# Run Acceptance Tests

Guide for running acceptance tests for a Terraform provider.

- Repository: https://github.com/hashicorp/agent-skills (911 stars)
- Category: Testing
- License: MPL-2.0
- Last updated: 2026-10-28
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add hashicorp/agent-skills --skill run-acceptance-tests -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add hashicorp/agent-skills --skill run-acceptance-tests -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add hashicorp/agent-skills --skill run-acceptance-tests -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add hashicorp/agent-skills --skill run-acceptance-tests -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add hashicorp/agent-skills`

## Description

Guide for running acceptance tests for a Terraform provider. Use this when asked to run an acceptance test or to run a test with the prefix `TestAcc`, when a test fails with missing environment variables, or when diagnosing a failing or suspiciously passing acceptance test.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

An acceptance test is a Go test function with the prefix `TestAcc`.

Before running: acceptance tests create **real infrastructure** against the
provider's live API, which may incur cost. Confirm the configured
credentials point at a test account before proceeding.

To run a focused acceptance test named `TestAccFeatureHappyPath`:

1. Run `go test -run=TestAccFeatureHappyPath -timeout 60m` with the
   following environment variables:
   - `TF_ACC=1`

   Default to non-verbose test output. Always pass an explicit `-timeout`:
   `go test` kills any test run after 10 minutes by default, and acceptance
   tests routinely exceed that.
1. The acceptance tests may require additional environment variables for
   specific providers. To discover which ones:
   - Read the test's `PreCheck` / `testAccPreCheck` function and search the
     test files: `grep -rn "os.Getenv" --include="*_test.go"`.
   - Check the repository's README, CONTRIBUTING, or `.env.example` for
     documented test setup.
   - The provider's `Configure` method shows how credentials are resolved;
     use the `provider-configuration` skill (if available) to understand a
     credential provider chain.

   Set the variables for the single test invocation
   (`EXAMPLE_API_KEY=... TF_ACC=1 go test ...`) rather than exporting them
   into the shell profile, and never write secret values into files inside
   the repository.

To diagnose a failing acceptance test, use these options, in order. These
options are cumulative: each option includes all the options above it.

1. Run the test again. Use the `-count=1` option to ensure that `go test` does
   not use a cached result.
1. Offer verbose `go test` output. Use the `-v` option.
1. Offer debug-level logging. Enable debug-level logging with the environment
   variable `TF_LOG=debug`.
1. Offer to persist the acceptance test's Terraform workspace. Enable
   persistence with the environment variable `TF_ACC_WORKING_DIR_PERSIST=1`.

The rest: https://github.com/hashicorp/agent-skills/blob/HEAD/plugins/terraform/skills/run-acceptance-tests/SKILL.md