# Inbox Test Documentation Roadmap

## Purpose

This roadmap tracks the human-readable Markdown test plan for `inbox`.

It exists so a new agent can immediately answer four questions without re-reading the whole codebase:

- which test-plan documents already exist
- which cases have already been written down
- which cases are still missing
- what file should be updated next

This roadmap is for the Markdown test-plan set under `docs/tests/inbox/`.
It is not a replacement for automated Go tests.

## Current Snapshot

Snapshot date:

- `2026-03-19`

Current state:

- `inbox` CLI is implemented end-to-end
- automated Go integration tests already exist for the main lifecycle, wait flows, unread behavior, artifacts, and JSON error contracts
- this roadmap now exists under `docs/tests/inbox/ROADMAP.md`
- the command, workflow, and shared Markdown test-plan documents have not been authored yet

Progress summary for planned test-plan documents, excluding `ROADMAP.md`:

- planned document files: `16`
- authored document files: `0`
- planned case slugs in this roadmap: `61`
- authored case slugs in this roadmap: `0`

## Scope

In scope:

- `inbox init`
- `inbox send`
- `inbox fetch`
- `inbox claim`
- `inbox renew`
- `inbox update`
- `inbox reply`
- `inbox done`
- `inbox fail`
- `inbox cancel`
- `inbox list`
- `inbox show`
- `inbox watch`
- `inbox wait-reply`
- cross-command workflows
- shared test conventions for JSON output, exit codes, fixtures, and assertions

Out of scope:

- `orch`
- `council-review`
- implementation details that are not visible through the CLI contract

## Tracking Rules

Directory model:

- one folder per command or shared area
- one `README.md` per folder
- no one-file-per-case sprawl

Case identity:

- do not use numeric IDs
- identify a case by `path + case slug`
- recommended heading pattern inside the command document:

```md
## case: send-rejects-invalid-payload-json
```

Per-case structure inside the command document:

- `用例意义`
- `前置条件`
- `输入`
- `预期输出`
- `断言结论`

How to update this roadmap when a new case is written:

1. add the case content to the target `README.md`
2. move the case slug from `Pending Case Backlog` to `Authored Case Register`
3. update the authored counts in `Current Snapshot`
4. if a whole command document is created, update `Document Progress`

Allowed status values in this roadmap:

- `pending`
- `in_progress`
- `done`
- `deferred`

## Existing Automated Coverage Reference

The Markdown test-plan set starts at zero, but these automated tests already exist and should be used as source material when writing the docs:

- [integration_test.go](/home/kurihada/project/ai-workflow-skill/internal/cli/inbox/integration_test.go#L12) `TestInboxLifecycle`
- [integration_test.go](/home/kurihada/project/ai-workflow-skill/internal/cli/inbox/integration_test.go#L176) `TestInboxFailLifecycle`
- [integration_test.go](/home/kurihada/project/ai-workflow-skill/internal/cli/inbox/integration_test.go#L243) `TestInboxRenewWaitReplyAndCancel`
- [integration_test.go](/home/kurihada/project/ai-workflow-skill/internal/cli/inbox/integration_test.go#L392) `TestInboxWatchListUnreadAndAppend`
- [integration_test.go](/home/kurihada/project/ai-workflow-skill/internal/cli/inbox/integration_test.go#L549) `TestInboxUnreadReadCursor`
- [integration_test.go](/home/kurihada/project/ai-workflow-skill/internal/cli/inbox/integration_test.go#L639) `TestInboxJSONErrorsAndExitCodes`

These tests do not remove the need for the Markdown plan. They only reduce discovery work.

## Planned Directory Tree

```text
docs/tests/inbox/
  ROADMAP.md
  README.md
  _shared/
    README.md
  workflows/
    README.md
  init/
    README.md
  send/
    README.md
  fetch/
    README.md
  claim/
    README.md
  renew/
    README.md
  update/
    README.md
  reply/
    README.md
  done/
    README.md
  fail/
    README.md
  cancel/
    README.md
  list/
    README.md
  show/
    README.md
  watch/
    README.md
  wait-reply/
    README.md
```

## Document Progress

| Path | Purpose | Planned Cases | Authored Cases | Status |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | --- |
| `docs/tests/inbox/README.md` | Global testing conventions and glossary | 0 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/_shared/README.md` | Shared fixtures, JSON assertions, exit-code rules | 0 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/workflows/README.md` | Cross-command scenarios | 8 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/init/README.md` | `init` command cases | 2 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/send/README.md` | `send` command cases | 6 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/fetch/README.md` | `fetch` command cases | 4 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/claim/README.md` | `claim` command cases | 4 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/renew/README.md` | `renew` command cases | 3 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/update/README.md` | `update` command cases | 5 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/reply/README.md` | `reply` command cases | 4 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/done/README.md` | `done` command cases | 4 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/fail/README.md` | `fail` command cases | 4 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/cancel/README.md` | `cancel` command cases | 3 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/list/README.md` | `list` command cases | 4 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/show/README.md` | `show` command cases | 4 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/watch/README.md` | `watch` command cases | 3 | 0 | pending |
| `docs/tests/inbox/wait-reply/README.md` | `wait-reply` command cases | 3 | 0 | pending |

## Authoring Order

Recommended order:

1. `docs/tests/inbox/README.md`
2. `docs/tests/inbox/_shared/README.md`
3. `docs/tests/inbox/workflows/README.md`
4. `docs/tests/inbox/send/README.md`
5. `docs/tests/inbox/fetch/README.md`
6. `docs/tests/inbox/claim/README.md`
7. `docs/tests/inbox/reply/README.md`
8. `docs/tests/inbox/done/README.md`
9. `docs/tests/inbox/show/README.md`
10. the remaining command documents

Reason:

- the workflow file captures the highest-value end-to-end behavior first
- the command documents can then reuse shared conventions and already-fixed terminology

## Authored Case Register

No Markdown test cases have been authored yet.

When the first case is written, add rows in this format:

| Path | Case Slug | Coverage Note | Status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `docs/tests/inbox/send/README.md` | `send-creates-new-thread` | minimal happy path for new thread creation | done |

## Pending Case Backlog

### `docs/tests/inbox/workflows/README.md`

- `pending` `thread-lifecycle-happy-path`
- `pending` `blocked-question-reply-resume-to-done`
- `pending` `fail-lifecycle-from-claim-to-terminal`
- `pending` `cancel-lifecycle-after-worker-claim`
- `pending` `watch-wakes-then-fetch-sees-new-thread`
- `pending` `artifact-visible-through-send-and-show`
- `pending` `unread-clears-after-mark-read-and-reappears-on-new-message`
- `pending` `wait-reply-clears-blocked-unread-for-agent`

### `docs/tests/inbox/init/README.md`

- `pending` `init-creates-schema-on-empty-db`
- `pending` `init-is-idempotent-on-existing-db`

### `docs/tests/inbox/send/README.md`

- `pending` `send-creates-new-thread`
- `pending` `send-appends-message-to-existing-thread`
- `pending` `send-reads-body-from-body-file`
- `pending` `send-attaches-artifact-with-metadata`
- `pending` `send-rejects-invalid-payload-json`
- `pending` `send-rejects-invalid-artifact-metadata-json`

### `docs/tests/inbox/fetch/README.md`

- `pending` `fetch-returns-pending-thread-for-target-agent`
- `pending` `fetch-respects-status-and-limit-filters`
- `pending` `fetch-unread-uses-read-cursor`
- `pending` `fetch-returns-no-matching-work-when-empty`

### `docs/tests/inbox/claim/README.md`

- `pending` `claim-acquires-thread-lease`
- `pending` `claim-rejects-when-thread-missing`
- `pending` `claim-rejects-when-thread-already-claimed`
- `pending` `claim-records-requested-lease-duration`

### `docs/tests/inbox/renew/README.md`

- `pending` `renew-extends-active-lease`
- `pending` `renew-rejects-non-owner`
- `pending` `renew-rejects-without-active-lease`

### `docs/tests/inbox/update/README.md`

- `pending` `update-moves-thread-to-in-progress`
- `pending` `update-moves-thread-to-blocked-with-payload`
- `pending` `update-accepts-body-file-and-artifact`
- `pending` `update-rejects-invalid-payload-json`
- `pending` `update-rejects-non-owner`

### `docs/tests/inbox/reply/README.md`

- `pending` `reply-adds-answer-message`
- `pending` `reply-supports-control-kind`
- `pending` `reply-attaches-artifact`
- `pending` `reply-rejects-invalid-payload-json`

### `docs/tests/inbox/done/README.md`

- `pending` `done-marks-thread-terminal`
- `pending` `done-persists-result-body-and-artifact`
- `pending` `done-rejects-non-owner`
- `pending` `done-rejects-on-terminal-thread`

### `docs/tests/inbox/fail/README.md`

- `pending` `fail-marks-thread-failed`
- `pending` `fail-persists-failure-body-and-artifact`
- `pending` `fail-rejects-non-owner`
- `pending` `fail-rejects-on-terminal-thread`

### `docs/tests/inbox/cancel/README.md`

- `pending` `cancel-marks-thread-cancelled`
- `pending` `cancel-persists-reason-and-artifact`
- `pending` `cancel-rejects-when-thread-missing`

### `docs/tests/inbox/list/README.md`

- `pending` `list-filters-by-status`
- `pending` `list-filters-by-created-by`
- `pending` `list-filters-by-assigned-to`
- `pending` `list-respects-limit`

### `docs/tests/inbox/show/README.md`

- `pending` `show-returns-thread-and-message-history`
- `pending` `show-includes-artifacts-per-message`
- `pending` `show-mark-read-advances-read-cursor`
- `pending` `show-rejects-when-thread-missing`

### `docs/tests/inbox/watch/README.md`

- `pending` `watch-wakes-on-matching-thread`
- `pending` `watch-respects-status-filter`
- `pending` `watch-times-out-with-no-activity`

### `docs/tests/inbox/wait-reply/README.md`

- `pending` `wait-reply-wakes-on-answer-after-message`
- `pending` `wait-reply-can-start-from-after-event`
- `pending` `wait-reply-times-out-when-no-reply`

## Definition Of Done

This roadmap is complete only when all of the following are true:

- every implemented inbox command has a corresponding document folder
- each planned command document exists
- each pending case slug has been either authored or explicitly deferred
- the authored-case register matches the actual Markdown files on disk
- a new agent can pick any pending case and know exactly where it should be written