diff --git a/pytest.ini b/pytest.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3a0c46d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pytest.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[tool:pytest]
+testpaths = tests
+python_files = test_*.py
+python_classes = Test*
+python_functions = test_*
+addopts = -v --tb=short
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diff --git a/requirements-test.txt b/requirements-test.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca2a549
--- /dev/null
+++ b/requirements-test.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+pytest==8.4.2
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diff --git a/tests/README.md b/tests/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6980e16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# Python Tests
+
+based on pytest.
+
+## Running Tests
+
+Make sure to install test dependencies: `pip install -r requirements-test.txt`.
+
+### All Tests
+
+```bash
+pytest
+```
+
+
+### Specific Test File
+```bash
+pytest tests/test_yaml_parser.py -v
+```
+
+### Specific Test Class
+```bash
+pytest tests/test_yaml_parser.py::TestYamlParser -v
+```
+
+### Specific Test Function
+```bash
+pytest tests/test_yaml_parser.py::TestYamlParser::test_yaml_parser_basic_functionality -v
+```
+
+## Test Configuration
+
+See `pytest.ini` in the root directory.
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diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..83922b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# this file makes the tests directory a Python package
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diff --git a/tests/test_yaml_parser.py b/tests/test_yaml_parser.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b9d1a42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_yaml_parser.py
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+"""
+Basic tests for YAML parsing functionality in the taskflow agent.
+
+Simple parsing + parsing of example taskflows.
+"""
+
+import pytest
+import tempfile
+from pathlib import Path
+import yaml
+from yaml_parser import YamlParser
+
+
+class TestYamlParser:
+    """Test suite for YamlParser class."""
+
+    def test_yaml_parser_basic_functionality(self):
+        """Test basic YAML parsing functionality."""
+        # create a temporary directory with test yaml files
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+            temp_path = Path(temp_dir)
+            test_yaml_content = {
+                'seclab-taskflow-agent': {
+                    'type': 'taskflow',
+                    'version': 1
+                },
+                'taskflow': [
+                    {
+                        'task': {
+                            'agents': ['assistant'],
+                            'user_prompt': 'Test prompt'
+                        }
+                    }
+                ]
+            }
+            
+            test_file = temp_path / 'test_taskflow.yaml'
+            with open(test_file, 'w') as f:
+                yaml.dump(test_yaml_content, f)
+            
+            parser = YamlParser(temp_path)
+            # get all yaml files in the directory
+            yaml_files = temp_path.glob('*.yaml')
+            result = parser.get_yaml_dict(yaml_files)
+            
+            assert 'test_taskflow.yaml' in result
+            assert result['test_taskflow.yaml']['seclab-taskflow-agent']['type'] == 'taskflow'
+            assert len(result['test_taskflow.yaml']['taskflow']) == 1
+            assert result['test_taskflow.yaml']['taskflow'][0]['task']['agents'] == ['assistant']
+
+
+class TestRealTaskflowFiles:
+    """Test parsing of actual taskflow files in the project."""
+
+    def test_parse_example_taskflows(self):
+        """Test parsing the actual example taskflow files."""
+        # this test uses the actual taskflows in the project
+        examples_path = Path('taskflows/examples').absolute()
+        parser = YamlParser(examples_path)
+        
+        # Get all YAML files in the examples directory
+        yaml_files = examples_path.glob('*.yaml')
+        result = parser.get_yaml_dict(yaml_files)
+        
+        # should contain example files
+        assert len(result) > 0
+
+        # check that example.yaml is parsed correctly
+        example_task_flow = result['example.yaml']
+        assert 'taskflow' in example_task_flow
+        assert isinstance(example_task_flow['taskflow'], list)
+        assert len(example_task_flow['taskflow']) == 4  # 4 tasks in taskflow
+        assert example_task_flow['taskflow'][0]['task']['max_steps'] == 20
+
+    def test_parse_all_taskflows(self):
+        """Test parsing all example taskflow files in the project."""
+        taskflows_path = Path('taskflows').absolute()
+        parser = YamlParser(taskflows_path)
+        
+        yaml_files = taskflows_path.rglob('*.yaml')
+        result = parser.get_yaml_dict(yaml_files)
+        
+        # should contain all taskflow files (including subdirs)
+        assert len(result) == 13
+        
+        # check access for files with directory structure in names
+        example_files = [key for key in result.keys() if 'examples/' in key]
+        assert len(example_files) > 0
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    pytest.main([__file__, '-v'])
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