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vercel-edge-runtime-testing

Wraps Vercel Edge Runtime testing patterns: the @edge-runtime/jest-environment + edge-runtime CLI for executing Web-Standard APIs (Request / Response / fetch) in jest tests, the `vercel dev` local emulator for full route testing, and the Edge vs Node Function divergence (no fs, no Buffer; Request / Response only). Covers the 30s Edge function timeout per vercel.com/docs. Use when testing Vercel Edge Functions or middleware. Composes cold-start-budget-reference + lambda-timeout-budget-reference.

vercel-edge-runtime-testing

Overview

Vercel Edge Runtime is V8-isolate-based (sub-30ms cold starts per cold-start-budget-reference) with a constrained API surface - Web Platform standards only (no Node fs, Buffer, child_process). Per vercel.com/docs/functions/edge-runtime: "The Edge Runtime is a strict subset of Web standard APIs."

Tests need the same constraints. Vercel ships @edge-runtime/jest-environment (and standalone edge-runtime CLI) for this.

When to use

  • Unit tests for Vercel Edge Functions or middleware.
  • Tests for code that uses only Web Platform APIs (intentional Edge target).
  • Routing / middleware tests with vercel dev integration.

Authoring

Install

npm install --save-dev @edge-runtime/jest-environment edge-runtime

Jest config

{
  "jest": {
    "testEnvironment": "@edge-runtime/jest-environment"
  }
}

This swaps Jest's default jsdom / node env for an Edge- constrained one. Tests that try to import fs or use Buffer fail - same as production.

Edge function example

// pages/api/hello.ts (Vercel Edge Function)
export const config = { runtime: 'edge' };

export default async function handler(req: Request): Promise<Response> {
  return new Response(JSON.stringify({ ok: true }), {
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  });
}

Test the handler

import handler from './hello';

test('returns ok', async () => {
  const req = new Request('https://example.com/api/hello');
  const res = await handler(req);
  expect(res.status).toBe(200);
  expect(await res.json()).toEqual({ ok: true });
});

Middleware

// middleware.ts
import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server';

export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
  if (request.nextUrl.pathname.startsWith('/admin')) {
    if (!request.cookies.get('session')) {
      return NextResponse.redirect(new URL('/login', request.url));
    }
  }
  return NextResponse.next();
}

Test middleware

import { middleware } from './middleware';

test('redirects unauthenticated /admin', () => {
  const request = new Request('https://example.com/admin/dashboard');
  const response = middleware(request as any);
  expect(response.status).toBe(307);  // redirect
  expect(response.headers.get('location')).toContain('/login');
});

test('allows authenticated', () => {
  const request = new Request('https://example.com/admin', {
    headers: { cookie: 'session=valid' },
  });
  const response = middleware(request as any);
  expect(response.headers.get('x-middleware-next')).toBe('1');  // NextResponse.next sentinel
});

vercel dev (CLI)

npm install -g vercel
vercel dev --listen 3000

Routes are served exactly as on prod. Now run e2e tests against http://localhost:3000.

edge-runtime CLI for ad-hoc

npx edge-runtime ./pages/api/hello.ts
# Spins up a local server in the Edge Runtime environment

Running

npx jest

CI integration

jobs:
  vercel-edge-tests:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v5
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
      - run: npm ci
      - run: npx jest

Anti-patterns

Anti-patternWhy it failsFix
Use jsdom test env for Edge codeTests pass; Buffer.from(...) works in test but not prodUse @edge-runtime/jest-environment
Importing fs / Buffer in handlerTests fail (good); but production fails tooUse Web Platform APIs (Uint8Array, TextEncoder)
Hardcoded path in testOS-specificUse Request URL
Skipping middleware testsAuth bypass slips throughAlways test middleware separately
No 30s timeout testEdge functions have 30s wall-clock max per lambda-timeout-budget-referenceTest with artificial slowness; assert proper response
Mocking Request / ResponseLoses standard-complianceUse real Request / Response (Edge env provides them)
Skip vercel dev for route-testsMisses routing layerRun e2e against vercel dev

Limitations

  • 30 second hard timeout. Per vercel.com/docs/functions/edge-runtime, Edge Functions are killed at 30s. No grace.
  • Streaming responses can extend beyond 30s for the body but headers must commit early.
  • Cold-start budget different per cold-start-budget-reference.
  • No Node-specific dependencies. Edge can't run Node-only packages. Pair with Node Functions for those.
  • Doesn't test the Vercel CDN layer. Caching / rewrites / redirects above the function are CDN-level.

References