avoid_focused_tests

v1.1.0 Warning Testing Rules

Warns when a test or group is focused with solo: true. A soloed test silences every sibling in the same file — they are not reported as skipped, they are never considered, and the run still exits zero.

solo is a debugging aid. The defect is committing it, and the diff looks like nothing.

Don’t

void main() {
  // Every other test in this file now silently does not run.
  test('the one I am debugging', () {
    expect(parse(input), equals(expected));
  }, solo: true);

  test('handles an empty manifest', () {
    expect(parse(''), isEmpty);
  });
}

A group focus does the same thing at group scope:

void main() {
  group('upload', () {
    test('retries once', () {});
  }, solo: true);

  group('download', () {
    // Never runs.
    test('streams to disk', () {});
  });
}

Do

Narrow the run from the command line. It leaves no trace in the source, so it cannot be committed by accident:

void main() {
  test('the one I am debugging', () {
    expect(parse(input), equals(expected));
  });

  test('handles an empty manifest', () {
    expect(parse(''), isEmpty);
  });
}

dart test --name 'the one I am debugging'
dart test test/upload_test.dart
flutter test --plain-name 'the one I am debugging'

Never reported

solo: false is the default written out, and suppresses nothing:

void main() {
  test('runs like any other', () {}, solo: false);
}

There is deliberately no option to permit a focus. Unlike a skip, it has no documented-and-therefore-tolerable form — a reason string would not make the other tests run.

See also: package:test | eslint-plugin-jest: no-focused-tests

Turning this rule off

This rule is in the recommended preset, so it is on with preset: recommended, preset: opinionated or preset: pedantic. Add it to preset: core with avoid_focused_tests: true.

To turn it off:

many_lints.yaml

rules:
  avoid_focused_tests: false

To keep the rule on but skip certain paths, use per-rule exclude.

Related rules

• avoid_skipped_tests — Detect tests, groups and libraries switched off in place.
• avoid_misused_test_matchers — Detect test matchers used with incompatible value types.
• format_test_name — Hold test descriptions to a house pattern.
• prefer_correct_test_file_name — Name test files so the runner actually runs them.