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+# Testing Policy
+
+## DNS Resolution Tests
+
+All resolver tests **MUST** use live queries against real DNS servers.
+No mocking of the DNS client layer is permitted.
+
+### Rationale
+
+The resolver performs iterative resolution from root nameservers through
+the full delegation chain. Mocked responses cannot faithfully represent
+the variety of real-world DNS behavior (truncation, referrals, glue
+records, DNSSEC, varied response times, EDNS, etc.). Testing against
+real servers ensures the resolver works correctly in production.
+
+### Constraints
+
+- Tests hit real DNS infrastructure and require network access
+- Test duration depends on network conditions; timeout tuning keeps
+  the suite within the 30-second target
+- Query timeout is calibrated to 3× maximum antipodal RTT (~300ms)
+  plus processing margin
+- Root server fan-out is limited to reduce parallel query load
+- Flaky failures from transient network issues are acceptable and
+  should be investigated as potential resolver bugs, not papered over
+  with mocks or skip flags
+
+### What NOT to do
+
+- **Do not mock `DNSClient`** for resolver tests (the mock constructor
+  exists for unit-testing other packages that consume the resolver)
+- **Do not add `-short` flags** to skip slow tests
+- **Do not increase `-timeout`** to hide hanging queries
+- **Do not modify linter configuration** to suppress findings