Cursor rule

1---
2description: NEVER run apps/api mocha tests without NODE_ENV=test — drops dev MongoDB
3alwaysApply: true
4---
5 
6# Safe API test execution (CRITICAL)
7 
8Running mocha from `apps/api` without `NODE_ENV=test` **drops the developer MongoDB database** (`novu-db`).
9 
10## Why
11 
12`apps/api/.mocharc.json` loads `e2e/setup.ts` for **every** mocha run. That file calls `dropDatabase()` in `before()` and `after()`:
13 
14- `NODE_ENV=test` → loads `.env.test` → `MONGO_URL=.../novu-test` (safe)
15- `NODE_ENV` unset / `local` → loads `.env` → `MONGO_URL=.../novu-db` (**wipes all dev data**)
16 
17This is not hypothetical — it has happened in this repo.
18 
19## Agent MUST
20 
211. **Never** run `mocha`, `pnpm test`, or any test command under `apps/api` without `NODE_ENV=test`.
222. For **isolated unit specs** (e.g. `*.spec.ts` renderers), prefer `--no-config` so `.mocharc.json` does not load `e2e/setup.ts` at all.
233. **Never** run worker/ws e2e setups against dev DB either — they use `dalService.destroy()` under `NODE_ENV=test` only; still require `NODE_ENV=test`.
24 
25## Safe commands
26 
27```bash
28# Official test script (already sets NODE_ENV=test)
29cd apps/api && pnpm test
30 
31# Single unit spec — NO e2e harness, NO dropDatabase
32cd apps/api && cross-env NODE_ENV=test NOVU_ENTERPRISE=true CLERK_ENABLED=true \
33  npx mocha --no-config --timeout 30000 --require ts-node/register --exit \
34  'src/path/to/file.spec.ts'
35```
36 
37## Forbidden
38 
39```bash
40# ❌ NEVER — loads e2e/setup.ts and drops novu-db
41npx mocha 'src/**/*.spec.ts'
42 
43# ❌ NEVER — same problem without NODE_ENV=test
44npx mocha --require ts-node/register 'src/foo.spec.ts'
45```
46 
47If you need to verify test logic without mocha, use a targeted script with `--no-config` or run via `pnpm test` with the official env vars — never raw mocha from `apps/api` without both safeguards.
48