Live Test

Run the real product and collect runtime evidence.

⚠️ NixOS Environment

On NixOS hosts, run commands inside the repo Node.js 24 dev shell so libstdc++.so.6 is available. Without it, numpy fails to import and you get AttributeError: module 'mindroom' has no attribute 'bot'.

nix-shell shell.nix
# then run normally inside the shell:
uv run pytest ...
uv run mindroom run

If nix-shell shell.nix cannot resolve <nixpkgs>, use:

nix-shell -I nixpkgs=/nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/root/channels/nixos shell.nix

See references/core-mindroom.md for details.

The root shell includes Linux Chromium only on Linux so the backend and Node.js tools also work on macOS.

Workflow

1. Choose the surface you need to test.

• For the core MindRoom runtime, local Matrix, Matty, and bundled dashboard, read references/core-mindroom.md.
• For the core frontend screenshot flow, frontend-only dev server, SaaS sandbox, and platform frontend screenshots, read references/frontend-and-platform.md.

2. Prefer isolated local runs when the worktree or machine is already busy.

• Existing local instances often collide on ports, Matrix usernames, room aliases, and dashboard API ports.
• If you see conflicts, create a temporary config, set a unique MINDROOM_NAMESPACE, use a unique mindroom_user.username, isolate MINDROOM_STORAGE_PATH, and choose a non-default --api-port.
• If the isolated run writes a temporary .env, inspect it before hitting authenticated /api/* routes because it may contain the instance-specific MINDROOM_API_KEY.

3. Verify behavior, not just startup.

• For chat flows, send a real message and inspect the actual reply thread.
• For backend changes, hit the live endpoint on the same instance you started.
• For frontend changes, capture screenshots and inspect the generated PNGs.

4. Preserve evidence.

• Record the exact command, port, room name, room ID, thread ID, and returned payload or screenshot path.
• Prefer Matty --format json when you need stable confirmation.
• If room aliases or thread listings are flaky, fall back to the concrete room ID from backend logs and direct matty thread reads.

5. Improve this skill when it struggles.

• If a live run exposes missing instructions, stale ports, missing workarounds, or a better repo-specific path, update this skill or its references in the same task when reasonable.
• Keep SKILL.md concise and move detailed command sequences into the reference files.