🧪 Mode Layer Test Suite — tests.md

Session Context#

Module:      Mode
Component:   Test Suite
Version:     1.0
Status:      active
Layer:       Session
Coherence:   declared
Drift:       bounded
Canon:       active

1. Purpose#

This test suite validates the Mode Operator (M), Mode Constraint Layer (MCL), and cross-module propagation rules. Each test is minimal, deterministic, and maps to a specific invariant, guardrail, or propagation rule.

Test philosophy: A test that cannot name the constraint it validates does not belong in this suite.

2. Test Index#

3. Operator Tests#

T-M-001 · Default Stance#

Given:   A new session starts with no mode declaration.
When:    The session initializes.
Then:    Active stance = M_chat.
Validates: INV-3 (Chat Mode gravity)

T-M-002 · Chat → Task Transition#

Given:   Active stance = M_chat.
When:    User explicitly requests Task Mode.
Then:    Active stance = M_task.
Transition event is logged.
Opacity recalculates.
Validates: Transition grammar, GRD-1

T-M-003 · Chat → Spec Transition#

Given:   Active stance = M_chat.
When:    User explicitly requests Spec Mode.
Then:    Active stance = M_spec.
Drift tolerance = minimal.
Validates: Transition grammar, GRD-4

T-M-004 · Chat → Debug Transition#

Given:   Active stance = M_chat.
When:    User explicitly requests Debug Mode.
Then:    Active stance = M_debug.
Opacity = maximum transparency.
Validates: Transition grammar, Opacity integration

T-M-005 · Chat → Auto Transition#

Given:   Active stance = M_chat.
When:    System proposes Automatic Mode and user consents.
Then:    Active stance = M_auto.
Drift tolerance = tight.
Validates: Transition grammar, INV-1

T-M-006 · Revert on Completion#

Given:   Active stance = M_task.
When:    Task completes successfully.
Then:    Active stance = M_chat.
Validates: INV-3 (Chat Mode gravity)

T-M-007 · Revert on Error#

Given:   Active stance = M_spec.
When:    An unrecoverable error occurs.
Then:    Active stance = M_chat.
Error is surfaced to the user.
Validates: INV-3, default_mode fallback

T-M-008 · Revert on Timeout#

Given:   Active stance = M_debug.
When:    Session timeout threshold is reached.
Then:    Active stance = M_chat.
Validates: INV-3, on_timeout behavior

4. MCL Tests#

T-MCL-001 · User Origin Required#

Given:   Active stance = M_chat.
When:    A system process attempts to transition to M_task
without user request.
Then:    Transition is REJECTED.
Violation logged: INV-1.
Active stance remains M_chat.
Validates: INV-1 (user origin)

T-MCL-002 · Coherence Preserved#

Given:   Coherence posture = declared.
When:    A transition would create an ambiguous coherence state.
Then:    Transition is REJECTED.
Violation logged: INV-2.
Validates: INV-2 (coherence preservation)

T-MCL-003 · Chat Mode Gravity#

Given:   Active stance = M_auto.
When:    Automatic Mode hits its boundary.
Then:    Active stance = M_chat (not M_task or any other stance).
Validates: INV-3 (Chat Mode gravity)

T-MCL-004 · No Silent Mode Changes#

Given:   Active stance = M_chat.
When:    User requests transition to M_task.
Then:    A mode_transition event is generated with:
previous = M_chat, current = M_task,
timestamp, origin = user.
Event is visible in Capture log.
Validates: GRD-1 (no silent changes)

T-MCL-005 · Auto Cannot Escalate#

Given:   Active stance = M_auto.
When:    Automatic Mode attempts to activate M_task.
Then:    Transition is REJECTED.
Violation logged: GRD-2.
M_auto may propose but not escalate.
Validates: GRD-2 (auto cannot escalate)

T-MCL-006 · No External Hijacking#

Given:   Active stance = M_chat.
When:    An external workflow attempts to set mode to M_spec.
Then:    Transition is REJECTED.
Violation logged: GRD-3.
External system may surface a proposal in Chat Mode.
Validates: GRD-3 (no external hijacking)

T-MCL-007 · Drift Bound Enforcement#

Given:   Active stance = M_chat (drift = bounded/wide).
When:    User requests transition to M_spec (drift = minimal).
Then:    Transition succeeds only if current state does not
exceed M_spec's drift bounds.
If drift exceeds bounds: transition REJECTED, GRD-4.
Validates: GRD-4 (drift bound enforcement)

T-MCL-008 · Hub-and-Spoke Routing#

Given:   Active stance = M_task.
When:    User requests transition to M_spec (direct).
Then:    Transition is REJECTED.
System routes: M_task → M_chat → M_spec.
Two events are logged.
Validates: GRD-5 (hub-and-spoke routing)

5. Propagation Tests#

T-P-001 · Mode → Opacity Event#

Given:   Active stance = M_chat.
When:    User transitions to M_debug.
Then:    Opacity receives mode_transition event.
Opacity recalculates: transparency = maximum.
No stale mode state persists in Opacity.
Validates: PROP-1 (no stale state)

T-P-002 · Mode → Capture Logging#

Given:   Active stance = M_chat.
When:    User transitions to M_task.
Then:    Capture records the event BEFORE the transition completes.
Log entry includes: M_chat → M_task, timestamp, user origin.
Events are in timestamp order.
Validates: PROP-2 (order preservation)

T-P-003 · Mode → Context Adjustment#

Given:   Active stance = M_chat (wide context).
When:    User transitions to M_task.
Then:    Context window narrows to goal-scoped behavior.
Adjustment completes before next user input is processed.
Validates: PROP-1 (no stale state)

T-P-004 · Regime → Mode Posture Change#

Given:   Regime posture = declared.
Active stance = M_task.
When:    Regime Layer changes posture to suspended.
Then:    MCL re-evaluates constraints.
M_task exits gracefully to M_chat.
Non-Chat modes are locked.
Validates: Regime interaction, PROP-2

T-P-005 · Idempotent Duplicate Handling#

Given:   Opacity received mode_transition (M_chat → M_task, T=100).
When:    A duplicate event arrives (M_chat → M_task, T=100).
Then:    Opacity treats it as a no-op.
No recalculation occurs.
Validates: PROP-3 (idempotent consumption)

6. Edge Cases#

T-EDGE-001 · Rapid Sequential Transitions#

Given:   Active stance = M_chat.
When:    User requests M_task, then immediately requests M_chat.
Then:    Both transitions complete in order.
Two events logged. Final stance = M_chat.
No intermediate state is lost.

T-EDGE-002 · Session Start with Explicit Mode#

Given:   User declares M_spec at session start.
When:    Session initializes.
Then:    Active stance = M_spec (not M_chat).
Chat Mode gravity applies on exit, not on override at start.

T-EDGE-003 · Violation During Auto Mode#

Given:   Active stance = M_auto.
When:    M_auto attempts an action that violates INV-1.
Then:    Violation logged.
M_auto reverts to M_chat.
Violation is surfaced to user.

7. Coverage Matrix#

Invariants:   INV-1 ✓  INV-2 ✓  INV-3 ✓
Guardrails:   GRD-1 ✓  GRD-2 ✓  GRD-3 ✓  GRD-4 ✓  GRD-5 ✓
Propagation:  PROP-1 ✓ PROP-2 ✓ PROP-3 ✓
Stances:      Chat ✓  Task ✓  Spec ✓  Debug ✓  Auto ✓
Edge cases:   3/3 ✓

Full coverage achieved. Every constraint, guardrail, propagation rule, and stance is tested at least once.

🔙 Back to Mode Module · Operators · Constraints · Propagation

Mode Layer Test Suite v1.0 · RTT/1 Session Layer · TriadicFrameworks