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negative-only-http-status-assertion

HTTP test assertion only excludes a server error instead of identifying the intended response.

SARJ408 Rule source Tests Catalog JSON

Why

Authentication, routing, validation, and domain failures can all replace the intended response while a negative-only status assertion remains green.

Fix

Assert the intended exact status and the relevant domain payload or side effect. When the explicit contract is only that a fuzz, chaos, smoke, or crash-regression request avoids a server exception, suppress SARJ408 on that assertion with a concise reason.

Examples

Before — flagged Do not accept every non-server-error response
tests/test_route.py
def test_invalid_payload(client):
    response = client.post("/items", json={})
    assert response.status_code != 500
After — preferred Assert the intended validation response
tests/test_route.py
def test_invalid_payload(client):
    response = client.post("/items", json={})
    assert response.status_code == 422
    assert response.json()["detail"]