Evaluate globs in expectations of scripts/verify-tff-mapping

Problem

In !167621 (merged) we started to disable (by commenting the code) verifying test mappings which use globs:

  # See https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/466068#note_1988359861
  - source: '(?<prefix>ee/)?lib/sidebars/(?<rest>.+)\.rb'
    test: '%{prefix}spec/features/**/{navbar,sidebar}_spec.rb'

Proposed solution

1. Use glob patterns to dynamically match test files
2. Expand these patterns at runtime using Ruby's Dir.glob
3. Re-enable previously disabled test verifications

diff --git a/scripts/verify-tff-mapping b/scripts/verify-tff-mapping
index d0d4877b9efa..22537705d8d2 100755
--- a/scripts/verify-tff-mapping
+++ b/scripts/verify-tff-mapping
@@ -754,18 +754,14 @@ tests = [
   # We cannot uncomment this, as this "spec" would fail as soon as we add/remove a file in
   # the "spec/features" folder hierarchy that would contain the word navbar/sidebar.
   #
-  # {
-  #   explanation: 'https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/466068#note_1988359861',
-  #   changed_file: 'lib/sidebars/projects/menus/issues_menu.rb',
-  #   expected: %w[
-  #     spec/features/boards/sidebar_spec.rb
-  #     spec/features/dashboard/navbar_spec.rb
-  #     spec/features/explore/navbar_spec.rb
-  #     spec/features/groups/navbar_spec.rb
-  #     spec/features/projects/navbar_spec.rb
-  #     spec/lib/sidebars/projects/menus/issues_menu_spec.rb
-  #   ]
-  # },
+  {
+    explanation: 'https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/466068#note_1988359861',
+    changed_file: 'lib/sidebars/projects/menus/issues_menu.rb',
+    expected: %w[
+      spec/features/**/{navbar,sidebar}_spec.rb
+      spec/lib/sidebars/projects/menus/issues_menu_spec.rb
+    ]
+  },
 
   # Why is it commented out?
   #
@@ -846,7 +842,7 @@ class MappingTest
     @explanation = explanation
     @changed_file = changed_file
     @strategy = strategy
-    @expected_set = Set.new(expected)
+    @expected_set = Set.new(expected.flat_map { |glob| Dir.glob(glob) })
     @actual_set = Set.new(actual)
   end

The diff above ☝️ only disables a single test. We should disable them all

Business Impact

• Reduced Maintenance Burden: Eliminates manual updates to test lists when adding/removing matching test files
• Improved CI Reliability: Prevents flaky tests caused by hardcoded test path references
• Enhanced Developer Experience: Simplifies test mapping definitions with powerful pattern matching
• Better Code Quality: Re-enables critical test verification that was previously disabled
• Future-Proofing: Creates a more flexible system that accommodates ongoing test file additions
• Time Savings: Reduces time spent updating hardcoded test paths during code organization changes

Discussions

The following discussion from !188543 (merged) should be addressed:

• @splattael started a discussion:

  Suggestion (non-blocking) Since we are using globs ('spec/tooling/lib/tooling/glci/**/*_spec.rb') to match tests the expected list of tests will change if the tests are added or removed. This might caused flaky specs similar to https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/scripts/verify-tff-mapping#L752-818 (#466068 (comment 1939569462)).

  I wonder if we should use globs in expected list as well and use Dir.glob:

  diff --git a/scripts/verify-tff-mapping b/scripts/verify-tff-mapping
  index d0d4877b9efa..22537705d8d2 100755
  --- a/scripts/verify-tff-mapping
  +++ b/scripts/verify-tff-mapping
  @@ -754,18 +754,14 @@ tests = [
     # We cannot uncomment this, as this "spec" would fail as soon as we add/remove a file in
     # the "spec/features" folder hierarchy that would contain the word navbar/sidebar.
     #
  -  # {
  -  #   explanation: 'https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/466068#note_1988359861',
  -  #   changed_file: 'lib/sidebars/projects/menus/issues_menu.rb',
  -  #   expected: %w[
  -  #     spec/features/boards/sidebar_spec.rb
  -  #     spec/features/dashboard/navbar_spec.rb
  -  #     spec/features/explore/navbar_spec.rb
  -  #     spec/features/groups/navbar_spec.rb
  -  #     spec/features/projects/navbar_spec.rb
  -  #     spec/lib/sidebars/projects/menus/issues_menu_spec.rb
  -  #   ]
  -  # },
  +  {
  +    explanation: 'https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/466068#note_1988359861',
  +    changed_file: 'lib/sidebars/projects/menus/issues_menu.rb',
  +    expected: %w[
  +      spec/features/**/{navbar,sidebar}_spec.rb
  +      spec/lib/sidebars/projects/menus/issues_menu_spec.rb
  +    ]
  +  },
   
     # Why is it commented out?
     #
  @@ -846,7 +842,7 @@ class MappingTest
       @explanation = explanation
       @changed_file = changed_file
       @strategy = strategy
  -    @expected_set = Set.new(expected)
  +    @expected_set = Set.new(expected.flat_map { |glob| Dir.glob(glob) })
       @actual_set = Set.new(actual)
     end
   

  Let's follow-up on this 💪