Temporarily Disable Google Charts VRTs: A Quick Fix

Hey guys, we've been having some serious issues with our Google Charts Visual Regression Tests (VRTs). They've been super unstable, constantly timing out or just plain bugging out on us. This has led to a ton of false negatives, which, as you can imagine, is a real headache. So, to save time and sanity, we're going to temporarily disable these tests. Let's dive into why and how!

Bug Description: The Google Charts VRTs Nightmare

The Google Charts VRTs have been nothing short of a nightmare lately. It feels like every other run results in a failure, and most of the time, it's not even a real issue with the code. We're talking about timeouts, weird rendering glitches, and all sorts of unpredictable behavior. This has made the VRT suite a real time-sink. Not only does it take ages to run, but it also takes a significant amount of time to investigate each failure, only to find out it's a false alarm. To add insult to injury, re-running the tests is also a slow process. That's why we've decided to pull the plug on these tests temporarily until we can figure out what's going on. We're aiming to restore them once we've addressed the underlying issues, as tracked in #11619.

The frustration is real when you see a test failure that looks like this:

[Image of a VRT failure]

And then another one that looks like this:

[Another image of a VRT failure]

It's clear that something is off with these tests. They're not providing reliable feedback, and they're wasting our time. We need to address this before we can trust them again. The goal is to ensure that our VRTs are actually catching real issues and not just generating noise.

We're committed to getting these tests back up and running as soon as possible. In the meantime, we'll focus on identifying the root cause of the instability and implementing a robust solution. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work through this issue. Our aim is to create a more reliable and efficient testing environment for everyone involved. By addressing these issues proactively, we can prevent future disruptions and ensure the quality of our code.

Acceptance Criteria: A Temporary Reprieve

The main goal here is straightforward: we need to temporarily disable all Google Charts VRTs, especially those in the "All Traffic Widget." To make sure we don't forget to bring them back, we'll add a TODO comment in the code. This comment will include a note referencing issue #11619, which is where we're tracking the effort to restore these tests. This way, when we finally fix the underlying issues, we'll have a clear reminder to re-enable the VRTs.

This approach ensures that we're not permanently removing the tests but rather putting them on hold until they're reliable again. The TODO comment serves as a crucial reminder for future maintenance and ensures that we don't lose track of the need to reinstate these tests. By linking the comment to the relevant issue, we provide context and make it easier for anyone to pick up the task of re-enabling the tests once the fix is implemented. The focus is on maintaining a clean and efficient testing environment while minimizing disruptions to the development workflow.

By temporarily disabling these tests, we can prevent the constant stream of false negatives and reduce the time spent investigating these failures. This allows us to focus on other important tasks and maintain a more productive development cycle. The decision to disable the tests is not taken lightly, but it's a necessary step to address the current instability and ensure the reliability of our testing process. We're committed to resolving the underlying issues and bringing these tests back online as soon as possible.

Implementation Brief: The Technical How-To

Here’s the plan to get this done:

• [ ] Locate all the Google Charts VRTs (mostly in the "All Traffic Widget") and temporarily disable them. Add a TODO comment with a note referencing issue #11619, reminding us to restore them later. Make sure to include changes to Storybook and visual regression tests where relevant.

This involves a thorough search through our codebase to identify all relevant VRT files. Once identified, we'll comment out the test code to effectively disable it. The TODO comment will be strategically placed to ensure it's easily visible and serves as a clear reminder of the task at hand. We'll also need to review any related Storybook stories and visual regression tests to ensure consistency and avoid any unexpected side effects. The goal is to make the process as seamless as possible, minimizing any disruption to the development workflow.

We'll use a consistent format for the TODO comment to ensure clarity and ease of identification. This will help anyone who picks up the task of re-enabling the tests to quickly understand the context and the steps required. The comment will include a brief explanation of why the tests were disabled, a reference to the relevant issue, and any other pertinent information. This level of detail will facilitate a smooth transition when the time comes to reinstate the tests. Our aim is to make the process as straightforward and error-free as possible.

Test Coverage: Ensuring a Smooth Transition

Since we're disabling tests, we won't be adding new automated tests right now. However, when we re-enable them, we'll need to make sure they're working correctly. This will involve:

This step is crucial to ensure that the re-enabled tests are functioning as expected and providing accurate results. We'll need to develop a comprehensive testing strategy to validate the tests' behavior and identify any potential issues. This may involve creating new test cases, modifying existing ones, and running a series of automated tests to verify the correctness of the code. The goal is to build confidence in the reliability of the tests and ensure that they're effectively catching real issues.

We'll also need to monitor the tests closely after they're re-enabled to identify any unexpected behavior or performance issues. This will involve setting up alerts and dashboards to track key metrics and proactively address any problems that arise. The aim is to create a robust and reliable testing environment that provides accurate and timely feedback. By taking a proactive approach to testing, we can prevent future disruptions and ensure the quality of our code.

QA Brief: Verifying the Temporary Fix

To verify that we've successfully disabled the Google Charts VRTs, we'll need to:

This involves manually checking the test suite to confirm that the Google Charts VRTs are no longer running. We'll also need to verify that the TODO comments have been added correctly and that they reference the appropriate issue. This step is crucial to ensure that the tests have been effectively disabled and that we have a clear reminder to re-enable them in the future. The goal is to minimize any potential disruptions to the development workflow and ensure that we're not wasting time investigating false negatives.

We'll also need to communicate the changes to the relevant stakeholders, including the development team and the QA team. This will ensure that everyone is aware of the temporary fix and that they understand the reasons behind it. Clear communication is essential to maintain a smooth and efficient development process. The aim is to keep everyone informed and aligned on the status of the testing environment. By providing regular updates and addressing any concerns, we can foster a collaborative and productive working environment.

Changelog Entry: Summarizing the PR

• Temporarily disabled Google Charts VRTs to address instability and frequent false failures, adding a TODO comment to restore them in issue #11619.

This changelog entry provides a concise summary of the changes made in the pull request. It clearly states that the Google Charts VRTs have been temporarily disabled due to instability and frequent false failures. It also mentions the addition of a TODO comment to remind us to restore the tests in issue #11619. This level of detail is crucial for maintaining a clear and accurate record of the changes made to the codebase. The goal is to provide transparency and facilitate future maintenance.

The changelog entry serves as a valuable resource for developers and other stakeholders who need to understand the history of the codebase. It provides a quick and easy way to track the changes that have been made and the reasons behind them. By maintaining a detailed and accurate changelog, we can improve communication, collaboration, and the overall quality of our software.