Manage the "Elastic Loop" of development by expanding and contracting test scope. Use when (1) coding in a "Fast-Fail" inner loop (3-5s), (2) graduating to a "Full-Validation" outer loop (2-3m), or (3) performing "Diagnostic Contraction" to a specific Unit Eval after a regression.
This skill orchestrates a dynamic, signal-driven control loop where the test "aperture" expands for confidence and contracts for focus.
This skill is strictly read-only/ephemeral.
.ladder.yaml, .test-state, or similar configuration files.justfile, Makefile, or source files to add metadata or tags.| Mode | Aperture | Timing |
|---|
| Goal |
|---|
| Command (Typical) |
|---|
| Inner Loop | Nucleus + Rungs 0-0.5 | 3-5s | Rapid Feedback | make fast-fail, just test-changed |
| Outer Loop | Full Ladder (0-5.0) | 2-3m | System Integrity | make test, just test |
| UAT Loop | Full Workflow | 3-5m | AWS/Final Validation | make uat, just pr-validation |
When discovering or constructing a ladder, follow this semantic order:
--lf) or changed (--testmon) tests.pytest path/to/file.py).make fast-fail).make test).just test-imports).test, fast-fail) that calls other targets. Use these for Graduation.test-lint). Use these for Lock-In and Diagnostic Contraction.Economic Tip: Always prefer targets using --testmon or --lf for Phase 1.0 to minimize "turn cost."