🚀 Feature: Improve User Model Test Coverage and Reliability

[JayRathore10]

🔖 Feature description

Improve User Model Test Coverage and Reliability

Description

The current User model test suite validates password hashing and password comparison functionality. While the existing tests cover the primary use cases, several important edge cases, validation scenarios, and reliability improvements are missing.

Current Gaps

1. Missing User Validation Tests

The test suite does not verify schema validation rules.

Suggested Tests

• Missing username
• Missing email
• Missing password
• Invalid email format
• Username length constraints
• Password length constraints

2. Missing Unique Constraint Tests

User uniqueness is a critical requirement but is not currently tested.

Suggested Tests

• Duplicate username creation
• Duplicate email creation
• Verify proper validation/error messages

3. Missing Password Rehash Tests

Current tests verify that passwords are not rehashed when unchanged.

Suggested Tests

• Update password and verify rehashing occurs
• Confirm old password no longer works
• Confirm new password works correctly

4. Missing comparePassword Edge Cases

Current coverage only includes valid and invalid passwords.

Suggested Tests

• Empty password input
• Null or undefined input
• Very long password strings
• Special character passwords

5. Missing Schema Default Value Tests

If the schema contains default fields, they should be validated.

Suggested Tests

• Default profile fields
• Default follower/following arrays
• Default timestamps
• Default avatar/profile image values

6. Improve Test Isolation

Tests currently rely on a dedicated MongoDB instance.

Recommendation

• Use mongodb-memory-server for isolated testing
• Reduce dependency on local MongoDB installation
• Improve CI/CD compatibility

7. Missing Error Handling Tests

The suite does not verify model behavior under failure conditions.

Suggested Tests

• Database connection failures
• Validation failures
• Save operation failures

8. Missing Timestamp Verification

If timestamps are enabled, verify:

• createdAt generation
• updatedAt generation
• updatedAt changes after document updates

9. Improve Test Data Management

Hardcoded user data is reused across tests.

Recommendation

• Create reusable factory/helper functions
• Generate unique test users dynamically
• Reduce duplication and improve maintainability

10. Add Security-Focused Tests

Additional security-related checks should be included.

Suggested Tests

• Password remains hashed in database
• Hash differs from plaintext
• Different users with same password receive different hashes (salt verification)

Expected Benefits

• Higher test coverage
• Improved security validation
• Better reliability in CI/CD environments
• Stronger schema validation guarantees
• Easier maintenance and future development

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GSSoC 2026

I would like to work on this issue under GirlScript Summer of Code (GSSoC) 2026.

GSSoC Profile:
https://gssoc.girlscript.org/profile/e47b2f4a-f3e9-4cb4-97b5-ddd8cb15a1e9

Why I want to work on this

I have experience with:

• Node.js and Express.js
• MongoDB and Mongoose
• Jest testing and integration testing
• Writing security-focused and edge-case test suites

Planned Improvements

• Add schema validation tests
• Add unique constraint tests
• Add password update and rehash tests
• Add comparePassword edge-case coverage
• Add timestamp and default value tests
• Integrate mongodb-memory-server for better isolation
• Improve test maintainability using reusable helpers
• Strengthen security-related test coverage

Kindly assign this issue to me under GSSoC 2026. I would be happy to work on it and submit a PR.

🎤 Screenshot

No response

🔄️ Additional Information

No response