Content Tests
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Owner | QA Automation |
| Updated | 2026-03-26 |
| Scope | Registry-driven content validation across CNC sites |
Content Tests exist because “page loads” is not enough for editorial products. A site can be technically up while key modules, embeds, galleries, subscription surfaces, or article structures are quietly broken. This suite is built to catch that kind of drift.
What The Suite Does
| Capability | What It Means |
|---|---|
| registry-driven coverage | modules are tested because they are listed in the registry, not because someone remembered them |
| context grouping | entries are grouped so the suite does not navigate more than necessary |
| handler-based execution | different module families use purpose-built logic |
| tiered depth | some entries only need existence checks; others need interaction or journey validation |
| regression detection | history is used to tell whether a breakage is new or repeating |
Current Shape
| Metric | Current Snapshot |
|---|---|
| sites covered | 6 |
| registry entries | 120 |
| site slots | 231 |
| primary tiers | existence, interaction, journey |
| handler count | 12 specialized handlers |
The Three Tiers
| Tier | What It Proves |
|---|---|
| existence | the module is present in the DOM where expected |
| interaction | the module can be meaningfully interacted with |
| journey | the module holds up across a short user flow, not just one click |
Orchestrator Model
The orchestrator is the part that makes the suite practical on live news sites.
| Orchestrator Responsibility | Why It Exists |
|---|---|
| context grouping | reduces repeated navigation |
| deadline protection | one slow context should not freeze the whole suite |
| recovery logic | a broken page should not poison everything after it |
| seed URL handling | reliable coverage on volatile content surfaces |
Handler Model
Handlers are how the suite stays specific without becoming one giant file.
| Handler Family | Typical Examples |
|---|---|
| article-like | article, live, search, navigation |
| media-like | gallery, video, podcast, embed |
| premium-like | subscription, auth |
| interaction surfaces | social, existence-only, mixed module flows |
Why This Suite Matters
Content is where many newsroom breakages show up first:
- embeds disappear
- galleries stop opening
- premium surfaces render incorrectly
- special article modules break after editorial or CMS changes
These are real reader-facing failures even when smoke tests stay green.
History And Regression Detection
Content Tests are not only about the current run.
| Historical Feature | Why It Helps |
|---|---|
| run history | shows if a failure is repeating |
| regression detection | highlights new breakages rather than long-known weak spots |
| coverage reporting | helps prioritize what is still untested or shallowly tested |
Where Operators Usually Feel The Value
| Situation | Why Content Tests Help |
|---|---|
| CMS rollout | shows which modules drifted |
| editorial template change | catches module-specific breakage |
| embed-provider behavior change | surfaces gaps generic suites miss |
| site-specific content quirks | keeps the six sites from being treated as interchangeable |
[EXPAND: Good mental model]
Think of Content Tests as the bridge between broad functional suites and editorial reality. Smoke tells you the site is alive. E2E tells you journeys work. Content Tests tell you the modules editors actually publish are still there and still usable.
[END EXPAND]
Related Pages
| Need | Go To |
|---|---|
| registry structure | Content Registry |
| high-level suite list | Test Types |