QE Survival Kit: Essential Tools & Commands

# Check what changed
git status
git diff
 
# See recent changes
git log --oneline --graph --all --decorate
 
# Find who changed a file (blame/praise)
git log --follow -- path/to/TestFile.java
git blame path/to/TestFile.java
 
# Search commit history
git log --grep="payment" --oneline
git log --author="john@example.com" --since="1 week ago"
 
# Undo local changes
git checkout -- filename.java   # Discard changes to one file
git reset --hard HEAD           # Discard ALL local changes
 
# Stash changes temporarily
git stash                       # Save changes
git stash pop                   # Restore changes
git stash list                  # See all stashes

# Create and switch to branch
git checkout -b feature/add-payment-tests
 
# Switch branches
git checkout main
 
# Update your branch with main
git checkout feature/my-branch
git pull origin main
 
# Delete branch locally
git branch -d feature/old-branch
 
# See all branches
git branch -a

# Find when a bug was introduced
git bisect start
git bisect bad                  # Current commit is bad
git bisect good <commit-sha>    # This commit was good
# Git will check out commits; mark each as good/bad
 
# See file at specific commit
git show <commit-sha>:path/to/file.java
 
# Compare two branches
git diff main..feature/my-branch

# Clean and build
mvn clean install
 
# Run all tests
mvn test
 
# Run specific test class
mvn test -Dtest=LoginTest
 
# Run specific test method
mvn test -Dtest=LoginTest#testValidLogin
 
# Run tests in specific package
mvn test -Dtest=com.company.api.*
 
# Skip tests during build
mvn clean install -DskipTests
 
# Run tests with coverage
mvn clean test jacoco:report
# View report: target/site/jacoco/index.html

# Run with debug logging
mvn test -X
 
# Debug specific test (attach debugger on port 5005)
mvn test -Dtest=LoginTest -Dmaven.surefire.debug

# Simple GET
curl https://api.example.com/products
 
# GET with headers
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer TOKEN" \
     https://api.example.com/user/profile
 
# GET with query parameters
curl "https://api.example.com/search?q=laptop&page=1"
 
# Save response to file
curl https://api.example.com/products > response.json
 
# Pretty print JSON (with jq)
curl https://api.example.com/products | jq '.'

# POST with JSON data
curl -X POST https://api.example.com/login \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email":"test@example.com","password":"Test123"}'
 
# POST from file
curl -X POST https://api.example.com/users \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d @user-data.json
 
# POST form data
curl -X POST https://api.example.com/upload \
  -F "file=@test-image.jpg" \
  -F "title=Test Upload"

# PUT (update)
curl -X PUT https://api.example.com/products/123 \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"price": 99.99}'
 
# PATCH (partial update)
curl -X PATCH https://api.example.com/users/456 \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"email": "newemail@example.com"}'
 
# DELETE
curl -X DELETE https://api.example.com/cart/items/789

# See full request/response headers
curl -v https://api.example.com/products
 
# See only headers
curl -I https://api.example.com/products
 
# Follow redirects
curl -L https://api.example.com/redirect
 
# Set timeout
curl --max-time 10 https://api.example.com/slow-endpoint
 
# Ignore SSL errors (NOT for production!)
curl -k https://self-signed.example.com

-- Check if test user exists
SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = 'test@example.com';
 
-- Verify order created
SELECT * FROM orders 
WHERE user_id = 123 
ORDER BY created_at DESC 
LIMIT 1;
 
-- Check inventory levels
SELECT sku, available_quantity 
FROM inventory 
WHERE sku IN ('SKU-001', 'SKU-002');
 
-- Find recent transactions
SELECT * FROM payments 
WHERE created_at > NOW() - INTERVAL 1 HOUR
ORDER BY created_at DESC;

-- Create test user
INSERT INTO users (email, password_hash, created_at)
VALUES ('testuser@example.com', 'hashed_password', NOW());
 
-- Add test product
INSERT INTO products (sku, name, price, stock)
VALUES ('TEST-SKU', 'Test Product', 99.99, 100);
 
-- Create test order
INSERT INTO orders (user_id, status, total, created_at)
VALUES (123, 'pending', 199.98, NOW());

-- Delete test data
DELETE FROM orders WHERE user_id = 999;
DELETE FROM users WHERE email LIKE '%@test.com';
 
-- Reset auto-increment (be careful!)
ALTER TABLE orders AUTO_INCREMENT = 1;
 
-- Truncate table (removes all data)
TRUNCATE TABLE test_sessions;

-- Count records
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM orders WHERE status = 'completed';
 
-- Group by status
SELECT status, COUNT(*) as count 
FROM orders 
GROUP BY status;
 
-- Find duplicates
SELECT email, COUNT(*) 
FROM users 
GROUP BY email 
HAVING COUNT(*) > 1;
 
-- Recent failures
SELECT * FROM test_runs 
WHERE status = 'failed' 
AND created_at > NOW() - INTERVAL 7 DAY;

# List running containers
docker ps
 
# List all containers
docker ps -a
 
# Start/stop containers
docker start container_name
docker stop container_name
 
# Remove container
docker rm container_name
 
# View logs
docker logs container_name
docker logs -f container_name  # Follow logs
docker logs --tail 100 container_name  # Last 100 lines

# Start all services
docker-compose up
 
# Start in background
docker-compose up -d
 
# Stop all services
docker-compose down
 
# Rebuild and start
docker-compose up --build
 
# View logs
docker-compose logs -f
 
# Run command in service
docker-compose exec web bash
docker-compose exec db mysql -u root -p

# Remove stopped containers
docker container prune
 
# Remove unused images
docker image prune
 
# Remove everything (CAREFUL!)
docker system prune -a

F12                    Open DevTools
Ctrl+Shift+C           Inspect element
Ctrl+Shift+I           Open DevTools
Ctrl+Shift+M           Toggle mobile view

- Filter by XHR (API calls only)
- Right-click → "Copy as cURL" (reproduce API call)
- Check response times
- Verify status codes
- Inspect request/response payloads

// Find elements
document.querySelector('[data-testid="submit-button"]')
document.querySelectorAll('.product-card')
 
// Get all cookies
document.cookie
 
// Get local storage
localStorage.getItem('authToken')
 
// Clear storage
localStorage.clear()
sessionStorage.clear()
 
// Network requests
// (Works in console when DevTools open)
fetch('/api/products').then(r => r.json()).then(console.log)

- View cookies
- View local storage
- View session storage
- Clear storage
- View service workers

# macOS
brew install jq
 
# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt-get install jq
 
# Windows
choco install jq

# Pretty print JSON
echo '{"name":"John","age":30}' | jq '.'
 
# Extract field
curl https://api.example.com/user | jq '.email'
 
# Extract array items
curl https://api.example.com/products | jq '.[0].name'
 
# Filter array
jq '.[] | select(.price > 100)' products.json
 
# Count items
jq '. | length' products.json
 
# Transform data
jq '.products[] | {name, price}' response.json

# Search for text in files
grep -r "LoginTest" .
 
# Case insensitive
grep -ri "logintest" .
 
# Show line numbers
grep -rn "LoginTest" .
 
# Show only file names
grep -rl "LoginTest" .
 
# Exclude directories
grep -r "LoginTest" . --exclude-dir=node_modules
 
# Search for pattern
grep -r "test.*Login" .
 
# Count matches
grep -rc "LoginTest" .

# 1. Check recent changes
git log --since="1 day ago" --name-only
 
# 2. Run test multiple times
for i in {1..10}; do mvn test -Dtest=FlakyTest; done
 
# 3. Check logs
tail -f application.log
grep "ERROR" application.log
 
# 4. Compare with working commit
git diff <working-commit> <failing-commit> -- TestFile.java

# Check Java version
java -version
 
# Check Maven version
mvn -version
 
# Check Node version
node -v
npm -v
 
# Check environment variables
env | grep -i java
echo $PATH
 
# Check running processes
ps aux | grep java
ps aux | grep node
 
# Check port usage
lsof -i :8080
netstat -an | grep 8080

Ctrl+Shift+T      Find test class
Ctrl+Shift+F10    Run test at cursor
Ctrl+F9           Build project
Ctrl+Shift+F      Find in files
Alt+F7            Find usages
Ctrl+Alt+L        Format code
Ctrl+D            Duplicate line
Ctrl+Y            Delete line

# Navigate
cd -              # Go to previous directory
cd ~              # Go to home
pwd               # Print working directory
 
# History
history           # Show command history
!<number>         # Rerun command by number
!!                # Rerun last command
Ctrl+R            # Search history
 
# Aliases (add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc)
alias gst='git status'
alias gd='git diff'
alias mtest='mvn clean test'
alias dcu='docker-compose up'