Debugging failing tests
Make failures reproducible, remove time/randomness, shrink to a minimal case, and improve assertion messages for fast diagnosis.
Debugging failing tests is a free C# Academy lesson on CoddyKit. This is lesson 3 of 3. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the C# Academy learning path, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app. The C# Academy course includes 3 lessons in total.
Game plan
Plan to fix failing tests:
- Reproduce reliably
- Remove flakiness (time/random I/O)
- Shrink to a smallest failing case
- Add clear assertion messages
Flaky by design
Using UtcNow and default Random makes behavior vary between runs → flaky tests.
using System;
// Demo: occasionally fails because it depends on current second and default Random()
public static class Promo
{
// Gives bonus on even seconds; random adds small jitter
public static int BonusNow()
{
int baseBonus = (DateTime.UtcNow.Second % 2 == 0) ? 10 : 9;
Random r = new Random(); // time-based seed → unpredictable
return baseBonus + (r.Next(0, 2)); // 0 or 1 more
}
}
public class Program
{
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
// Simulated test: sometimes expects exactly 10, but result varies
int got = Promo.BonusNow();
if (got != 10) Console.WriteLine("FAIL (flaky): expected 10 but got " + got);
else Console.WriteLine("PASS (maybe): got " + got);
}
}
Control dependencies
Inject time and Random. With a fixed seed and fixed timestamp, the failure becomes reproducible.
using System;
public interface IClock { DateTime NowUtc(); }
public sealed class FakeClock : IClock
{
private readonly DateTime _fixedUtc;
public FakeClock(DateTime fixedUtc) { _fixedUtc = fixedUtc; }
public DateTime NowUtc() { return _fixedUtc; }
}
public sealed class PromoDeterministic
{
private readonly IClock _clock;
private readonly Random _rng;
public PromoDeterministic(IClock clock, Random rng) { _clock = clock; _rng = rng; }
public int BonusNow()
{
int baseBonus = (_clock.NowUtc().Second % 2 == 0) ? 10 : 9;
return baseBonus + _rng.Next(0, 2);
}
}
public static class Assert
{
public static void AreEqual(int expected, int actual, string msg)
{
if (expected != actual) throw new Exception("Expected " + expected + " but got " + actual + " :: " + msg);
}
}
public class Program
{
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
try
{
IClock clock = new FakeClock(new DateTime(2016, 1, 1, 0, 0, 20, DateTimeKind.Utc)); // even second
Random rng = new Random(123); // fixed seed
PromoDeterministic p = new PromoDeterministic(clock, rng);
int got = p.BonusNow(); // predictable now
Assert.AreEqual(10, got, "even second, first draw should be 0");
Console.WriteLine("PASS: deterministic promo");
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine("FAIL: " + ex.Message);
}
}
}
Minimal repro
Shrink inputs until a tiny example fails (here: empty array). Small cases are easier to reason about.
using System;
// Buggy function: average of ints, but divides by count without guarding empty input
public static class Stats
{
public static double Average(int[] xs)
{
int sum = 0;
for (int i = 0; i < xs.Length; i++) sum += xs[i];
return sum / xs.Length; // BUG: divide by zero if empty; also int division truncates
}
}
public static class Assert
{
public static void Throws<T>(Action a, string msg) where T : Exception
{
try { a(); }
catch (Exception ex)
{
if (ex is T) return;
throw new Exception("Expected " + typeof(T).Name + " but got " + ex.GetType().Name + " :: " + msg);
}
throw new Exception("Expected " + typeof(T).Name + " but no exception thrown :: " + msg);
}
}
public class Program
{
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
// Minimal failing case: empty array
Assert.Throws<DivideByZeroException>(delegate { Stats.Average(new int[0]); }, "empty input");
Console.WriteLine("Reproduced: empty input triggers the bug.");
}
}
Fix and message quality
Guard against invalid input and use descriptive assertion messages (include inputs/expected/epsilon).
using System;
public static class Stats
{
public static double Average(int[] xs)
{
if (xs == null) throw new ArgumentNullException("xs");
if (xs.Length == 0) throw new ArgumentException("xs must not be empty", "xs");
double sum = 0.0; // use double to avoid integer truncation
for (int i = 0; i < xs.Length; i++) sum += xs[i];
return sum / xs.Length;
}
}
public static class Assert
{
public static void AreAlmostEqual(double expected, double actual, double eps, string msg)
{
if (Math.Abs(expected - actual) > eps)
throw new Exception("Expected " + expected + " but got " + actual + " (eps " + eps + ") :: " + msg);
}
}
public class Program
{
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
try
{
double a = Stats.Average(new int[] { 2, 4, 6 });
Assert.AreAlmostEqual(4.0, a, 1e-9, "average of 2,4,6");
Console.WriteLine("PASS: fixed average with clear message");
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine("FAIL: " + ex.Message);
}
}
}
Debugging checklist
Debugging checklist:
- Stabilize dependencies (time, random, I/O)
- Reproduce locally and repeatedly
- Shrink to a minimal failing input
- Add precise assertion messages
- Prefer pure functions and guard checks
First step for flaky tests
Recap
Recap: Reproduce reliably by controlling time/randomness, shrink the input, and write helpful assertion messages to pinpoint the bug fast.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the “Debugging failing tests” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Debugging failing tests” is free to read here on the web. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the C# Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO. The C# Academy course includes 3 lessons in total.
What will I learn in “Debugging failing tests”?
Make failures reproducible, remove time/randomness, shrink to a minimal case, and improve assertion messages for fast diagnosis. You practise C# Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start C# Academy?
No prior experience is required. C# Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace. This is lesson 3 of 3.
How long does the “Debugging failing tests” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this C# Academy lesson?
Yes. Every C# Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- xUnit/MSTest setup, assertions
- Fakes via interfaces; test data builders
- Debugging failing tests