aztec-testing

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Use this skill when testing Aztec smart contracts, including Noir tests with TestEnvironment and TypeScript integration tests with Aztec.js on local-network/devnet-like setups.

NethermindEth By NethermindEth schedule Updated 4/18/2026
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name: aztec-testing description: Use this skill when testing Aztec smart contracts, including Noir tests with TestEnvironment and TypeScript integration tests with Aztec.js on local-network/devnet-like setups. license: Proprietary. LICENSE.txt has complete terms compatibility: Pinned to aztec-packages v4.2.0 (commit f8c89cf4345df6c4ca9e66ea9b738e96070abc5a). metadata: version_label: v4.2.0 commit_sha: f8c89cf4345df6c4ca9e66ea9b738e96070abc5a source_map: aztec-packages/docs/internal_notes/llm_docs_skill_candidates.md

Aztec Contract Testing

Overview

Use this skill for contract testing only:

  • Noir contract tests using TestEnvironment
  • TypeScript integration tests using aztec.js
  • failure-path testing and authwit testing
  • deterministic time and block progression in tests
  • local-network test harness setup and execution

Out of scope:

  • contract architecture/authoring decisions (use aztec-contracts)
  • deployment-only operations (use aztec-deployment)
  • full app SDK API documentation (use aztec-js)

Required Repository State

Use the upstream repository and pin:

  • Repo: https://github.com/AztecProtocol/aztec-packages
  • Tag: v4.2.0
  • Commit: f8c89cf4345df6c4ca9e66ea9b738e96070abc5a

Checkout example:

git clone https://github.com/AztecProtocol/aztec-packages.git
cd aztec-packages
git checkout v4.2.0
git status

Expected status includes HEAD detached at v4.2.0.

Operating Rules

  • For Noir contract tests, always run aztec test (not nargo test).
  • Re-run aztec compile before aztec test after contract changes.
  • Use create_contract_account() whenever authwit behavior is under test.
  • Use create_light_account() for faster non-authwit tests.
  • In TypeScript integration tests, call .simulate() before .send() for safety and clearer failure assertions. Note that .simulate() returns { result, ... } — use the result field for reads and assertions.
  • Treat local-network node readiness as mandatory before test execution.
  • Keep tests deterministic:
  • avoid hidden inter-test state coupling
  • assert both happy path and failure path
  • for time-sensitive logic, advance time explicitly

Quick Start

Noir tests:

scripts/preflight_aztec_testing.sh
scripts/run_noir_contract_tests.sh /path/to/contract/crate

TypeScript integration tests:

scripts/preflight_aztec_testing.sh http://localhost:8080
scripts/install_aztec_testing_deps.sh npm
scripts/run_ts_integration_tests.sh /path/to/ts-tests npm test http://localhost:8080

Core Workflows

1. Noir Test Skeleton with TestEnvironment

  • Create one TestEnvironment per test.
  • Encapsulate repeated setup into helper functions (setup(...)).
  • Deploy contracts through env.deploy(...).with_*_initializer(...) or .without_initializer().

Minimal skeleton:

use crate::MyContract;
use aztec::{
    protocol::address::AztecAddress,
    test::helpers::test_environment::TestEnvironment,
};

pub unconstrained fn setup() -> (TestEnvironment, AztecAddress, AztecAddress) {
    let mut env = TestEnvironment::new();
    let owner = env.create_light_account();
    let initializer = MyContract::interface().constructor(owner);
    let contract = env.deploy("MyContract").with_public_initializer(owner, initializer);
    (env, contract, owner)
}

#[test]
unconstrained fn happy_path() {
    let (env, contract, owner) = setup();
    env.call_public(owner, MyContract::at(contract).set_value(42));
    assert_eq(env.view_public(MyContract::at(contract).get_value()), 42);
}

2. Noir Call-Type Coverage

Use the right call primitive for each assertion:

  • env.call_private(...) for private state transitions
  • env.call_public(...) for public state transitions
  • env.view_private(...)/env.view_public(...) for static reads
  • env.execute_utility(...) for unconstrained utility reads

3. Noir Authwit Tests

  • Use contract accounts for authwit tests.
  • Use authwit helpers:
  • add_private_authwit_from_call
  • add_public_authwit_from_call
  • Include negative tests:
  • missing authwit
  • wrong caller
  • replay / consumed authorization

4. Noir Failure and Revert Tests

  • Use #[test(should_fail)] for generic failure checks.
  • Use #[test(should_fail_with = "...")] for exact error matching.
  • Add explicit unauthorized and over-limit tests for each sensitive path.

5. Noir Time and Block Control

Use TestEnvironment time controls for deterministic tests:

  • set_next_block_timestamp(timestamp)
  • advance_next_block_timestamp_by(duration)
  • mine_block() / mine_block_at(timestamp)

This is required for lock delays, voting windows, and delayed state behavior.

6. TypeScript Integration Harness Setup

  • Connect via createAztecNodeClient(nodeUrl) and waitForNode(node).
  • Create wallet (EmbeddedWallet or test wallet wrapper).
  • Register/load accounts:
  • registerInitialLocalNetworkAccountsInWallet(wallet) for local-network prefunded accounts
  • or getInitialTestAccountsData() + wallet.createSchnorrAccount(...)

7. TypeScript Contract Integration Tests

  • Deploy contracts with generated bindings.
  • For contracts that initialize private storage in the constructor (e.g. SinglePrivateImmutable / SinglePrivateMutable), use contract public keys when the contract owns private state, register the instance with its secret key before send, precompute the instance with the same address inputs the send path will derive (deployer: from for normal sends), and pass additionalScopes: [instance.address] — PXE-level scope enforcement in v4.2.0 rejects the constructor's access to the instance's own private slot without it. TestEnvironment honours the same enforcement as production PXE, so the option is required under both harnesses.
  • For tests that nullify notes owned by another contract (escrow withdraw, cross-contract spend), include every such contract address in additionalScopes.
  • Assert state with .simulate(...).
  • Execute state transitions with .send(...).
  • Validate both pre- and post-state around each tx.
  • If a test calls wallet.executeUtility(call, opts), pass { scopes: [addr, ...] } (an AztecAddress[]); the v4.1.x scope (single address) option was renamed to scopes in v4.2.0, and the 'ALL_SCOPES' sentinel was removed.

8. TypeScript Authwit Integration Tests

Private authwit patterns:

  • build action method call
  • create witness with wallet.createAuthWit(...)
  • execute delegated call with authWitnesses
  • assert replay failure

Public authwit patterns:

  • register authorization with SetPublicAuthwitContractInteraction.create(..., true) and send it
  • execute delegated action
  • optionally cancel with SetPublicAuthwitContractInteraction.create(..., false) and send it
  • assert unauthorized failure after cancellation

9. Governance/Protocol Upgrade Test Scenarios

For advanced local-network integration tests requiring governance timing and proposal state transitions, use the pinned governance testing tutorial in reference.md. Keep this as a dedicated integration track separate from standard contract unit/integration tests.

Tooling / Commands

# readiness and environment checks
scripts/preflight_aztec_testing.sh [node-url]
scripts/wait_for_aztec_test_node.sh <node-url> [timeout-seconds] [interval-seconds]

# noir contract tests
scripts/run_noir_contract_tests.sh <workspace-dir> [--skip-compile]

# ts integration test setup and execution
scripts/install_aztec_testing_deps.sh <npm|yarn|pnpm> [version]
scripts/run_ts_integration_tests.sh <project-dir> <npm|yarn|pnpm> [test-script] [node-url]

# test-environment API summary helper
scripts/summarize_test_environment_api.sh <aztec-packages-dir>

Edge Cases and Failure Handling

  • Tests pass unexpectedly despite changed contract code: re-run aztec compile before aztec test.
  • Authwit tests fail with unknown witness/authorization: verify account type, caller binding, and nonce/replay semantics.
  • .simulate() succeeds but .send() fails in TS: check fee/payment/publication/network constraints.
  • Flaky time-window tests: set explicit timestamps and mine deterministic blocks.
  • Missing private notes/events in Noir tests: ensure discover_note(...)/discover_note_at(...) flows are used when required.
  • Local network test startup failures: wait for node readiness and verify node_getNodeInfo response before running test suites.

Next Steps / Related Files

  • Use reference.md for pinned source corpus and detailed API/test matrices.
  • Use patterns.md for reusable Noir and TypeScript testing templates.
  • Use scripts/ for repeatable test setup and execution workflows.
Install via CLI
npx skills add https://github.com/NethermindEth/aztec-skills --skill aztec-testing
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