fix(FN-2321): standardize loopback-gated integration test labeling

- Refine the dashboard loopback integration helper with documented helper contracts and centralized skipped-name formatting
- Keep loopback bind detection memoized so all gated integration suites share one environment probe
- Update loopback-gated dashboard suites to use consistent, explicit scope labels in skip output
- Refresh skipped-test inventory docs with the new audit commands and loopback helper usage details

docs/skipped-test-inventory.md

@@ -1,15 +1,16 @@
 # Skipped Test Inventory
 
-_Last audited: 2026-04-20 (FN-2197)_
+_Last audited: 2026-04-23 (FN-2321)_
 
 This document tracks intentional skip usage in test suites so stale follow-up backlog items can be retired quickly.
 
 ## Current Inventory
 
-Audit command:
+Audit commands:
 
 ```bash
-rg -n "\b(it|test|describe)\.skip\b|\bskipIf\b|\?\s*it\s*:\s*it\.skip" packages --glob "**/*.{test,spec}.{ts,tsx}"
+rg -n "\b(it|test|describe)\.skip\b|\bskipIf\b|createLoopbackIntegrationTest\(" packages --glob "**/*.{test,spec}.{ts,tsx}"
+rg -n "\?\s*it\s*:\s*it\.skip|detectLoopbackBinding" packages/dashboard/src --glob "**/*.{test,spec}.{ts,tsx}"
 ```
 
 Current results:
@@ -19,12 +20,15 @@ Current results:
    - `it.skip("step-session skill selection covered in step-session-executor.test.ts", ...)`
    - Rationale: dedicated coverage exists in `step-session-executor.test.ts`; this marker documents ownership.
 
-2. **Environment-gated integration aliases**
+2. **Environment-gated integration aliases (loopback gated)**
-   - `packages/dashboard/src/server-static-assets.test.ts`
+   - Canonical helper: `packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/loopback-integration-test.ts`
-   - `packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/websocket.test.ts`
+   - Helper consumers:
-   - `packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/server-webhook.test.ts`
+     - `packages/dashboard/src/server-static-assets.test.ts`
-   - Pattern: `loopbackBindingAvailable ? it : it.skip`
+     - `packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/websocket.test.ts`
-   - Rationale: these integration tests require loopback binding support in the runtime environment.
+     - `packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/server-webhook.test.ts`
+   - Pattern: suites call `createLoopbackIntegrationTest(scope)` and register integration cases through the returned test function.
+   - Rationale: these suites require real loopback binding support (`127.0.0.1`) and are intentionally environment-gated.
+   - Auditability: when loopback binding is unavailable, skipped test names include a standardized reason and the suite scope label (`...; scope: <suite scope>`), making coverage gaps explicit in CI/test output.
 
 3. **Build-output-gated checks**
    - `packages/cli/src/__tests__/bundle-output.test.ts`

packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/loopback-integration-test.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,15 @@ type IntegrationTestCase = (name: string, fn: () => unknown | Promise<unknown>,
 
 const LOOPBACK_SKIP_REASON = "loopback binding to 127.0.0.1 is unavailable in this environment";
 
+/**
+ * Ensure skip output is auditable with both the standardized reason and the suite scope.
+ *
+ * Example: "... (skipped: loopback binding to 127.0.0.1 is unavailable in this environment; scope: websocket integration)"
+ */
+function formatLoopbackSkipName(testName: string, scope: string): string {
+  return `${testName} (skipped: ${LOOPBACK_SKIP_REASON}; scope: ${scope})`;
+}
+
 let loopbackBindingAvailablePromise: Promise<boolean> | null = null;
 
 async function detectLoopbackBinding(): Promise<boolean> {
@@ -17,6 +26,10 @@ async function detectLoopbackBinding(): Promise<boolean> {
   });
 }
 
+/**
+ * Memoize loopback probe results so all integration suites share a single bind check.
+ * This avoids creating redundant probe listeners during test startup.
+ */
 async function isLoopbackBindingAvailable(): Promise<boolean> {
   if (!loopbackBindingAvailablePromise) {
     loopbackBindingAvailablePromise = detectLoopbackBinding();
@@ -25,6 +38,12 @@ async function isLoopbackBindingAvailable(): Promise<boolean> {
   return await loopbackBindingAvailablePromise;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Canonical gate for dashboard integration tests that require loopback binding.
+ *
+ * When loopback is unavailable, every skipped test name includes a standardized
+ * reason string and the provided suite scope for auditability in test output.
+ */
 export async function createLoopbackIntegrationTest(scope: string): Promise<IntegrationTestCase> {
   const loopbackBindingAvailable = await isLoopbackBindingAvailable();
 
@@ -32,5 +51,5 @@ export async function createLoopbackIntegrationTest(scope: string): Promise<Inte
     return (name, fn, timeout) => it(name, fn, timeout);
   }
 
-  return (name, fn, timeout) => it.skip(`${name} (skipped: ${LOOPBACK_SKIP_REASON}; scope: ${scope})`, fn, timeout);
+  return (name, fn, timeout) => it.skip(formatLoopbackSkipName(name, scope), fn, timeout);
 }

packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/server-webhook.test.ts

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ vi.mock("../github-webhooks.js", async () => {
 
 const mockGetGitHubAppConfig = vi.mocked(getGitHubAppConfig);
 
-const webhookIntegrationTest = await createLoopbackIntegrationTest("GitHub webhook integration");
+const webhookIntegrationTest = await createLoopbackIntegrationTest("server-webhook GitHub webhook integration");
 
 class MockStore extends EventEmitter {
   private tasks = new Map<string, Task>();

packages/dashboard/src/__tests__/websocket.test.ts

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { WebSocketManager } from "../websocket.js";
 import { InMemoryBadgePubSub, type BadgePubSub } from "../badge-pubsub.js";
 import { createLoopbackIntegrationTest } from "./loopback-integration-test.js";
 
-const websocketIntegrationTest = await createLoopbackIntegrationTest("websocket integration");
+const websocketIntegrationTest = await createLoopbackIntegrationTest("websocket /api/ws integration");
 
 class MockSocket extends EventEmitter {
   readyState: number = WebSocket.OPEN;

packages/dashboard/src/server-static-assets.test.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import express from "express";
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { createLoopbackIntegrationTest } from "./__tests__/loopback-integration-test.js";
 
-const staticAssetIntegrationTest = await createLoopbackIntegrationTest("static asset serving");
+const staticAssetIntegrationTest = await createLoopbackIntegrationTest("server-static-assets integration");
 
 describe("static asset serving", () => {
   staticAssetIntegrationTest("returns 404 for missing asset paths instead of falling back to index.html", async () => {