Integration Testing DynamoDB Queries

The log file shows a failing query. Your CI pipeline halts. DynamoDB integration tests just caught a critical mismatch between expected and actual data. This is where precision matters, and where well-crafted query runbooks change everything.

Integration Testing DynamoDB Queries

Integration testing validates that your DynamoDB queries produce correct results in a real environment. Unlike unit tests, integration tests hit the actual table, index, and datasets. They reveal issues that mocks cannot: schema drift, index misalignment, and latency under load. A fault in a query can cascade through your application. Catching it early saves hours of debugging.

Why Query Runbooks Are Essential

A DynamoDB query runbook is a repeatable, scripted path to test execution and result verification. It documents:

• The test environment setup, including table ARN and index configuration
• Test data insert steps to match real conditions
• The exact queries to run, including parameters and filter expressions
• Expected results and assertion logic
• Cleanup steps to reset the environment

Runbooks ensure consistency across developers and environments. They make failures reproducible and visible.

Integration Testing Workflow

1. Provision Test Tables – Use infrastructure as code to create tables identical to production.
2. Populate with Sample Data – Insert controlled datasets that cover edge cases, null fields, and varying partition/ sort keys.
3. Execute Queries – Run queries directly against the live test database. Include pagination and projection scenarios.
4. Assert Results – Compare actual return values to expected sets. Log discrepancies with full context.
5. Tear Down – Drop or empty test tables to prevent contamination across runs.

Best Practices for DynamoDB Query Runbooks

• Keep runbooks in version control.
• Parameterize table names and regions for portability.
• Automate setup and teardown through CI pipelines.
• Include timing metrics to monitor query performance during tests.
• Maintain separate datasets for functional validation and load testing.

Avoid Common Failures

• Missing global secondary indexes in test environment
• Inconsistent data types between test and production
• Queries that assume sort key ordering without explicit ScanIndexForward setting
• Test data too small to expose pagination issues

A strong integration testing strategy for DynamoDB queries, backed by clear, automated runbooks, eliminates blind spots and accelerates releases. You can see this in action and set it up live in minutes at hoop.dev.