Turn Requirements Into a Unit-Test Matrix and Tests

• CC

  Claude Code

  AI Coding & App Builders

  Agentic coding tool that reads your codebase, edits files and runs commands

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   Step 1: Inventory requirements and ambiguity

   Give each requirement a stable ID and rewrite it as observable behavior without changing meaning. List inputs, outputs, state changes, errors and permissions. Flag ambiguous or conflicting rules for product resolution instead of selecting a convenient interpretation. Record non-functional needs separately. The inventory is ready when every test can cite a requirement and every unresolved requirement has an owner or an explicit exclusion.

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   Step 2: Inspect project test conventions

   Before generating code, inspect the test framework, folder structure, naming, fixtures, setup, mocking style and existing assertions. Ask Claude Code to summarize conventions with file references, then verify those files yourself. Identify commands for focused and full tests. Do not introduce a second framework or new dependency unless the repository requires and approves it.

   Tool: Claude Code

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   Step 3: Build the behavior-first test matrix

   Use the matrix prompt to map each requirement to happy path, boundary, invalid input, error and state-transition cases where relevant. Include expected outcome and the evidence needed to verify it. Avoid multiplying equivalent cases. Mark rows blocked by ambiguity or unavailable infrastructure. Review the matrix before writing tests so code generation cannot hide missing coverage behind a large test count.

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   Step 4: Generate focused tests and confirm red

   Generate tests in small groups using the approved conventions. Read every assertion and fixture. For new behavior or a regression, run the test before implementation and confirm it fails for the intended reason rather than syntax, setup or a different defect. Preserve the failing output. If the behavior already exists, explain why a red step is not applicable and use mutation or a controlled change to check test sensitivity where safe.

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   Step 5: Implement, run green and audit quality

   Make the minimal implementation change and rerun the focused tests, then the relevant suite. Use the quality-audit prompt to look for assertions that merely restate mocks, tests coupled to implementation detail, missing negative cases and nondeterminism. Manually verify each concern. A green suite is evidence of asserted cases, not proof that every requirement is correct or covered.

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   Step 6: Reconcile the matrix and record gaps

   Update every matrix row with test file, test name and result. List uncovered, deferred and untestable requirements with reasons and owners. Check that no requirement disappeared during code generation. Store commands and relevant outputs with the change. Approval requires a maintainer to judge whether residual gaps are acceptable for the risk of the module.

• Visit Claude Code ↗

• Build a behavior-first test matrix · tested on OpenAI GPT-5 (Codex) — editorial dry run
• Generate tests using project conventions · tested on OpenAI GPT-5 (Codex) — editorial dry run
• Audit test quality · tested on OpenAI GPT-5 (Codex) — editorial dry run

• OutputIllustrative scenario: requirement traceability

  Synthetic fixture: six requirements. The matrix created 17 distinct cases, left the ambiguous rule blocked and exposed one missing negative case during audit. The final reconciliation kept that rule in the uncovered list rather than inventing behavior.

• DatasetTesting limitation

  The repository and execution record were synthetic and reviewed in Codex on 2026-10-03. Claude Code and a live CI system were not used.

✓Last verified Oct 3, 2026