and they apply to
+consumer apps too):
+
+- **Every e2e covers BOTH dev and production.** A dev-only e2e is not
+  acceptable. Use `parityDescribe` — it generates the dev and production
+  describes from one body, so you cannot forget the prod half.
+- **Progressive-enhancement parity** is a first-class assertion. A form-driven
+  flow must produce the same observable result with JS on and JS off. Use
+  `expectParity`.
+
+## The read-first shape
+
+Four import roots, each matched to the dependency/runtime that can load it —
+this split is forced by hard walls, not preference:
+
+- `@rangojs/router/testing` — unit + integration primitives. Run these under a
+  **Vite-driven Vitest** project with the rango Vite plugin active (the router
+  internals import the `@rangojs/router:version` virtual module; without the
+  plugin, alias `@rangojs/router:version`). It references neither React,
+  `@testing-library/react`, Playwright, nor the RSC runtime — a unit suite
+  testing only loaders/middleware/`dispatch` pulls in none of them.
+- `@rangojs/router/testing/dom` — `renderRoute` (the RTL component stub). Kept
+  separate so the unit barrel above stays free of React/RTL; it lazy-loads
+  `@testing-library/react` at call time and needs a DOM env (happy-dom/jsdom).
+- `@rangojs/router/testing/e2e` — the Playwright harness. Kept separate so it
+  loads in a plain (non-Vite) Playwright runner; the unit barrel pulls in
+  router-manifest code that a Playwright loader cannot resolve. The helpers take
+  your `test`/`expect` as parameters, so this entry never imports
+  `@playwright/test` at runtime.
+- `@rangojs/router/testing/flight` — real Flight rendering. Its serializer loads
+  only under the `react-server` node condition; pulling it elsewhere throws.
+
+The single rule that drives everything:
+
+> **If the behavior needs a real Flight render, it cannot be a plain vitest node
+> test.** It is either `renderToFlightString` (under the react-server vitest
+> project) or an e2e test. There is no middle ground in node.
+
+## Decision tree: behavior -> layer -> primitive
+
+| The behavior is…                                                                                          | Layer        | Primitive                                                        | Import root                      |
+| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
+| a pure function / `reverse` / a predicate (`revalidate`, `isAction`)                                      | unit (node)  | call it directly; `runMiddleware`/`runLoader` for ctx            | `@rangojs/router/testing`        |
+| one loader's data logic                                                                                   | unit (node)  | `runLoader` (a registered `createLoader` handle, or the raw fn)  | `@rangojs/router/testing`        |
+| one middleware's ordering / short-circuit / cookie+header merge                                           | unit (node)  | `runMiddleware`                                                  | `@rangojs/router/testing`        |
+| a CLIENT component reading router context (`useParams`/`useReverse`/`Outlet`/`useNavigation`/`useLoader`) | unit (DOM)   | `renderRoute` (needs happy-dom/jsdom + `@testing-library/react`) | `@rangojs/router/testing/dom`    |
+| a redirect / status / headers / cookies / **response route** (json/text/html/xml/md), no Flight           | integration  | `dispatch` (router -> Response)                                  | `@rangojs/router/testing`        |
+| a real async **Server Component** / Flight serialization shape                                            | RSC unit     | `renderToFlightString` + `toMatchFlight`                         | `@rangojs/router/testing/flight` |
+| a client island's **typed props** across the boundary / inlined-vs-island                                 | RSC unit     | `renderServerTree` + `findClientBoundaries`                      | `@rangojs/router/testing/flight` |
+| navigation, hydration, PE parity, view transitions, real SSR                                              | e2e          | `createRangoE2E` -> `parityDescribe`/`expectParity`              | `@rangojs/router/testing/e2e`    |
+| cache hit/miss/stale, prerender (= a cache hit by design)                                                 | e2e + signal | `assertCacheStatus` / telemetry sink (gate on)                   | `@rangojs/router/testing`        |
+| generated route map drift vs runtime                                                                      | unit (node)  | `assertGeneratedRoutesMatch`                                     | `@rangojs/router/testing`        |
+
+Cross-references: `/loader`, `/middleware`, `/server-actions`, `/caching`,
+`/prerender`, `/typesafety`.
+
+## Unit recipes (vitest, node)
+
+### runMiddleware — ordering, short-circuit, cookie/header merge
+
+Runs the chain through the router's **real** `executeMiddleware`, so
+`next()`, return-Response short-circuit, throw-Response short-circuit,
+double-next guards, and header/cookie merging behave exactly as in production.
+`nextCalled` is `0` on short-circuit, `1` on pass-through. The result also
+carries `cookies` (the effective `{ name: value }` view — assert a cookie the
+chain set without casting through the `@internal` `ctx.cookies()`). The returned
+`ctx` is the underlying `RequestContext` for anything else (`ctx.get(...)`,
+`ctx.res.headers`).
+
+```ts
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { runMiddleware } from "@rangojs/router/testing";
+import type { Middleware } from "@rangojs/router";
+
+const requireUser: Middleware = async (ctx, next) => {
+  if (!ctx.get("user")) return new Response(null, { status: 401 });
+  return next();
+};
+
+it("passes through when the user is present", async () => {
+  const { response, nextCalled } = await runMiddleware(
+    requireUser,
+    "/dashboard",
+    {
+      vars: { user: { id: 1 } }, // object form; or [[key, value]] tuples (key may be a createVar())
+    },
+  );
+  expect(nextCalled).toBe(1);
+  expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+});
+
+it("short-circuits (return OR throw Response) when unauthenticated", async () => {
+  const { response, nextCalled } = await runMiddleware(
+    requireUser,
+    "/dashboard",
+  );
+  expect(nextCalled).toBe(0);
+  expect(response.status).toBe(401);
+});
+```
+
+Seed prior-middleware state with `vars` (string key or `createVar()` handle).
+Model the downstream route with `next`. Enable `ctx.reverse(...)` by passing
+`routeMap` (and `routeName` for scoped `.name` resolution). Pass an array to run
+several in order. Cookies set via `cookies().set(...)` surface on the result's
+`cookies` and on the merged response `Set-Cookie`.
+
+There is no `handles`/`rendered` option (only `runLoader` has them): middleware
+runs BEFORE the render barrier, so it has no post-barrier handle access in
+production — `ctx.use(Handle)` after `ctx.rendered()` is a loader/handler
+capability, not a middleware one. Read handle data in a loader and test it with
+`runLoader`'s `handles`/`rendered`.
+
+### runLoader — one loader's data logic
+
+Pass a registered `createLoader()` handle **or** the raw loader body `(ctx) => ...`.
+A handle's fn is recovered from the registry: `createLoader` assigns a
+runtime-fallback `$$id` and registers the fn even without the Vite plugin, when
+imported through the server build (`@rangojs/router` under the `rangoTestConfig`
+preset). The raw body needs no build at all. Either way `runLoader` invokes the
+function against a real `RequestContext`, so cookies, headers, `ctx.get`, and
+`ctx.reverse` resolve. (A handle imported through the CLIENT build has its body
+dropped — `runLoader` then throws a clear error pointing you to the preset or the
+raw body.)
+
+```ts
+import { runLoader } from "@rangojs/router/testing";
+import { createLoader, createVar } from "@rangojs/router";
+
+const User = createVar<{ name: string }>();
+// The registered loader — no separate body export needed for testability:
+const ProductLoader = createLoader(async (ctx) => ({
+  id: ctx.params.id,
+  region: ctx.env.REGION,
+  user: ctx.get(User),
+}));
+
+it("reads params, env, and seeded vars", async () => {
+  const data = await runLoader(ProductLoader, {
+    params: { id: "42" },
+    env: { REGION: "eu" },
+    vars: [[User, { name: "Ada" }]],
+  });
+  expect(data).toEqual({ id: "42", region: "eu", user: { name: "Ada" } });
+});
+// runLoader(async (ctx) => ({ ... }), opts) — the bare body — works identically.
+```
+
+Options: `params` (also surfaced as `routeParams`), `search`, `env`, `vars`,
+`method`/`body`/`formData`, `routeMap`/`routeName` (for `ctx.reverse`), and
+`use` (a resolver for `ctx.use(OtherLoader)` composition — without it, `ctx.use`
+runs the dependency's own `fn` if it carries one).
+
+Two unit-only limitations to document in your test, not work around:
+
+- `ctx.reverse(...)` **throws** unless you pass `routeMap`.
+- `ctx.rendered()` **throws** (the DSL render barrier only exists in a full
+  match) and `ctx.isAction(...)` (the action-render context) is not available —
+  test those with `renderToFlightString` or e2e.
+
+No body extraction needed: `export const L = createLoader(async (ctx) => {...})`
+can be imported and passed straight to `runLoader(L, ...)`. Exporting the inner
+body separately is optional now (only if you want to test it without going
+through `createLoader` at all).
+
+COOKIE SEEDING: there is no `cookies`/`headers` option — seed a request cookie by
+passing a full `Request` with the header, `runLoader(body, { request: new
+Request("https://app.test/", { headers: { Cookie: "sid=abc" } }) })`. A loader
+that reads `cookies()` then sees `abc`. (`search`/`method` are baked onto this
+request for you, so pass a `Request` only when you need headers/cookies.)
+
+### runInRequestContext — an action (or any fn) that reads request context
+
+For a server ACTION (or any function) that authenticates off the request cookie
+and calls `getRequestContext()` / `cookies()` but has no loader-context shape,
+`runInRequestContext(fn, opts)` builds a real `RequestContext` (same `opts` as the
+other primitives — `env`, `request`, `vars`, ...) AND enters it, so the function
+runs exactly as in production. `fn` may be async; the context stays active across
+its awaits. It captures the action's OUTPUT whether `fn` RETURNS or THROWS, so it
+is assertable WITHOUT casting through the `@internal` `ctx.res` / `ctx.cookies()`:
+
+- `result` — fn's return value (awaited), or `undefined` if it threw
+- `thrown` — what `fn` threw (a redirect/notFound `Response` on the SUCCESS path), or `undefined`. Captured, NOT re-thrown — assert on it for a throwing action
+- `response` — Set-Cookie / headers / status the run set; on a thrown redirect, that redirect's `Location` merged with the cookies
+- `cookies` — the effective `{ name: value }` cookie view after the run
+- `locationState` — the flash the action set via `ctx.setLocationState()` / `redirect({ state })`, resolved to the `{ key: value }` the client reads
+
+The THROW path matters: the dominant cookie+flash case is an auth action that sets
+a cookie + flash then `throw redirect("/app")` on success. Because the snapshot
+fires on the throw too, you do NOT have to wrap the action in your own try/catch:
+
+```ts
+import { runInRequestContext } from "@rangojs/router/testing";
+import { loginAction } from "../src/actions/login"; // sets a session cookie + flash, then throw redirect("/app")
+
+it("sets the session cookie + flash and redirects", async () => {
+  const { thrown, cookies, locationState } = await runInRequestContext(
+    () => loginAction(input),
+    {
+      env,
+      request: new Request("https://app.test/admin", {
+        headers: { Cookie: "sid=abc" },
+      }),
+    },
+  );
+  expect((thrown as Response).headers.get("Location")).toBe("/app"); // redirected
+  expect(cookies.session).toBeDefined(); // cookie set before the throw, no @internal cast
+  expect(locationState).toEqual({ flash: { text: "Welcome back" } });
+});
+```
+
+For the low-level case where you already hold a context from
+`createTestRequestContext(...)`, `runWithRequestContext(ctx, fn)` is re-exported
+from `@rangojs/router/testing` to enter it directly; `runInRequestContext` is the
+one-call convenience over the two.
+
+### Your bindings are your seam (env.DB / Durable Objects / R2)
+
+The node primitives test the router's seams; the moment your loader/middleware/
+action calls a **platform binding** (`env.DB`, a Durable Object stub, `env.R2`),
+you have crossed out of rango and into your app's I/O. rango deliberately ships
+**no doubles** for these — they are app- and schema-specific — so the double is
+yours to build and inject through the `env` option every primitive already takes:
+
+```ts
+await runLoader(bundleLoaderBody, { env: { DB: fakeD1 } });
+await runMiddleware(requireMembership, "/t/acme/edit", { env: { DB: fakeD1 } });
+await runInRequestContext(() => authorizeAction(input), {
+  env: { DB: fakeD1 },
+  request,
+});
+```
+
+Plan for this seam — it is usually the single biggest effort in a consumer unit
+suite, and the work is in matching the **driver contract**, not the binding's
+public API. The sharp edge: a `D1Database` double for **`drizzle-orm/d1`** must
+serve **positional row arrays in schema-column order** for drizzle's `.raw()`
+path (with the driver-level encodings so the decoder round-trips `Date`/JSON) —
+NOT `{ column: value }` objects. A naive object-shaped double returns
+silently-wrong or empty rows. That contract is per-method: drizzle-d1 serves
+SELECTs through `.raw()` (the positional rows above), but writes
+(INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE) go through `.run()`, which returns `{ success, meta }` (no
+rows) and bypasses the row responder entirely — model BOTH paths, a read-only
+`.raw()` double silently no-ops every write. Keep the double at the binding
+boundary; never mock a rango primitive to dodge building it.
+
+### renderRoute — a client component reading router context
+
+RTL-style stub. Peer of React Router's `createRoutesStub` / Expo's
+`renderRouter`. It mounts the router's real `NavigationProvider` plus a
+synthetic segment tree so `useParams`, `useReverse`, `useNavigation`, `Outlet`,
+`usePathname`, `useSearchParams`, and `useLoader`/`useFetchLoader` (reading
+**seeded** data) resolve — no server, no Vite, no Flight round-trip. It is
+`async` (lazy-loads `@testing-library/react`).
+
+```tsx
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { describe, it, expect, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { cleanup } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { renderRoute } from "@rangojs/router/testing/dom";
+import { Outlet, useParams, useReverse } from "@rangojs/router/client";
+
+afterEach(cleanup);
+
+function Layout() {
+  return (
+    <div>
+      <span data-testid="shell">shell</span>
+      <Outlet />
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+function Product() {
+  const { productId } = useParams<{ productId: string }>();
+  const reverse = useReverse({ product: "/products/:productId" });
+  return (
+    <a data-testid="link" href={reverse("product", { productId: "2" })}>
+      {productId}
+    </a>
+  );
+}
+
+it("resolves params + reverse + Outlet through the layout chain", async () => {
+  const { getByTestId, router } = await renderRoute(
+    [
+      { path: "/products", Component: Layout }, // layout (root)
+      { path: "/products/:productId", Component: Product }, // leaf (last)
+    ],
+    { initialUrl: "/products/1" },
+  );
+  expect(getByTestId("shell").textContent).toBe("shell");
+  expect(getByTestId("link").getAttribute("href")).toBe("/products/2");
+
+  await router.navigate("/products/2"); // client-only nav, re-resolves the same routes
+  expect(router.pathname()).toBe("/products/2");
+});
+```
+
+`RenderRouteSpec = { path, Component, layout?, loaderIds?, name? }`. The array
+is the layout chain root-to-leaf; the **last** entry is the leaf route. Seed
+loader reads with `options.loaderData` keyed by the loader's `$$id`; attach a
+loader to a specific layout via that spec's `loaderIds`:
+
+```tsx
+const CartLoader = {
+  __brand: "loader",
+  $$id: "loaders/cart#CartLoader",
+} as any;
+await renderRoute(
+  [
+    { path: "/shop", Component: CartLayout, loaderIds: [CartLoader.$$id] },
+    { path: "/shop/item", Component: Page },
+  ],
+  { initialUrl: "/shop/item", loaderData: { [CartLoader.$$id]: { count: 3 } } },
+);
+```
+
+Seed `useHandle` reads with `handles: [[handle, pushedValues[]]]` and
+`useLocationState` with `locationState: [[def, value]]` (both by reference).
+Handle data is accumulated GLOBALLY (not segment-scoped like loaders), so a
+LAYOUT component reading a handle (a `DetailLayout`/`ActionToolbar` reading
+`EditTarget`/`PageEyebrow`) sees the seeded values, not just the leaf route.
+
+Model an `include('/shop', …)` mount with the `mount` option: it wraps the
+segment chain in a MountContext exactly as production, so `useMount()` returns
+the prefix and `useHref`/`useReverse` resolve mount-prefixed URLs — a
+mount-relative subtree (`/c/:slug` mounted under `/shop`) becomes reproducible at
+the unit layer instead of e2e-only:
+
+```tsx
+await renderRoute([{ path: "/c/wine", Component: PDP }], { mount: "/shop" });
+// useMount() -> "/shop"; useReverse({ product: "/c/:slug" })("product", { slug: "wine" }) -> "/shop/c/wine"
+```
+
+Don't confuse this with an OPTIONAL param in the matched pattern: `/:locale?/c/:group`
+at `/en/c/wine` auto-fills `locale` from the match, so `reverse("group", { group })`
+returns `/en/c/group` with NO `mount` needed (production parity — `useReverse`
+merges `useParams()`). Use `mount` only for an `include()` prefix; a param-bearing
+mount like `include("/:locale?", …)` resolves to a concrete prefix you pass as
+`mount: "/en"`. A locale "dropping" from a reversed URL in a test is usually a
+missing `mount` seed, not an auto-fill gap.
+
+FIDELITY CAVEAT — this is the **client tree only**. It does NOT catch
+server/client boundary reference-identity remount bugs, real Flight
+serialization errors, loader execution, middleware, or handler ordering. Those
+are `renderToFlightString` / e2e territory. Loader data is seeded, never run.
+Needs a DOM env (`// @vitest-environment happy-dom`, or jsdom) and the consumer
+must install `@testing-library/react` (optional peer).
+
+CATCH — streaming `use(promise)` Suspense content (e.g. an async breadcrumb
+`content: Promise<ReactNode>`): a plain `Promise.resolve(node)` does NOT flush
+its Suspense retry in RTL/happy-dom (renderRoute renders internally, not inside
+an awaited `act`), so the DOM stays on the fallback. Assert the **pending**
+fallback with a never-resolving `new Promise(() => {})`; for the **arrived**
+state pass an already-settled promise so `use()` reads it synchronously:
+`const p = Promise.resolve(node) as any; p.status = "fulfilled"; p.value = node;`.
+The real pending→resolved transition is an e2e concern.
+
+ARIA GOTCHA — query a `<Link>` by `getByRole("link")` only when it renders a bare
+anchor. An explicit `role` on the link (e.g. `<Link role="tab">` in a tablist)
+OVERRIDES the anchor's implicit `link` role, so `getByRole("link")` finds
+nothing — query the explicit role (`getByRole("tab")`) or fall back to
+`getByText`/`getByTestId` and assert `getAttribute("href")`.
+
+### Type-level tests — make misuse fail to compile
+
+The reverse/href/params/env types are a real contract; a wrong route name,
+missing param, or unknown binding should be a COMPILE error, not a runtime
+surprise. This is the highest signal-per-cost test in the suite, but it runs at
+typecheck time, not in the vitest runner — so it is its own layer, wired into CI
+as a real step (`pnpm run typecheck` / `tsc --noEmit`). Three recipes, smallest
+first:
+
+1. Negative assertions with `@ts-expect-error` (a runtime test cannot do this) —
+   the directive ERRORS if the line below ever starts compiling, so a regressed
+   guard fails the typecheck:
+
+   ```ts
+   import { useReverse } from "@rangojs/router/client";
+   const reverse = useReverse({ product: "/products/:productId" });
+   reverse("product", { productId: "2" }); // ok
+   // @ts-expect-error missing required param
+   reverse("product", {});
+   // @ts-expect-error unknown route name
+   reverse("nope", {});
+   ```
+
+2. Positive assertions with vitest's `expectTypeOf` — for pinning an INFERRED
+   type (a loader's return, a parsed search schema, a handle's accumulated
+   shape), in a normal `*.test.ts`:
+
+   ```ts
+   import { expectTypeOf } from "vitest";
+   expectTypeOf(await runLoader(cartLoaderBody)).toEqualTypeOf<{
+     count: number;
+   }>();
+   ```
+
+3. A dedicated `*.test-d.ts` + `tsconfig.types.json` (extends base, includes only
+   those files; run `tsc -p tsconfig.types.json --noEmit`) for a large type
+   suite — the pattern rango itself uses for its augmentation contracts. Recipe 1
+   is enough for most apps; reach for 3 only when inline assertions clutter
+   runtime tests.
+
+## Integration recipes
+
+### dispatch — request -> Response, without Flight
+
+In-process matching + middleware, no RSC render. Covers `308` redirects
+(trailing slash etc.) with `Location`, `404`, response routes
+(json/text/html/xml/md with content negotiation), and **global + route-level
+middleware** short-circuits with full `next()`/throw/header+cookie fidelity. It
+reuses the router's own `previewMatch`, so middleware collection is the router's,
+not a re-implementation. Hitting an RSC (component) route throws a clear
+directive error.
+
+So `dispatch` IS the way to exercise a RESPONSE route's real route-level
+middleware chain (the guard stack) against the actual registered tree. The gap:
+a COMPONENT route's guard stack cannot run here (dispatch refuses it, and
+`renderToFlightString`/`renderRoute` don't run route middleware) — assert that at
+e2e, or extract the middleware fn and unit-test it with `runMiddleware`.
+
+SETUP CAVEAT (use the preset): `@rangojs/router` resolves to server-only STUBS
+outside the `react-server` condition (urls/createRouter/cookies/getRequestContext
+throw), and importing your router also pulls `@vitejs/plugin-rsc/rsc` (whose body
+imports Vite virtuals). Vitest does not apply the `react-server` condition to
+bare-package resolution. The preset `@rangojs/router/testing/vitest` handles all
+of it — alias `@rangojs/router` to real impls + stub the virtuals — so no
+per-file `vi.mock` is needed. Spread `rangoTestConfig(...)` into your `test`
+block:
+
+```ts
+// vitest.config.ts
+import { defineConfig } from "vitest/config";
+import { rangoTestConfig } from "@rangojs/router/testing/vitest";
+export default defineConfig({
+  test: {
+    globals: true,
+    include: ["test/**/*.test.{ts,tsx}"],
+    environment: "node",
+    ...rangoTestConfig({ preset: "cloudflare" }),
+  },
+});
+```
+
+`rangoTestConfig` returns BOTH the resolve `alias` entries AND
+`server.deps.inline: [/@rangojs[/\\]router/]`. The `deps.inline` half is
+mandatory for an installed (node_modules) consumer: `@rangojs/router` ships as
+TypeScript source, Vitest externalizes node_modules by default, and Node >= 23
+refuses to type-strip `.ts` under `node_modules`
+(`ERR_UNSUPPORTED_NODE_MODULES_TYPE_STRIPPING`) — `deps.inline` forces Vite (not
+Node) to transpile rango's source. The preset entry itself ships as compiled JS,
+so the `import { rangoTestConfig }` line loads under plain Node config loading.
+(If you need only the aliases, `rangoTestAliases(...)` is still exported, but then
+you must wire `server.deps.inline` yourself.)
+
+LIMITATION: the FULL router usually can't be imported in a bare test —
+`Prerender()`/`createLoader()` need the plugin-injected `$$id` (real `Prerender()`
+throws "missing $$id"). Build a router from a `Prerender`-free include (your API
+routes); `dispatch` accepts the public router type with no cast:
+
+```ts
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { dispatch } from "@rangojs/router/testing";
+import { createRouter } from "@rangojs/router";
+import { apiPatterns } from "../src/api/urls"; // path.json(...) routes only
+
+const router = createRouter().routes(apiPatterns);
+
+it("serializes a JSON response route (auto-wrapped under data)", async () => {
+  const res = await dispatch(router, "/health");
+  expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+  expect(await res.json()).toEqual({ data: { status: "ok" } });
+});
+
+it("maps a thrown RouterError to its status + typed JSON envelope", async () => {
+  const res = await dispatch(router, "/products/999");
+  expect(res.status).toBe(404);
+  expect((await res.json()).error.code).toBe("NOT_FOUND");
+});
+```
+
+### renderToFlightString — real async Server Component
+
+A REAL Flight render of an async Server Component, in plain node — but ONLY
+under the `react-server` condition (see the next section for the vitest
+project). The render runs inside a request context, so async components can call
+`getRequestContext()`, read params, cookies, etc.
+
+```tsx
+// flight.rsc-test.tsx  (note the *.rsc-test suffix)
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { renderToFlightString } from "@rangojs/router/testing/flight";
+// Matchers are a SEPARATE subpath (they import vitest); renderToFlightString does not.
+import { flightMatchers } from "@rangojs/router/testing/flight-matchers";
+
+expect.extend(flightMatchers);
+
+// Keep components PURE leaves: take data as props. Do NOT import a server API
+// (getRequestContext, cookies) from the `@rangojs/router` barrel — under the
+// react-server condition the bare specifier resolves to the throwing stub, so
+// it cannot be flight-tested in a bare consumer project.
+async function Greeting({ name }: { name: string }) {
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  return <div>Hello {name}!</div>;
+}
+async function ItemView({ id }: { id: string }) {
+  return <span>id={id}</span>;
+}
+
+it("renders text and props", async () => {
+  expect(await renderToFlightString(<Greeting name="Ada" />)).toMatchFlight(
+    "Ada",
+  );
+  expect(await renderToFlightString(<ItemView id="42" />)).toMatchFlight("42");
+});
+
+it("matches a normalized snapshot", async () => {
+  expect(
+    await renderToFlightString(<Greeting name="World" />),
+  ).toMatchFlightSnapshot();
+});
+```
+
+`toMatchFlight(substring)` asserts the normalized Flight string CONTAINS the
+substring (containment, not equality — the row framing is an internal serializer
+detail). `toMatchFlightSnapshot()` snapshots the normalized payload. SCOPE:
+`renderToFlightString` returns the wire STRING; for typed assertions on a client
+boundary's props, use `renderServerTree` (next).
+
+### renderServerTree — serialize then deserialize to an inspectable tree
+
+Same react-server project. Serializes the real Flight, then deserializes it to a
+React element tree you can traverse. The win over the wire string: a client
+boundary's props come back as REAL JS values (a `Date` is a `Date`), and you can
+confirm a `"use client"` component crossed the boundary (an `I` row) vs being
+inlined. No hydration / no interaction (that is the e2e tier).
+
+```tsx
+import { it, expect } from "vitest";
+import {
+  renderServerTree,
+  findClientBoundaries,
+} from "@rangojs/router/testing/flight";
+import { PriceTag } from "./PriceTag.client.js"; // "use client"
+
+// One line registers every island so it serializes as a real boundary (the rsc
+// project does not apply the "use client" transform).
+const clientModules = import.meta.glob("./*.client.tsx", { eager: true });
+
+async function Panel({ amount, asOf }: { amount: number; asOf: Date }) {
+  await Promise.resolve();
+  return <PriceTag amount={amount} currency="USD" asOf={asOf} />;
+}
+
+it("client props survive the round trip", async () => {
+  const { flight, tree } = await renderServerTree(
+    <Panel amount={19.5} asOf={new Date("2026-01-02T00:00:00Z")} />,
+    { clientModules },
+  );
+  expect(flight).toMatchFlight("PriceTag"); // wire assertions still work
+  const [tag] = findClientBoundaries(tree, "PriceTag");
+  expect(tag.props.amount).toBe(19.5); // a real number
+  expect(tag.props.asOf).toBeInstanceOf(Date); // a real Date, not "$D..."
+});
+```
+
+`findClientBoundaries(tree, name?)` always returns an array (`{ id, name, props,
+element }[]`) in document order, optionally filtered by export name; destructure
+`const [tag] = …` for one island, assert `.length` when count matters (missing
+name -> `[]`). A true interactive, clickable DOM `renderServer` is intentionally
+NOT shipped — in-process happy-dom hydration re-tests React and misses
+server/client divergence (which needs a real browser). Use e2e for interaction.
+
+## E2E recipes (Playwright)
+
+Wire the harness once, passing your own Playwright `test`/`expect` (so
+`@rangojs/router/testing/e2e` never imports `@playwright/test` at runtime — it is
+an optional peer you install). Import the harness from the **`/e2e` entry** — the
+unit barrel is not loadable in a plain Playwright runner:
+
+```ts
+// e2e/helper.ts
+import { test, expect } from "@playwright/test";
+import { createRangoE2E } from "@rangojs/router/testing/e2e";
+
+export const e2e = createRangoE2E({
+  test,
+  expect,
+  defaultRoot: new URL("..", import.meta.url).pathname, // your app root
+});
+export const { useFixture, parityDescribe, expectParity, rangoMatchers } = e2e;
+```
+
+### parityDescribe REPLACES hand-titling `(production)`
+
+This is THE mechanism that satisfies the dev+prod mandate structurally. One
+declaration registers a dev describe (`name`) AND a production describe
+(`` `${name} (production)` ``) from one body — the `(production)` suffix is
+generated, so the prod suite can never drift into the dev bucket. Use `f.url(...)`
+for navigation.
+
+```ts
+import { test, expect } from "@playwright/test";
+import { parityDescribe, rangoMatchers } from "./helper";
+// rangoMatchers ships the type augmentation, so `expect(page).toHaveRangoPathname`
+// is typed after extend.
+expect.extend(rangoMatchers);
+
+parityDescribe("product navigation", (f) => {
+  test("navigates to a product and updates the pathname", async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto(f.url("/"));
+    await page.getByTestId("product-link").click();
+    await expect(page).toHaveRangoPathname("/products/1");
+  });
+});
+```
+
+The body runs verbatim against a dev server (`pnpm dev`) and a built+previewed
+server (`pnpm build` + `pnpm preview`). `useFixture` handles spawn, dep-optimizer
+warmup, cross-platform process-group kill, and teardown.
+
+### expectParity — JS path vs no-JS progressive enhancement
+
+Runs one intent over the JS path and a fresh no-JS context, asserting the
+observed testids, pathname, and cookies match. CONTRACT: PE parity only holds if
+the submit target is a real `<form>` (no-JS does a native POST). Cookie
+observation is `document.cookie` (non-HttpOnly only) in v1.
+
+```ts
+parityDescribe("add to cart parity", (f) => {
+  test("JS and no-JS produce the same result", async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto(f.url("/products/1"));
+    await expectParity(
+      page,
+      { submit: { testId: "add-to-cart-form", data: { qty: "2" } } },
+      { observe: ["cart-count", "flash"] },
+    );
+  });
+});
+```
+
+`intent` is `{ navigate: string }` or `{ submit: { testId, data? } }`. Other
+helpers from `createRangoE2E`: `waitForHydration`, `expectNoReload`,
+`expectNoPageError`, `testId`, `waitForNavigation`, `goBack`/`goForward`,
+`testNoJs` (a `test` with JS disabled). `rangoMatchers` ships
+`toHaveRangoPathname` only — `toHaveSegments`/`toHaveParams` are a documented
+future addition (they need a client-emitted signal that does not exist yet; do
+not assume them).
+
+## Cache / SWR / prerender recipes
+
+The `X-Rango-Cache` header is emitted **only** when the gate is on:
+`createRouter({ debugCacheSignal: true })` or `process.env.RANGO_TEST_SIGNALS === "1"`.
+Off by default — zero production surface. v1 status is COARSE (route-level, keyed
+by the route key — the route NAME, e.g. `product.detail`, NOT the URL pattern),
+not per-individual-segment. `assertCacheStatus` reads that header.
+
+```ts
+// In a Playwright e2e, import cache-status helpers from the e2e entry (the
+// `@rangojs/router/testing` barrel is Vitest-only — it pulls a build virtual).
+import { assertCacheStatus } from "@rangojs/router/testing/e2e";
+
+// e2e (the gate must be enabled on the app under test). The segment key is the
+// route NAME the header carries, not the URL pattern ("/products/:id").
+const res = await page.request.get(f.url("/products/1"));
+assertCacheStatus(res, "product.detail", "miss");
+const res2 = await page.request.get(f.url("/products/1"));
+assertCacheStatus(res2, "product.detail", "hit");
+```
+
+Statuses: `"hit" | "miss" | "stale" | "prerendered" | "passthrough"`.
+
+Zero-prod-surface alternative — the telemetry sink (no header at all):
+
+```ts
+import { createCacheSink, filterCacheDecisions } from "@rangojs/router/testing";
+const { sink, events } = createCacheSink();
+const router = createRouter({ telemetry: sink /* ... */ }).routes(urlpatterns);
+// ...drive a request...
+const decisions = filterCacheDecisions(events);
+expect(decisions[0].segments?.[0].cacheStatus).toBe("hit");
+```
+
+PRERENDER: a pre-rendered route is **indistinguishable from a cache hit by
+design** — the worker handles every request and looks up a stored Flight payload
+(see `/prerender`). The browser cannot tell. So you cannot assert "prerendered"
+from the rendered DOM; assert it via the signal (`assertCacheStatus(res, seg,
+"prerendered")`), and run prerender assertions in **production** mode (build-time
+artifacts only exist after `pnpm build`).
+
+## Anti-patterns and gotchas
+
+- **No dev-only e2e.** A `useFixture({ mode: "build" })` describe whose title
+  omits `(production)` silently lands in the dev bucket — prod coverage lost,
+  no error. Always use `parityDescribe`; never hand-title. `(prod)`,
+  `-build`, `-prod` do NOT count — the bucketing matches the literal
+  `(production)`.
+- **Don't hand-mock the router provider** to test a client component — use
+  `renderRoute`, which mounts the real `NavigationProvider`.
+- **Don't call `createLoader(...)` in a unit test** and try to invoke it.
+  Extract the body and pass it to `runLoader`.
+- **`dispatch` needs the plugin-rsc mock** (or a Vite-RSC env). A bare import of
+  your router throws on Vite virtual modules otherwise.
+- **`renderToFlightString` is not a node test.** It only runs under the
+  react-server vitest project; name files `*.rsc-test.{ts,tsx}` and run
+  `pnpm test:unit:rsc`. The main vitest project must NOT set the react-server
+  condition (it would flip React to the no-hooks server build and break every
+  `renderRoute`/client test).
+- **Running an e2e subset:** add `--no-deps` — `--grep` does NOT filter
+  dependency projects, so grepping one production test otherwise pulls in the
+  whole dev suite. And `--grep` is a regex: a pasted title containing
+  `(production)` / `:locale?` / `[...]` mis-matches; grep a metacharacter-free
+  fragment.
+
+## Pre-push checklist (mirror CLAUDE.md)
+
+Before pushing, run all of these and fix any failure:
+
+1. `pnpm run typecheck` (or `pnpm exec tsc --noEmit`)
+2. `pnpm run test:unit` (node + DOM vitest)
+3. `pnpm run test:unit:rsc` (the react-server Flight project)
+4. `pnpm run lint`
+5. `pnpm run format`
+
+And: **every e2e has a production counterpart.** `parityDescribe` makes this
+automatic — if you wrote a plain `test.describe` for a behavior, convert it.