setup-and-teardown-sails-programmatically-for-tests.js

// Require the default sails singleton (this is the same Sails instance you use globally in your app)
var sails = require('sails');

// setup
before(function(done) {
  
  sails.lift({

    // You can customize the port if you want (or use sails.load instead if you are testing using the VRI/sails.request() or just need access to the ORM, etc.)
    // port: 4000,

    // We usually disable the grunt hook because you don't need it when testing and it slows things down
    hooks: {
      grunt: false
    },
    // You might also want to set the log to "silent"-- usually a good idea to leave it on "error" or even "warn" though.
    log: {
      level: 'error'
    },

    // Instead of using migrate:drop, you can also use the memory adapter (if you want to test with the actual database, use `migrate: drop` instead.)
    connections: {
      memory: {
        adapter: 'sails-memory'
      }
    },
    models: {
      connection: 'memory'
    },

    // Utility routes to make writing your tests easier
    routes: {
      // Shortcut route to log user in without using the actual "/me/login" endpoint,
      // which has its own test suite.
      'GET /_login': function(req, res) {
        User.findOne(req.param('id')).exec(function(err, user) {
          if (err) return res.serverError();
          if (!user) return res.notFound();

          var _user = user.toJSON();
          req.session.user = _user;
          res.ok();

        });
      },

      'GET /_logout': function(req, res) {
        delete req.session.user;
        return res.ok();
      },

      // more utility routes here
    },
    bootstrap: function(cb) {
      cb();
      // async.auto({

      //   // Load fixtures here...
      //   // e.g.
      //   // users: require('./fixtures/users.js'),
      //   // pets: require('./fixtures/pets.js'),
      //   users: require('./fixtures/users')
      // }, function (err) {
      //   if (err) {
      //     console.error('ERROR IN BOOTSTRAP DURING TESTS:',err);
      //     return cb(err);
      //   }
      //   return cb();
      // });
    }
  }, function(err) {
    if (err) {
      console.log('ERROR OCCURRED DURING LIFT:', err);
      return done(err);
    }
    return done();
  });
});


// teardown
after(function(done) {
  // Tear down sails server
  sails.lower(function() {
    return done();
  });
});

Check my fork if you need fixtures