loops!Flaky Test Triage
Run failing tests repeatedly, classify each failure as flaky or real, and fix only confirmed regressions.
by loops!
Use loop copies the kickoff. Share copies the loop link. Open in Cursor / Claude Code only pre-fill that prompt — they do not install hook files. Download loop saves a README and kickoff into .cursor/loops/flaky-test-triage/ — no hooks required. How it works
- Do not modify the check command or exit criteria to force success
- Do not skip, disable, or bypass checks to pass the exit condition
- If stuck after several iterations, stop and report blockers instead of gaming metrics
- Do not weaken, delete, or skip tests to make the suite pass
- Do not replace real assertions with trivial always-pass tests
- Prefer fixing production code over patching tests to go green
Two separate pieces
- Kickoff prompt — tells the agent the goal, check command, exit condition, and how to self-pace between passes.
- 1
Copy or open the kickoff prompt
Click Use loop to copy the kickoff into your clipboard. Open in Cursor and Open in Claude Code only open the agent with that prompt — they do not configure automation for you.
- 2
Paste into your coding agent
Start a chat in Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, or any agent. Paste the kickoff. The prompt includes the goal, iteration limit, shell check, and first step.
- 3
Agent self-paces until done
The agent runs the loop: act → run check command → read output → repeat until the exit condition is met or max iterations is reached. No install step is required for prompt-only loops.
Full guide with Cursor /loop notes: How to install loops
1. Run failing tests
Run the failing test file or suite 3–5 times. Record pass/fail pattern per test.
npm test -- --testPathPattern=<failing-suite>
2. Classify failures
Label each failure as flaky (intermittent) or real (consistent). Note timing, ordering, or env dependencies.
3. Fix real failures
Fix confirmed real failures with minimal changes. For flaky tests, propose stabilization (retries, isolation, mocks).
4. Confirm stability
Re-run the suite multiple times to confirm real failures are gone and flakiness is reduced or documented.
npm test -- --testPathPattern=<failing-suite>
Start the "Flaky Test Triage" loop. Goal: classify failing tests as flaky vs real and fix only real regressions Max iterations: 5 Between iterations run: npm test -- --testPathPattern=<failing-suite> Exit when: every failure is classified and real regressions are fixed or explicitly deferred Step 1: Run the failing suite multiple times. Classify each failure, fix real ones, and document flaky behavior. Self-pace this loop. After each iteration, run the check command, read the output, and only continue if the exit condition is not met. Stop when the exit condition passes or max iterations is reached. Give a short status update each pass.
Related loops
Install and run the "Pre-Commit Guard" loop. Goal: block git commits when tests are failing. Between iterations run: npm test Exit when: tests exit 0 before each commit. Step 1: Before any git commit, run tests. Fix failures before committing.
Start the "Independent Verifier Pass" loop. Goal: build, lint, and tests pass under independent verification Max iterations: 8 Between iterations run: npm run build && npm run lint && npm test Exit when: all verifier commands exit 0 Step 1: Run build, lint, and tests as a verifier. Trust only command output, not prior claims. Self-pace this loop. After each iteration, run the check command, read the output, and only continue if the exit condition is not met. Stop when the exit condition passes or max iterations is reached. Give a short status update each pass.
Install and run the "Post-Edit Test Guard" loop. Goal: after each batch of file edits, related tests must pass before continuing. Between iterations run: npm test -- --findRelatedTests <edited files> Exit when: related tests exit 0. Step 1: After edits, run related tests. If they fail, fix before making more changes.