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I LOVED

SNAPSHOTS

IN 2016

A Decade Later,

Let's Revisit

2025, 30Oct = 24Dec

ROBIN POKORNY

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TONIGHT

01

02

03

WHAT IS

SNAPSHOT

TESTING

WHAT WENT WRONG

WHAT

NOW?

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WHAT IS

SNAPSHOT

TESTING

01

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WHAT�WENT WRONG

02

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‘The most common�drawback is�the fragility�of snapshot tests’

—STIP PAPER

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Tests don't encode what's important

LACK OF DEVELOPER INTENTION

Developers don't scrutinize them

GENERATED FILE PROBLEM

Need manual verification

LARGE SNAPSHOTS

Tests fail when code is actually fine

HIGH FALSE NEGATIVES

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WHAT

NOW?

03

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USE

AVOID

  • API response structures (not UI)
  • Error messages and CLI output for developer-facing tools
  • Code transformations
  • Small, stable components in design systems
  • Legacy refactoring
  • Large component trees
  • Components with frequent changes
  • "It renders" smoke tests (use linting instead)
  • Testing behavior
  • As primary testing strategy

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https://selfie.dev

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TAKEAWAY

SNAPSHOTS PROVIDE VALUE

WHEN USED EFFECTIVELY

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me@robinpokorny.com

Let’s connect

IN/IG/YT

WEB

NAME

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STATE OF JS

https://survey.devographics.com/survey/state-of-js/2025

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