# What is a golden test?

> A golden test runs a pipeline on a fixed input and compares its output with an expected output row for row; a failure sends the agent back to the template.

A golden test runs a pipeline on a fixed input and compares its output with an expected output, row for row. If they differ, the test fails.

Each Emolysis template ships with golden tests built for its shape: three input files with one malformed for [Ingest (batch)](https://emolysis.com/shapes/ingest-batch), an attribute that changes across three runs for [SCD Type 2](https://emolysis.com/shapes/scd2), a fact that arrives two days late for [Late-arriving](https://emolysis.com/shapes/late-arriving), and so on.

The tests run on DuckDB on your machine. A red result sends the agent back to the template, and only a green run deploys. The post [tests before production](https://emolysis.com/news/tests-before-production) explains what golden tests prove and what they do not, and the [tutorial preview](https://emolysis.com/tutorials/first-golden-test-on-duckdb) walks through writing one.

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Page: https://emolysis.com/faq/what-is-a-golden-test. Emolysis is a product of Bandpey GmbH, Munich, Germany. It is in private development, and nothing is released yet.