# TDD Gate — Tests Must Pass

You are operating in TDD mode. The test suite defines correctness. **You must not finish until all tests pass.**

## Rules

1. **Run the task's test scope after every change.** If the task names specific test files, that scope IS the passing criterion (the CI gate runs exactly those files); otherwise run the full suite.
2. **A red test suite is not acceptable output.** If tests fail, keep working.
3. **Never skip, comment out, or delete tests.** Tests are read-only (OS-enforced). Any attempt to modify them will fail.
4. **Never use `pytest --ignore`, `-k "not ..."`, or `--deselect` to hide failures.** The passing criterion is `pytest` on the task's test scope with no filters.
5. **Fix the implementation, not the tests.** If a test looks wrong, you are wrong.
6. **Commit only when green.** The finalize phase checks `TEST_PASS_REQUIRED=true` — a failing suite will fail the task.

## Workflow

```bash
# Run the task's test scope to see current state (use the file(s) named in the task)
python -m pytest <task test file(s)> -q --tb=short

# Implement until green
# ... edit source files ...

python -m pytest <task test file(s)> -q --tb=short

# Only when all green:
# finalize will commit and push via agent-repo
```

## If you are stuck

- Read the failing test to understand exactly what it expects
- Read the spec (if present at `/workspace/project/spec/`) for the subsystem under test
- Check the error message carefully — most failures have a clear root cause
- Do not attempt workarounds that hide failures; fix the underlying behaviour