Flaky test
Also called: Intermittent test
A test that sometimes passes and sometimes fails without any change to the code.
Definition
A flaky test gives inconsistent results on the same build, often because of timing, network or test data issues. Flaky tests reduce trust in testing and should be investigated, since they sometimes hide real intermittent bugs.
In practice
The "upload profile photo" test fails about one run in five because the upload sometimes takes longer than the test waits.
Learn it in context
Lessons that use this term.