Package Exports

@antiwork/shortest

Readme

Shortest

AI-powered natural language end-to-end testing framework.

Features

Natural language test writing
AI-powered test execution using Claude computer use API
Built on Playwright
GitHub integration with 2FA support

Installation

npm install -D @antiwork/shortest
# or
pnpm add -D @antiwork/shortest

Add .shortest/ to your .gitignore (where Shortest stores screenshots and caching of each test run):

echo ".shortest/" >> .gitignore

Quick start

Determine your test entry and add your Anthropic API key in config file: shortest.config.ts

import type { ShortestConfig } from "@antiwork/shortest";

export default {
  headless: false,
  baseUrl: "http://localhost:3000",
  testPattern: "**/*.test.ts",
  anthropicKey: process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY,
} satisfies ShortestConfig;

Write your test in your test directory: app/__tests__/login.test.ts

import { shortest } from "@antiwork/shortest";

shortest("Login to the app using email and password", {
  username: process.env.GITHUB_USERNAME,
  password: process.env.GITHUB_PASSWORD,
});

Using callback functions

You can also use callback functions to add additional assertions and other logic. AI will execute the callback function after the test execution in browser is completed.

import { shortest } from "@antiwork/shortest";
import { db } from "@/lib/db/drizzle";
import { users } from "@/lib/db/schema";
import { eq } from "drizzle-orm";

shortest("Login to the app using username and password", {
  username: process.env.USERNAME,
  password: process.env.PASSWORD,
}).after(async ({ page }) => {
  // Get current user's clerk ID from the page
  const clerkId = await page.evaluate(() => {
    return window.localStorage.getItem("clerk-user");
  });

  if (!clerkId) {
    throw new Error("User not found in database");
  }

  // Query the database
  const [user] = await db
    .select()
    .from(users)
    .where(eq(users.clerkId, clerkId))
    .limit(1);

  expect(user).toBeDefined();
});

Lifecycle hooks

You can use lifecycle hooks to run code before and after the test.

import { shortest } from "@antiwork/shortest";

shortest.beforeAll(async ({ page }) => {
  await clerkSetup({
    frontendApiUrl:
      process.env.PLAYWRIGHT_TEST_BASE_URL ?? "http://localhost:3000",
  });
});

shortest.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
  await clerk.signIn({
    page,
    signInParams: {
      strategy: "email_code",
      identifier: "iffy+clerk_test@example.com",
    },
  });
});

shortest.afterEach(async ({ page }) => {
  await page.close();
});

shortest.afterAll(async ({ page }) => {
  await clerk.signOut({ page });
});

Chaining tests

Shortest supports flexible test chaining patterns:

// Sequential test chain
shortest([
  "user can login with email and password",
  "user can modify their account-level refund policy",
]);

// Reusable test flows
const loginAsLawyer = "login as lawyer with valid credentials";
const loginAsContractor = "login as contractor with valid credentials";
const allAppActions = ["send invoice to company", "view invoices"];

// Combine flows with spread operator
shortest([loginAsLawyer, ...allAppActions]);
shortest([loginAsContractor, ...allAppActions]);

Shortest's style allows non-engineers such as designers, marketers, and PMs to write tests. Here are some examples:

shortest("visit every page and ensure no typos");
shortest("visit every page and ensure mobile layout isn't janky");
shortest("visit every page and ensure dark mode is considered");

API Testing

Test API endpoints using natural language

const req = new APIRequest({
  baseURL: API_BASE_URI,
});

shortest(
  "Ensure the response contains only active users",
  req.fetch({
    url: "/users",
    method: "GET",
    params: new URLSearchParams({
      active: true,
    }),
  }),
);

Or simply:

shortest(`
  Test the API GET endpoint ${API_BASE_URI}/users with query parameter { "active": true }
  Expect the response to contain only active users
`);

Running tests

pnpm shortest                   # Run all tests
pnpm shortest login.test.ts     # Run specific test
pnpm shortest --headless        # Run in headless mode using cli

You can find example tests in the examples directory.

Shortest currently supports login using Github 2FA. For GitHub authentication tests:

Go to your repository settings
Navigate to "Password and Authentication"
Click on "Authenticator App"
Select "Use your authenticator app"
Click "Setup key" to obtain the OTP secret
Add the OTP secret to your .env.local file or use the Shortest CLI to add it
Enter the 2FA code displayed in your terminal into Github's Authenticator setup page to complete the process

shortest --github-code --secret=<OTP_SECRET>

Environment setup

Required in .env.local:

ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_api_key
GITHUB_TOTP_SECRET=your_secret  # Only for GitHub auth tests

CI setup

You can run Shortest in your CI/CD pipeline by running tests in headless mode. Make sure to add your Anthropic API key to your CI/CD pipeline secrets.

Documentation

Visit GitHub for detailed docs

Prerequisites

React >=19.0.0 (if using with Next.js 14+ or Server Actions)
Next.js >=14.0.0 (if using Server Components/Actions)

⚠️ Known Issues

Using this package with React 18 in Next.js 14+ projects may cause type conflicts with Server Actions and useFormStatus
If you encounter type errors with form actions or React hooks, ensure you're using React 19

@antiwork/shortest