Enforce Pester version range and improve error handling

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/),
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- `Invoke-NovaTest`, `Test-NovaBuild`, and `% nova test` now resolve and import a supported installed `Pester` version from `5.7.1` through `5.10.0` instead of using an unsupported `Pester 6.x` installation automatically.
+    - Nova test workflows now fail early with a clear dependency error when only unsupported `Pester 6.x` versions are available.
+- Nova test workflows now reuse an already loaded supported `Pester 5.x` version in the current PowerShell session before selecting a different installed version.
+    - Repository CI no longer trips the `Pester` assembly loader by importing a gallery-installed `NovaModuleTools` module, building the local module, and then switching to another supported `Pester` version in the same session.
+
 ### Security
 
 ## [3.3.0] - 2026-06-16

README.md

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 ![WorkFlow Status][WorkFlowStatus]
 [![Keep a Changelog][changelog-badge]][changelog]
 
-NovaModuleTools is an enterprise-focused build tool for Agentic Copilot PowerShell module development, repository automation, and maintainable Nova workflows.
+NovaModuleTools is an enterprise-focused build tool for PowerShell module development, repository automation, and maintainable Nova workflows.
 
 This README is the single developer-documentation entry point for the repository.
 
@@ -298,8 +298,9 @@ Notes:
 - if `project.json` sets `Pester.CodeCoverage.CoveragePercentTarget`, `Invoke-NovaTest` fails when the measured coverage percentage is lower than that configured target
 - this repository currently enables coverage with a `99` percent target; the template and packaged example
   `project.json` files ship the same JaCoCo configuration shape with `Enabled=false` and a `90` percent opt-in target
-- make sure `Pester 5.7.1` is available before running `Invoke-NovaTest` or `Test-NovaBuild`
-- the published `NovaModuleTools` manifest also declares `Pester 5.7.1`, so installed end-user workflows can still resolve that dependency automatically
+- make sure a supported `Pester` version from `5.7.1` through `5.10.0` is available before running `Invoke-NovaTest` or `Test-NovaBuild`
+- Nova resolves and imports a compatible installed `Pester 5.x` version for the managed test workflow and does not run tests with `Pester 6.x`
+- the published `NovaModuleTools` manifest declares `Pester` with `ModuleVersion = 5.7.1` and `MaximumVersion = 5.10.0`, so installed end-user workflows can still resolve that supported dependency range automatically
 
 ### Create a package artifact
 
@@ -640,7 +641,7 @@ Responsibilities currently covered by the release pipeline include:
 - publishing to PowerShell Gallery
 - preparing the next prerelease version on `develop`
 
-The workflow now uses `KeepAChangelog` for changelog release moves, creates annotated git tags named directly from the release version, and bootstraps the local PSResourceGet repository store before calling `Publish-NovaModule`. The shared CI installer also installs `Pester 5.7.1` explicitly before it installs prerelease gallery modules so test workflows do not rely on transitive manifest dependency resolution.
+The workflow now uses `KeepAChangelog` for changelog release moves, creates annotated git tags named directly from the release version, and bootstraps the local PSResourceGet repository store before calling `Publish-NovaModule`. The shared CI installer also installs `Pester 5.7.1` explicitly before it installs prerelease gallery modules so test workflows stay on Nova's supported `Pester 5.x` range and do not rely on transitive manifest dependency resolution.
 
 ### Where NovaModuleTools cmdlets fit
 

RELEASE_NOTE.md

@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ This file summarizes the release notes for NovaModuleTools. **UNRELEASED** chang
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- `Invoke-NovaTest`, `Test-NovaBuild`, and `% nova test` now stay on Nova's supported `Pester 5.x` range and stop with a clear error instead of trying to run with an installed `Pester 6.x` version.
+
 ### Security
 
 ## [3.3.0] - 2026-06-16

docs/NovaModuleTools/en-US/Invoke-NovaTest.md

@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ PS> Invoke-NovaTest [[-TagFilter] <string[]>] [[-ExcludeTagFilter] <string[]>]
 
 `Invoke-NovaTest` reads the Pester configuration from `project.json`, discovers the repository unit-test files, and runs the managed Nova test workflow without rebuilding the project first.
 
+Nova resolves a supported installed `Pester` version from `5.7.1` through `5.10.0` for the managed test workflow and stops with a clear dependency error when only unsupported `Pester 6.x` versions are available.
+
 The unit-test workflow writes NUnit XML to `artifacts/UnitTestResults.xml`.
 
 When `Pester.CodeCoverage.Enabled` is `true`, Nova also writes JaCoCo coverage to `artifacts/coverage.xml` and fails the run when the measured percentage is lower than `Pester.CodeCoverage.CoveragePercentTarget`.

docs/NovaModuleTools/en-US/Test-NovaBuild.md

@@ -31,11 +31,13 @@ PS> Test-NovaBuild [[-TagFilter] <string[]>] [[-ExcludeTagFilter] <string[]>]
 
 `Test-NovaBuild` reads the Pester configuration from `project.json`, discovers the build-validation integration tests for the current project, and runs the managed Nova test workflow against the built-module validation surface.
 
+Nova resolves a supported installed `Pester` version from `5.7.1` through `5.10.0` for the managed test workflow and stops with a clear dependency error when only unsupported `Pester 6.x` versions are available.
+
 This build-validation flow writes NUnit XML to `artifacts/TestResults.xml`.
 
 Unlike `Invoke-NovaTest`, this command does not enforce source-coverage targets. Use `Invoke-NovaTest` for the unit-test and code-coverage workflow, and use `Test-NovaBuild` when you need build-validation integration coverage that reflects the built module path.
 
-If the current project does not contain any `*.Integration.Tests.ps1` files, `Test-NovaBuild` stops with a Nova-native error that explains the expected naming and reminds you to use `Invoke-NovaTest` for unit tests.
+If the current project does not contain any `*.Integration.Tests.ps1` files, `Test-NovaBuild` writes an actionable warning that explains the expected naming and reminds you to use `Invoke-NovaTest` for unit tests.
 
 `-OverrideWarning` lets the nested build-validation flow continue even if the `src/public` layout guard reports zero or multiple top-level functions in a public file.
 
@@ -271,5 +273,5 @@ Returns the Pester result object from the managed build-validation run.
 
 ## RELATED LINKS
 
-[Invoke-NovaTest](Invoke-NovaTest.md)
-[Invoke-NovaBuild](Invoke-NovaBuild.md)
+- [Invoke-NovaTest](./Invoke-NovaTest.md)
+- [Invoke-NovaBuild](./Invoke-NovaBuild.md)

project.json

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "ProjectName": "NovaModuleTools",
-  "Description": "NovaModuleTools is an enterprise-focused build tool for Agentic Copilot PowerShell module development, with a strong emphasis on structure, maintainability, and automated CI/CD pipelines.",
-  "Version": "3.3.0",
+  "Description": "NovaModuleTools is an enterprise-focused build tool for PowerShell module development, with a strong emphasis on structure, maintainability, and build for automated CI/CD pipelines.",
+  "Version": "3.3.1-preview",
   "Preamble": [
     "Set-StrictMode -Version Latest",
     "$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'"
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
     "RequiredModules": [
       {
         "ModuleName": "Pester",
-        "ModuleVersion": "5.7.1"
+        "ModuleVersion": "5.7.1",
+        "MaximumVersion": "5.10.0"
       },
       {
         "ModuleName": "Microsoft.PowerShell.PlatyPS",

scripts/build/ci/Install-CiPowerShellModules.ps1

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ function Get-CiModuleInstallOption {
     if ($Name -eq 'Pester') {
         return [pscustomobject]@{
             RequiredVersion = '5.7.1'
+            MaximumVersion = '5.10.0'
             AllowPrerelease = $false
         }
     }

scripts/build/ci/Invoke-NovaModuleToolsCI.ps1

@@ -16,29 +16,58 @@ function Copy-NovaModuleToolsArtifactIfPresent {
     }
 }
 
+function ConvertTo-NovaSingleQuotedPowerShellLiteral {
+    param(
+        [Parameter(Mandatory)][string]$Value
+    )
+
+    return "'$($Value.Replace("'", "''") )'"
+}
+
+function Get-NovaModuleToolsValidationCommand {
+    param(
+        [Parameter(Mandatory)][string]$BuiltModulePath,
+        [Parameter(Mandatory)][string]$CommandName,
+        [string[]]$ExcludeTag = @()
+    )
+
+    $commandLine = $CommandName
+    if (@($ExcludeTag).Count -gt 0) {
+        $excludeTagLiteral = @($ExcludeTag | ForEach-Object {ConvertTo-NovaSingleQuotedPowerShellLiteral -Value ([string]$_)}) -join ', '
+        $commandLine += " -ExcludeTagFilter @($excludeTagLiteral)"
+    }
+
+    return "Import-Module $( ConvertTo-NovaSingleQuotedPowerShellLiteral -Value $BuiltModulePath ) -Force -ErrorAction Stop; $commandLine"
+}
+
+function Invoke-NovaModuleToolsFreshValidationCommand {
+    param(
+        [Parameter(Mandatory)][string]$Command
+    )
+
+    & pwsh -NoLogo -NoProfile -Command $Command
+    if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
+        throw "Validation command failed: $Command"
+    }
+}
+
 $repoRoot = (Resolve-Path -LiteralPath (Join-Path $PSScriptRoot '..' '..' '..')).Path
 Set-Location $repoRoot
 New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $OutputDirectory -Force | Out-Null
 
 Import-Module NovaModuleTools -ErrorAction Stop
 
-Invoke-NovaBuild
-
-$projectInfo = Get-NovaProjectInfo
-$builtModulePath = $projectInfo.OutputModuleDir
-Remove-Module $projectInfo.ProjectName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
-Import-Module $builtModulePath -Force
 $projectInfo = Get-NovaProjectInfo
+Invoke-NovaBuild
+$builtModulePath = Join-Path $projectInfo.OutputModuleDir "$( $projectInfo.ProjectName ).psd1"
 
 $novaModuleToolsTestFailed = $false
 try {
-    if (@($ExcludeTag).Count -gt 0) {
-        Invoke-NovaTest -ExcludeTagFilter $ExcludeTag
-        Test-NovaBuild -ExcludeTagFilter $ExcludeTag
-    } else {
-        Invoke-NovaTest
-        Test-NovaBuild
-    }
+    $unitTestCommand = Get-NovaModuleToolsValidationCommand -BuiltModulePath $builtModulePath -CommandName 'Invoke-NovaTest' -ExcludeTag $ExcludeTag
+    Invoke-NovaModuleToolsFreshValidationCommand -Command $unitTestCommand
+
+    $buildValidationCommand = Get-NovaModuleToolsValidationCommand -BuiltModulePath $builtModulePath -CommandName 'Test-NovaBuild' -ExcludeTag $ExcludeTag
+    Invoke-NovaModuleToolsFreshValidationCommand -Command $buildValidationCommand
 } catch {
     $novaModuleToolsTestFailed = $true
     Write-Warning "Nova test workflow failed: $( $_.Exception.Message )"