groundswell 0.0.2 → 1.0.0

package/plan/001_d3bb02af4886/docs/research/error-testing-research.md

@@ -1,619 +0,0 @@
-# Research: Testing Workflow Error State Capture and Error Handling in TypeScript/JavaScript
-
-## Executive Summary
-
-This document compiles external best practices for testing error state capture and error handling in workflow/orchestration systems using TypeScript and JavaScript. The research was conducted in January 2026 and includes current best practices, code examples, and authoritative sources.
-
----
-
-## 1. Testing Error State in Workflow/Orchestration Systems
-
-### Key Sources:
-
-- **[Temporal TypeScript SDK - Failure Detection](https://docs.temporal.io/develop/typescript/failure-detection)** - Comprehensive guide on handling failures in workflows
-- **[Temporal TypeScript SDK - Observability](https://docs.temporal.io/develop/typescript/observability)** - Workflow state observability patterns
-- **[Workflow Orchestration: Building Complex AI Pipelines](https://medium.com/@omark.k.aly/workflow-orchestration-building-complex-ai-pipelines-c8504ab8306f)** - Error handling patterns including retry with back-off and persistent state
-
-### Best Practices:
-
-1. **Separate Activity Failures from Workflow Failures**
-   - Activities should never directly cause workflow failure
-   - Workflows should only fail when explicitly raising an `ApplicationFailure`
-   - This allows for proper state capture before workflow termination
-
-2. **Use ApplicationFailure for Intentional Failures**
-   ```typescript
-   // From Temporal docs
-   throw ApplicationFailure.create({
-     message: `Invalid charge amount: ${chargeAmount} (must be above zero)`,
-     type: 'InvalidChargeError',
-     nonRetryable: true
-   });
-   ```
-
-3. **Capture State at Failure Points**
-   - Use heartbeat details to capture activity progress
-   - Store checkpoint data for potential recovery
-   - Include context about what operations were in progress
-
----
-
-## 2. Testing Error Objects with Custom Properties
-
-### Key Sources:
-
-- **[TypeScript Error Type Handling in Try-Catch Blocks - Convex](https://www.convex.dev/typescript/best-practices/error-handling-debugging/typescript-catch-error-type)** - Comprehensive guide to custom error types
-- **[Handling errors like a pro in TypeScript - Udacity Engineering](https://engineering.udacity.com/handling-errors-like-a-pro-in-typescript-d7a314ad4991)** - Production-tested custom error patterns
-- **[StackOverflow: Add properties to JavaScript Error object](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/47248741/add-properties-to-javascript-error-object)** - Community best practices
-- **[ts-custom-error npm package](https://www.npmjs.com/package/ts-custom-error)** - Library for creating custom errors
-
-### Best Practices:
-
-1. **Define Specific Error Types**
-   ```typescript
-   // From Convex guide
-   interface NetworkError extends Error {
-     statusCode: number;
-   }
-
-   class NetworkErrorClass extends Error {
-     statusCode: number;
-
-     constructor(message: string, statusCode: number) {
-       super(message);
-       this.statusCode = statusCode;
-       // Important: Set the prototype explicitly
-       Object.setPrototypeOf(this, NetworkErrorClass.prototype);
-     }
-   }
-   ```
-
-2. **Use Type Guards for Safe Error Checking**
-   ```typescript
-   function isNetworkError(error: unknown): error is NetworkErrorClass {
-     return error instanceof NetworkErrorClass;
-   }
-
-   try {
-     // code that might throw
-   } catch (error: unknown) {
-     if (isNetworkError(error)) {
-       console.log(`Network error with status code ${error.statusCode}`);
-     } else {
-       console.log('Unknown error');
-     }
-   }
-   ```
-
-3. **Create Domain-Specific Error Base Classes**
-   ```typescript
-   // From Udacity Engineering
-   abstract class ErrorBase<TName extends string> extends Error {
-     readonly name: TName;
-     readonly context?: Record<string, unknown>;
-
-     constructor(name: TName, message: string, context?: Record<string, unknown>) {
-       super(message);
-       this.name = name;
-       this.context = context;
-       Object.setPrototypeOf(this, ErrorBase.prototype);
-     }
-   }
-
-   // Usage
-   class WorkflowError extends ErrorBase<'WORKFLOW_FAILED' | 'STATE_INVALID'> {
-     constructor(name, message, state?: Record<string, unknown>) {
-       super(name, message, { state });
-     }
-   }
-   ```
-
-4. **Test Custom Error Properties**
-   ```typescript
-   describe('CustomError', () => {
-     it('should capture state in error context', () => {
-       const state = { step: 'processing', data: { id: 123 } };
-       const error = new WorkflowError('WORKFLOW_FAILED', 'Process failed', state);
-
-       expect(error.name).toBe('WORKFLOW_FAILED');
-       expect(error.context).toEqual(state);
-       expect(error.context?.step).toBe('processing');
-     });
-
-     it('should be identifiable by type guard', () => {
-       const error = new WorkflowError('STATE_INVALID', 'Invalid state');
-       const isWorkflowError = error instanceof WorkflowError;
-
-       expect(isWorkflowError).toBe(true);
-       expect(error.name).toBe('STATE_INVALID');
-     });
-   });
-   ```
-
----
-
-## 3. Patterns for Testing Async Error Handling in Workflows
-
-### Key Sources:
-
-- **[The best way to handle errors in asynchronous JavaScript](https://medium.com/@m-mdy-m/the-best-way-to-handle-errors-in-asynchronous-javascript-16ce57a877d4)** - Async error patterns
-- **[No more Try/Catch: a better way to handle errors in TypeScript](https://dev.to/noah-00/no-more-trycatch-a-better-way-to-handle-errors-in-typescript-5hbd)** - Alternative patterns (with community discussion)
-- **[Error Handling in Workflows - Medusa Documentation](https://docs.medusajs.com/learn/fundamentals/workflows/errors)** - Workflow-specific error handling
-
-### Best Practices:
-
-1. **Use Result Types for Async Operations**
-   ```typescript
-   type Result<T, E = Error> =
-     | { success: true; data: T }
-     | { success: false; error: E };
-
-   async function wrapAsync<T>(
-     promise: Promise<T>
-   ): Promise<Result<T>> {
-     try {
-       const data = await promise;
-       return { success: true, data };
-     } catch (error) {
-       return { success: false, error: error as Error };
-     }
-   }
-
-   // Test
-   describe('async error handling', () => {
-     it('should capture errors in Result type', async () => {
-       const failingPromise = Promise.reject(new Error('Failed'));
-       const result = await wrapAsync(failingPromise);
-
-       if (!result.success) {
-         expect(result.error.message).toBe('Failed');
-       }
-     });
-   });
-   ```
-
-2. **Test Async Error State Transitions**
-   ```typescript
-   describe('workflow error state', () => {
-     it('should capture state when workflow fails', async () => {
-       const workflow = new Workflow();
-
-       // Start workflow
-       await workflow.start();
-
-       // Capture initial state
-       const initialState = workflow.getState();
-
-       // Trigger error
-       await expect(workflow.executeStep('failing-step'))
-         .rejects.toThrow('Step failed');
-
-       // Verify error state was captured
-       const errorState = workflow.getState();
-       expect(errorState.error).toBeDefined();
-       expect(errorState.error?.step).toBe('failing-step');
-       expect(errorState.error?.previousState).toEqual(initialState);
-     });
-   });
-   ```
-
-3. **Use Promise.allSettled for Parallel Operations**
-   ```typescript
-   // From dev.to article comments
-   async () => {
-     const myPromise = () => new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-       setTimeout(() => {
-         resolve('Hello, world!');
-       }, 1000);
-     });
-
-     const [result] = await Promise.allSettled([myPromise()]);
-
-     if (result.status === 'rejected') {
-       console.error('Error:', result.reason);
-     }
-
-     return result.status === 'fulfilled' ? result.value : undefined;
-   };
-   ```
-
----
-
-## 4. Testing Decorator-Based State Capture
-
-### Key Sources:
-
-- **[Simplify Error Handling with TypeScript Decorators](https://stordahl.dev/writing/error-handling-decorators)** - Practical decorator pattern examples
-- **[The power of TypeScript decorators: real cases](https://medium.com/@an.chmelev/the-power-of-typescript-decorators-real-cases-decorating-class-methods-c1496fed8a7)** - Real-world decorator use cases
-- **[valjic1/catch-decorator-ts](https://github.com/valjic1/catch-decorator-ts)** - Library for exception handling decorators
-
-### Best Practices:
-
-1. **Use Decorator Factories for Error Handling**
-   ```typescript
-   // From stordahl.dev
-   function wrapMethodFactory<
-     This,
-     Args extends unknown[],
-     Return,
-     Fn extends (this: This, ...args: Args) => Return
-   >(callback: (error: Error) => void) {
-     return function wrapMethod(
-       target: Fn,
-       context: ClassMethodDecoratorContext<This, Fn>
-     ): (this: This, ...args: Args) => unknown {
-       return function replacementMethod(this: This, ...args: Args): Return | Promise<void> | void {
-         try {
-           return target.call(this, ...args);
-         } catch (error) {
-           callback(error as Error);
-         }
-       };
-     };
-   }
-
-   function myCallback(error: Error) {
-     console.error(error);
-   }
-
-   class ExampleClass {
-     @wrapMethodFactory(myCallback)
-     add(a: number, b: number): number {
-       return a + b;
-     }
-   }
-   ```
-
-2. **Decorators That Capture State**
-   ```typescript
-   function withErrorStateCapture<
-     This,
-     Args extends unknown[],
-     Return,
-     Fn extends (this: This, ...args: Args) => Return
-   >(
-     target: Fn,
-     context: ClassMethodDecoratorContext<This, Fn>
-   ) {
-     return function replacementMethod(this: This, ...args: Args): Return | Promise<void> | void {
-       const result = target.call(this, ...args);
-
-       // Handle both sync and async
-       if (result instanceof Promise) {
-         return result.catch((error: Error) => {
-           // Capture current state
-           const currentState = (this as any).getState();
-
-           // Augment error with state
-           (error as any).state = {
-             captured: currentState,
-             method: String(context.name),
-             timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
-           };
-
-           throw error;
-         });
-       }
-
-       return result;
-     };
-   }
-
-   // Test decorator
-   describe('withErrorStateCapture', () => {
-     it('should capture state when method fails', async () => {
-       class TestWorkflow {
-         private state = { step: 'initial', data: {} };
-
-         getState() {
-           return { ...this.state };
-         }
-
-         @withErrorStateCapture
-         async failingMethod() {
-           this.state.step = 'processing';
-           throw new Error('Method failed');
-         }
-       }
-
-       const workflow = new TestWorkflow();
-
-       await expect(workflow.failingMethod()).rejects.toThrow('Method failed');
-
-       // Verify state was captured
-       try {
-         await workflow.failingMethod();
-       } catch (error: any) {
-         expect(error.state).toBeDefined();
-         expect(error.state.captured.step).toBe('processing');
-         expect(error.state.method).toBe('failingMethod');
-       }
-     });
-   });
-   ```
-
-3. **Test Decorators Independently**
-   ```typescript
-   describe('error handling decorator', () => {
-     let errorCallback: jest.Mock;
-
-     beforeEach(() => {
-       errorCallback = jest.fn();
-     });
-
-     it('should call error callback on sync error', () => {
-       class TestClass {
-         @wrapMethodFactory(errorCallback)
-         methodThatFails() {
-           throw new Error('Sync error');
-         }
-       }
-
-       const instance = new TestClass();
-       instance.methodThatFails();
-
-       expect(errorCallback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-         expect.objectContaining({ message: 'Sync error' })
-       );
-     });
-
-     it('should call error callback on async error', async () => {
-       class TestClass {
-         @wrapMethodFactory(errorCallback)
-         async asyncMethodThatFails() {
-           throw new Error('Async error');
-         }
-       }
-
-       const instance = new TestClass();
-       await instance.asyncMethodThatFails();
-
-       expect(errorCallback).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-         expect.objectContaining({ message: 'Async error' })
-       );
-     });
-   });
-   ```
-
----
-
-## 5. Observability and Error Metadata Capture
-
-### Key Sources:
-
-- **[Workflow Observability: Finding and Resolving Failures Fast](https://www.prefect.io/blog/workflow-observability-finding-and-resolving-failures-fast)** - Observability best practices for workflows
-- **[Node.js Error Handling: Techniques & Best Practices](https://www.site24x7.com/learn/nodejs-error-handling-guide.html)** - Error context capture patterns
-- **[Data Workflow Orchestration: Core Concepts and Practical Guide](https://www.advsyscon.com/blog/data-workflow-orchestration/)** - Real-time monitoring and logging
-
-### Best Practices:
-
-1. **Capture Comprehensive Error Context**
-   ```typescript
-   interface ErrorContext {
-     // Basic error info
-     message: string;
-     stack?: string;
-     code?: string;
-
-     // Workflow state
-     workflowId?: string;
-     step?: string;
-     state?: Record<string, unknown>;
-
-     // Request context
-     requestId?: string;
-     userId?: string;
-     correlationId?: string;
-
-     // System state
-     timestamp: string;
-     environment: string;
-     memoryUsage?: NodeJS.MemoryUsage;
-   }
-
-   function captureErrorContext(error: Error, additionalContext?: Partial<ErrorContext>): ErrorContext {
-     return {
-       message: error.message,
-       stack: error.stack,
-       timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
-       environment: process.env.NODE_ENV || 'unknown',
-       memoryUsage: process.memoryUsage(),
-       ...additionalContext
-     };
-   }
-   ```
-
-2. **Test Error Context Capture**
-   ```typescript
-   describe('error context capture', () => {
-     it('should capture complete error context', () => {
-       const originalError = new Error('Test error');
-
-       const context = captureErrorContext(originalError, {
-         workflowId: 'wf-123',
-         step: 'processing',
-         state: { data: 'test' }
-       });
-
-       expect(context).toMatchObject({
-         message: 'Test error',
-         workflowId: 'wf-123',
-         step: 'processing',
-         state: { data: 'test' },
-         timestamp: expect.any(String),
-         environment: expect.any(String)
-       });
-
-       expect(context.stack).toBeDefined();
-       expect(context.memoryUsage).toBeDefined();
-     });
-   });
-   ```
-
-3. **Use Structured Logging for Errors**
-   ```typescript
-   interface Logger {
-     error(message: string, meta: Record<string, unknown>): void;
-   }
-
-   function logWorkflowError(logger: Logger, error: Error, workflowState: Record<string, unknown>) {
-     logger.error('Workflow error', {
-       error: {
-         name: error.name,
-         message: error.message,
-         stack: error.stack
-       },
-       workflow: {
-         id: workflowState.id,
-         step: workflowState.currentStep,
-         state: workflowState
-       },
-       system: {
-        timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
-         pid: process.pid
-       }
-     });
-   }
-
-   // Test
-   describe('structured error logging', () => {
-     it('should log error with workflow context', () => {
-       const logger = { error: jest.fn() };
-       const error = new Error('Workflow failed');
-       const state = { id: 'wf-123', currentStep: 'step-1', data: {} };
-
-       logWorkflowError(logger, error, state);
-
-       expect(logger.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-         'Workflow error',
-         expect.objectContaining({
-           error: expect.objectContaining({
-             name: 'Error',
-             message: 'Workflow failed'
-           }),
-           workflow: expect.objectContaining({
-             id: 'wf-123',
-             step: 'step-1'
-           })
-         })
-       );
-     });
-   });
-   ```
-
----
-
-## 6. Common Pitfalls to Avoid
-
-### From Community Sources:
-
-1. **Don't Use `any` for Error Types**
-   - Source: [Convex TypeScript Guide](https://www.convex.dev/typescript/best-practices/error-handling-debugging/typescript-catch-error-type)
-   - Use `unknown` instead and narrow with type guards
-
-2. **Don't Ignore Error State in Tests**
-   - Tests should verify not just that an error was thrown, but what state was captured
-   - Missing state can make debugging production issues nearly impossible
-
-3. **Don't Mix Sync and Async Error Handling**
-   - Source: [dev.to discussion](https://dev.to/noah-00/no-more-trycatch-a-better-way-to-handle-errors-in-typescript-5hbd)
-   - Be consistent in your error handling patterns
-
-4. **Don't Forget to Set Prototype for Custom Errors**
-   - Source: Multiple sources
-   - Always use `Object.setPrototypeOf(this, CustomError.prototype)` in constructors
-
-5. **Don't Lose Context When Re-throwing**
-   ```typescript
-   // Bad
-   try {
-     await operation();
-   } catch (error) {
-     throw new Error('Operation failed'); // Loses original error
-   }
-
-   // Good
-   try {
-     await operation();
-   } catch (error) {
-     const newError = new Error('Operation failed');
-     (newError as any).cause = error; // Preserve original error
-     (newError as any).context = { state: currentState };
-     throw newError;
-   }
-   ```
-
-6. **Don't Test Error Messages, Test Error Types**
-   ```typescript
-   // Bad - brittle
-   expect(error.message).toBe('Something went wrong');
-
-   // Good - resilient
-   expect(error).toBeInstanceOf(WorkflowError);
-   expect(error.name).toBe('WORKFLOW_FAILED');
-   ```
-
----
-
-## 7. Testing Checklist
-
-Based on the research, here's a checklist for testing workflow error state capture:
-
-- [ ] Error objects contain custom properties (state, context, metadata)
-- [ ] Custom error types are properly identified (instanceof checks)
-- [ ] Type guards correctly narrow error types
-- [ ] Async errors are captured and typed correctly
-- [ ] Error state is captured at failure points
-- [ ] Decorators capture state when errors occur
-- [ ] Error context includes workflow state (step, data, id)
-- [ ] Error context includes system state (timestamp, environment)
-- [ ] Stack traces are preserved
-- [ ] Original errors are preserved when wrapping
-- [ ] Errors are logged with structured data
-- [ ] Tests verify error properties, not just messages
-- [ ] Both sync and async error paths are tested
-- [ ] Error state is serializable (for logging/transmission)
-
----
-
-## 8. Recommended Testing Libraries
-
-Based on the research:
-
-- **Jest** - Standard testing framework with good error matching
-- **ts-custom-error** - For creating custom errors that work well with TypeScript
-- **fp-ts** - For Result/Either patterns if you prefer functional error handling
-- **Temporal TypeScript SDK** - Reference implementation for workflow error handling
-
----
-
-## Sources Summary
-
-### Documentation & Guides:
-1. [Temporal TypeScript SDK - Failure Detection](https://docs.temporal.io/develop/typescript/failure-detection)
-2. [Temporal TypeScript SDK - Observability](https://docs.temporal.io/develop/typescript/observability)
-3. [TypeScript Error Type Handling - Convex](https://www.convex.dev/typescript/best-practices/error-handling-debugging/typescript-catch-error-type)
-4. [Error Handling in Workflows - Medusa](https://docs.medusajs.com/learn/fundamentals/workflows/errors)
-
-### Articles & Blog Posts:
-5. [Simplify Error Handling with TypeScript Decorators](https://stordahl.dev/writing/error-handling-decorators)
-6. [Handling errors like a pro in TypeScript - Udacity](https://engineering.udacity.com/handling-errors-like-a-pro-in-typescript-d7a314ad4991)
-7. [No more Try/Catch: a better way to handle errors - DEV.to](https://dev.to/noah-00/no-more-trycatch-a-better-way-to-handle-errors-in-typescript-5hbd)
-8. [Workflow Orchestration: Building Complex AI Pipelines](https://medium.com/@omark.k.aly/workflow-orchestration-building-complex-ai-pipelines-c8504ab8306f)
-9. [Workflow Observability - Prefect](https://www.prefect.io/blog/workflow-observability-finding-and-resolving-failures-fast)
-10. [Data Workflow Orchestration Guide](https://www.advsyscon.com/blog/data-workflow-orchestration/)
-11. [Node.js Error Handling Guide](https://www.site24x7.com/learn/nodejs-error-handling-guide.html)
-
-### Libraries & Tools:
-12. [ts-custom-error npm package](https://www.npmjs.com/package/ts-custom-error)
-13. [catch-decorator-ts GitHub](https://github.com/valjic1/catch-decorator-ts)
-14. [temporalio/samples-typescript GitHub](https://github.com/temporalio/samples-typescript)
-15. [hotmeshio/temporal-patterns-typescript GitHub](https://github.com/hotmeshio/temporal-patterns-typescript)
-
-### Community Discussions:
-16. [StackOverflow: Add properties to JavaScript Error object](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/47248741/add-properties-to-javascript-error-object)
-
----
-
-*Research conducted: January 11, 2026*
-*Last updated: January 11, 2026*