What is the 'Neural Link'?

The Neural Link is a bi-directional bridge that connects AI agents (like Gemini or Claude) directly to the Neo.mjs runtime. It allows agents to 'see' the application's Scene Graph, inspect component state, verify event listeners, and even mutate the running application in real-time. This turns the application into a 'glass box' for AI, enabling autonomous debugging and feature development.

Why is Neo.mjs called an 'Application Engine' instead of a framework?

Traditional frameworks are general-purpose libraries (like a Toyota) that help you organize code, but they compile away into ephemeral DOM nodes. Neo.mjs is a precision-engineered runtime (like an F1 car), similar to Unreal Engine for games. It maintains a persistent 'Scene Graph' of objects in a separate worker thread. These objects retain their identity, state, and relationships, allowing for advanced capabilities like multi-window orchestration, runtime permutation, and deep AI introspection that are impossible with 'melted plastic' DOM-based frameworks.

What is 'Context Engineering'?

Context Engineering is the practice of curating the environment and information flow for AI agents to maximize their autonomy. In Neo.mjs, this is implemented via three Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers: a Knowledge Base for semantic code understanding, a Memory Core for learning from past sessions, and a GitHub Workflow server for project management. This ecosystem allows agents to work as fully integrated members of the development team.

What is 'Object Permanence' in the context of Neo.mjs?

In Neo.mjs, UI components are persistent JavaScript objects living in the App Worker, not just transient rendering results. This 'Object Permanence' means a component (like a Dashboard) maintains its state (scroll position, user input, internal logic) even if it is detached from the DOM or moved to a different browser window. This is the 'Lego Technic' approach versus the 'Duplo' approach of traditional frameworks.

What is an 'Agent Operating System'?

Neo.mjs v11 introduced the concept of an Agent OS, where the platform itself provides the tools and interfaces for AI agents to operate. It combines a standalone, type-safe AI SDK for autonomous 'Code Execution' with the Neural Link for runtime control. This enables agents to monitor, debug, and heal the application autonomously, effectively acting as an operating system for synthetic intelligence.

How does Neo.mjs handle multi-window applications?

Neo.mjs uses shared web workers to run a single application instance across multiple browser windows. All windows share the same application state and data in real-time. Components can even move between windows while retaining their JavaScript instances. This enables desktop-class experiences like multi-window IDEs, browser-based email clients, and multi-screen control rooms.

What makes Neo.mjs different from React, Angular, or Vue?

Neo.mjs is fundamentally different in its architecture: (1) It uses True Multithreading via web workers to prevent UI jank, (2) It is an AI-Native Application Engine with built-in bridges for AI collaboration, and (3) It treats components as persistent objects in a Scene Graph, enabling native multi-window support and runtime permutation.

Frontmatter

id	8881
title	Enhance Testing Guides with Practical Workflow & Safety Protocols
state	Closed
labels	documentationdeveloper-experienceaitesting
assignees	tobiu
createdAt	Jan 26, 2026, 12:17 PM
updatedAt	Jan 26, 2026, 12:27 PM
githubUrl	https://github.com/neomjs/neo/issues/8881
author	tobiu
commentsCount	1
parentIssue	null
subIssues	[]
subIssuesCompleted	0
subIssuesTotal	0
blockedBy	[]
blocking	[]
closedAt	Jan 26, 2026, 12:27 PM

Enhance Testing Guides with Practical Workflow & Safety Protocols

Name: Neo.mjs Application Engine
Author: Neo.mjs

Closed v11.24.0 documentationdeveloper-experienceaitesting

tobiu commented on Jan 26, 2026, 12:17 PM

Context: The current testing guides (UnitTesting.md and ComponentTesting.md) provide a good architectural overview but lack practical "Day 1" developer experience details. We need to bridge the gap between "knowing the architecture" and "running the first test".

Missing Information & Required Updates:

Running Specific Tests (The "Focus Mode"):
- Explain how to run a single test file to avoid waiting for the full suite during development.
- Command: npx playwright test test/playwright/unit/my/file.spec.mjs -c test/playwright/playwright.config.unit.mjs
- Why: This is the standard workflow for TDD / debugging.
The "Safety Net" (Cross-Test Side Effects):
- Explicitly warn that running a single test is not enough before committing.
- The Trap: Because Neo.mjs unit tests run in a shared worker process (for speed), a test in File A can pollute the global namespace/state for File B.
- The Rule: "Always run npm run test-unit (full suite) before pushing to verify isolation."
Debugging & Filtering:
- Mention the --debug flag for stepping through tests.
- Mention the --grep flag for filtering tests by name.
File Organization:
- Clarify where new tests should live (mirroring src structure).

Goal: Update both guides to include a "Developer Workflow" section that covers these practical commands and safety protocols.

tobiu added the documentation label on Jan 26, 2026, 12:17 PM

tobiu added the developer-experience label on Jan 26, 2026, 12:17 PM

tobiu added the ai label on Jan 26, 2026, 12:17 PM

tobiu added the testing label on Jan 26, 2026, 12:17 PM

tobiu referenced in commit 39af09c - "docs: Add Developer Workflow to Testing Guides (#8881)" on Jan 26, 2026, 12:26 PM

tobiu assigned to @tobiu on Jan 26, 2026, 12:26 PM

tobiu Jan 26, 2026, 12:26 PM

Input from Gemini 3 Pro:

✦ I have updated the testing guides to include a practical "Developer Workflow" section.

Changes:

learn/guides/testing/UnitTesting.md:

Added "Running a Single File (Focus Mode)": Documented the npx playwright test ... -c ... command.

Added "Debugging": Documented --debug and -g (grep) flags.

Added "The Safety Net": Clarified the Playwright worker process model vs. Neo.mjs SharedWorkers. Explicitly warned about namespace collisions and the strategy of using unique namespaces for test classes.

learn/guides/testing/ComponentTesting.md:

Added "Developer Workflow": Documented how to run single component files.

Added "Visual Debugging": Documented the --headed flag.

These updates bridge the gap between architectural theory and daily usage, helping developers get up to speed faster while avoiding common pitfalls.

tobiu closed this issue on Jan 26, 2026, 12:27 PM