14.7Locator Robustness Hierarchy

The agent interacts via snapshot refs at runtime, but the tests the generator writes (and the patches the healer makes) are .spec.ts files with real locators — so locator robustness still matters. From most to least robust:

Strategy	Example	Resilience	Readability
Role + accessible name	getByRole('button', { name: 'Submit' })	Highest	High
data-testid	getByTestId('submit')	Highest	High
ARIA label	[aria-label="Submit form"]	High	High
Semantic HTML	form button[type=submit]	Medium	Medium
Class name	.btn-submit	Medium	Medium
ID	#submit-btn	Medium	High
CSS path	div > form > div:nth-child(3) > button	Lowest	Lowest

Recommendation for AI-driven tests: role + accessible name first — it's the same vocabulary the snapshots and the agents speak, so healed tests stay consistent with how they were explored. Use data-testid where accessible names are unstable (requires collaboration with developers).