Should I ever use arbitrary timeouts?

Only when testing actual timing-dependent logic, such as verifying that a debounce function waits exactly 200ms or that a throttle interval is respected.

Why is condition-based waiting better than using sleep()?

Fixed sleeps are guesses; if the machine is slow (like in CI), the test fails. If the machine is fast, the test wastes time. Condition polling waits exactly as long as needed and no longer.

How do I prevent infinite loops if a condition is never met?

The core pattern includes a mandatory timeout parameter. If the condition isn't met within the specified timeframe, it throws a descriptive error to stop the execution.

Does this skill work with any testing framework?

Yes, the patterns provided are framework-agnostic and can be implemented in TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, or any language supporting asynchronous operations.

Condition-Based Waiting

Name: Condition-Based Waiting
Author: Microck

byMicrock

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Security & Testing

Eliminates flaky tests by replacing arbitrary delays with intelligent condition polling to handle race conditions.

About

This skill provides a structured approach to solving test flakiness caused by timing dependencies. Instead of using arbitrary timeouts like sleep() or setTimeout(), it implements a robust polling pattern that waits for actual state changes, event triggers, or file system updates. By shifting from 'guessing time' to 'waiting for state,' developers can achieve 100% pass rates in CI environments, reduce total execution time by eliminating unnecessary wait buffers, and provide clearer error messages when assertions fail.

Key Features

Supports domain-specific waiting for events, state changes, and file system updates
81 GitHub stars
Standardizes error reporting with descriptive timeout messages
Replaces static sleeps with dynamic condition polling
Provides generic, reusable waitFor implementation patterns
Optimizes resource usage with smart polling intervals (defaulting to 10ms)

Use Cases

Waiting for file system operations or database migrations to complete before assertion
Fixing flaky integration tests that fail inconsistently in CI/CD pipelines
Synchronizing tests with asynchronous background tasks and state machines

About

Key Features

Supports domain-specific waiting for events, state changes, and file system updates
81 GitHub stars
Standardizes error reporting with descriptive timeout messages
Replaces static sleeps with dynamic condition polling
Provides generic, reusable waitFor implementation patterns
Optimizes resource usage with smart polling intervals (defaulting to 10ms)

Use Cases

Waiting for file system operations or database migrations to complete before assertion
Fixing flaky integration tests that fail inconsistently in CI/CD pipelines
Synchronizing tests with asynchronous background tasks and state machines