Intermediate·Concept·2 min read

Why Scripted Testing Matters

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An important lesson is to test the deterministic engine without depending on live LLM variability.

A scripted model can return fixed extraction results, while scripted connectors return predefined API responses. With a controlled clock and stable workflow content, the same scenario can be replayed repeatedly.

Example scenario:

yaml
scenario: unrecognized_transaction
turns:
  - user: "I don't recognize a charge."
    extracted_intent: report_unrecognized_transaction
  - user: "It was $249.99."
    extracted_amount: 249.99
expected:
  next_step: ask_for_transaction_identification

The exact test format depends on the engine. The principle is to assert not just the final message, but also:

  • state and ledger updates;
  • visited nodes and transitions;
  • mandatory questions and confirmations;
  • connector calls and idempotency behavior;
  • audit events;
  • termination and failure paths.

Golden scenarios are particularly useful: they preserve known expected behavior and detect unintended changes during refactoring.

Adapted from 19_deterministic_workflow_engine_learnings.md · “10. Why Scripted Testing Matters”. Code examples are study fragments. Difficulty and core labels are editorial estimates; version-specific behavior should be checked against your project.