music_library/backlog/tasks/ml-182 - Analyze-and-plan-elimination-of-LiveViewTest-usage-in-favor-of-PhoenixTest.md

id, title, status, assignee, created_date, updated_date, labels, dependencies, references, documentation, modified_files, priority, ordinal

id	title	status	assignee	created_date	updated_date	labels	dependencies	references	documentation	modified_files	priority	ordinal
ML-182	Analyze and plan elimination of LiveViewTest usage in favor of PhoenixTest	To Do		2026-05-14 21:40	2026-05-14 21:41	testing refactoring analysis		test/support/conn_case.ex (shows auto-imported LiveViewTest subset and PhoenixTest)	https://hexdocs.pm/phoenix_test/PhoenixTest.html https://hexdocs.pm/phoenix_live_view/Phoenix.LiveViewTest.html	test/music_library_web/components/chat_test.exs test/music_library_web/components/release_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/artist_live/show_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/collection_live/index_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/maintenance_live/index_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/online_store_template_live/index_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/record_set_live/index_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/record_set_live/show_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/scrobble_live/index_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/scrobble_live/release_group_show_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/scrobble_live/release_show_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/scrobble_rules_live/index_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/scrobbled_tracks_live/index_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/scrobbled_tracks_live/rule_picker_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/stats_live/top_albums_test.exs test/music_library_web/live/wishlist_live/index_test.exs test/music_library_web/live_helpers/record_actions_test.exs	medium	10000

Description

Audit all LiveView and component tests that use LiveViewTest (either exclusively or mixed with PhoenixTest) and determine which can be converted to use only PhoenixTest. The project's ConnCase auto-imports both PhoenixTest (full) and Phoenix.LiveViewTest (subset via only:), creating a dual-framework testing situation. The goal is to reduce complexity by eliminating LiveViewTest usage where possible.

An initial analysis of 17 files has been completed. The task is to refine this analysis and produce a concrete migration plan with cost estimates.

Acceptance Criteria

• #1 All 17 files are classified as fully eliminable, partially eliminable, or blocked with clear rationale for each
• #2 Three blocking patterns (send_update/3, send(view.pid), live_isolated) are documented with suggested workarounds
• #3 A concrete migration order is proposed, prioritizing low-risk fully-eliminable files first
• #4 Cost estimates (effort level: low/medium/high) are assigned to each file or group of files

Implementation Notes

Initial Analysis (completed 2026-05-14)

Context

ConnCase auto-imports both frameworks:

• PhoenixTest (full) — provides visit/2, click/2, fill_in/2, assert_has/3, refute_has/3, assert_path/2, trigger_hook/3, upload/2, unwrap/2, etc.
• Phoenix.LiveViewTest (subset via only:) — provides render_async/1, render_change/2, render_click/3, render_hook/3, element/2, form/3

Files that need live/2 (not auto-imported) add import Phoenix.LiveViewTest explicitly.

Per-file classification

🟢 Fully eliminable (11 files)

Pattern: live/2 → visit/2, render_click/3 → click/2, render_submit/1 → click_button/2, render_change/2 → fill_in/2, render/1 → assert_has/3, has_element?/2 → assert_has/3/refute_has/3, assert_patch/2 → assert_path/2, page_title/1 → assert_has("title", text: "...")

1. live/artist_live/show_test.exs — live/2 for image edit modal; file_input/3+render_upload/3 → PhoenixTest upload/2
2. live/maintenance_live/index_test.exs — All 11 tests use live/2+render_click/3. External redirect test needs assert_redirect/2.
3. live/online_store_template_live/index_test.exs — Mixed visit/2 and live/2. assert_patch/2→assert_path/2.
4. live/record_set_live/index_test.exs — Mixed visit/2 and live/2.
5. live/record_set_live/show_test.exs — Mixed. render_hook/3 has PhoenixTest trigger_hook/3 equivalent. assert_redirect/2→assert_path/2.
6. live/scrobble_live/index_test.exs — Uses unwrap/2 bridge pattern, no live/2. Drop unwrap, use direct PhoenixTest.
7. live/scrobble_live/release_group_show_test.exs — One live/2 for page_title/1. Replace with assert_has("title", ...).
8. live/scrobble_live/release_show_test.exs — Same page_title pattern.
9. live/scrobble_rules_live/index_test.exs — All live/2. Standard conversion.
10. live/scrobbled_tracks_live/index_test.exs — unwrap/2 bridge, no live/2. Drop unwrap.
11. live/scrobbled_tracks_live/rule_picker_test.exs — All live/2. Standard conversion.
12. live/stats_live/top_albums_test.exs — Mixed. live/2 for cover URL/badge tests.

🟡 Mostly eliminable (4 files)

Blocked by send(view.pid, message) pattern for testing internal handle_info/2 callbacks.

13. live/collection_live/index_test.exs — 2 PubSub tests use send(view.pid, :records_index_changed). 3 cart format tests use live/2 for render_change/2 with nested params.
14. live/wishlist_live/index_test.exs — Same PubSub pattern. Single-item import uses live/2.
15. live_helpers/record_actions_test.exs — One test uses send(view.pid, {Chat, :chats_changed}). Rest are standard live/2+render_click/3.
16. components/release_test.exs — render_change/2 with nested LiveComponent form data. ShowPrintTest sub-module uses live_isolated/3.

🔴 Hard to eliminate (1 file)

17. components/chat_test.exs — Phoenix.LiveView.send_update(view.pid, Chat, [chunk: ..., done: ..., error: ...]) drives the Chat component's internal update/2 callback directly. This is unit-level LiveComponent testing with no PhoenixTest equivalent. 3 tests in "update/2 streaming state transitions" describe block.

Three blocking patterns

Pattern 1: Phoenix.LiveView.send_update/3 (chat_test.exs)

• Used to test component's update/2 callback with internal state tuples (chunk:, done:, error:)
• No PhoenixTest equivalent — PhoenixTest has no concept of LiveComponent PIDs
• Workaround: Rewrite as integration tests through the actual SSE streaming pipeline
• Effort: High (rewrite 3 tests with streaming stub setup)

Pattern 2: send(view.pid, message) (collection_live, wishlist_live, record_actions)

• Used to test handle_info/2 callbacks for PubSub-driven updates
• PhoenixTest sessions don't expose LiveView PIDs
• Workaround: Trigger the actual side effects (create records, broadcast via PubSub, interact with Chat component) and use assert_has/3 with timeout
• Effort: Medium per affected test (need to verify PhoenixTest sessions pick up out-of-band PubSub updates)

Pattern 3: live_isolated/3 (components/release_test.exs ShowPrintTest)

• Mounts a LiveComponent in isolation to test a specific assign
• PhoenixTest requires full page navigation
• Workaround: Test through parent LiveView (/collection/:id) with visit/2
• Effort: Low (2 tests, simple assertion)

Proposed migration order

1. Wave 1 (low risk): Drop unwrap/2 bridges — scrobble_live/index_test.exs, scrobbled_tracks_live/index_test.exs
2. Wave 2 (low risk): Convert page_title/1 tests — scrobble_live/release_group_show_test.exs, scrobble_live/release_show_test.exs
3. Wave 3 (medium risk): Convert live/2 → visit/2 for standard CRUD LiveViews — scrobble_rules_live, online_store_template_live, record_set_live/index, record_set_live/show, scrobbled_tracks_live/rule_picker, maintenance_live
4. Wave 4 (medium risk): Convert mixed-usage files — artist_live/show, stats_live/top_albums
5. Wave 5 (higher risk): Files with send(view.pid) blockers — collection_live/index, wishlist_live/index, record_actions, components/release
6. Wave 6 (hardest): Component streaming tests — components/chat

Cost estimates

Wave	Effort	Files
1	Low (30 min)	2 files — mechanical removal of unwrap/2
2	Low (15 min)	2 files — replace page_title/1
3	Medium (2-3h)	6 files — live/2→visit/2, selector adjustments
4	Medium (1-2h)	2 files — file_input/3+render_upload/3→upload/2, live/2→visit/2
5	Medium-High (3-4h)	4 files — PubSub workarounds, live_isolated→parent page
6	High (4-6h)	1 file — rewrite streaming tests as integration tests