defined Meta ordering of the Item() model in apps.dashboard.models; Item() also now returns a __str__ result; in .forms, defined a specific use-case of is_valid() method; a pair of new UTs in .tests.test_models help confirm str representation and list order of items; .test_forms now ensures the .is-invalid bootstrap class is tested as a css class attr; migrations run; full UT & FT suite back to passing state (tho a refactor of flimsy form customizations is desperately needed)

src/apps/dashboard/forms.py

@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@ class ItemForm(forms.models.ModelForm):
         }
         error_messages = {"text": {"required": EMPTY_ITEM_ERROR}}
 
+    def is_valid(self):
+        result = super().is_valid()
+        if not result:
+            self.fields["text"].widget.attrs["class"] += " is-invalid"
+        return result
+    
     def save(self, for_list):
         self.instance.list = for_list
         return super().save()

src/apps/dashboard/migrations/0005_alter_item_options.py

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Generated by Django 6.0 on 2026-01-24 17:54
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('dashboard', '0004_alter_item_unique_together'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterModelOptions(
+            name='item',
+            options={'ordering': ('id',)},
+        ),
+    ]

src/apps/dashboard/models.py

@@ -5,10 +5,14 @@ class List(models.Model):
     def get_absolute_url(self):
         return reverse("view_list", args=[self.id])
 
-
 class Item(models.Model):
     text = models.TextField(default="")
     list = models.ForeignKey(List, default=None, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
 
     class Meta:
+        ordering = ("id",)
         unique_together = ("list", "text")
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return self.text
+    

src/apps/dashboard/tests/test_forms.py

@@ -23,6 +23,15 @@ class ItemFormTest(TestCase):
         self.assertFalse(form.is_valid())
         self.assertEqual(form.errors["text"], [EMPTY_ITEM_ERROR])
 
+    def test_invalid_form_has_bootstrap_is_invalid_css_class(self):
+        form = ItemForm(data={"text": ""})
+        self.assertFalse(form.is_valid())
+        field = form.fields["text"]
+        self.assertEqual(
+            field.widget.attrs["class"],
+            "form-control form-control-lg is-invalid",
+        )
+
     def test_form_save_handles_saving_to_a_list(self):
         mylist = List.objects.create()
         form = ItemForm(data={"text": "do re mi"})

src/apps/dashboard/tests/test_models.py

@@ -41,7 +41,21 @@ class ItemModelTest(TestCase):
         item = Item(list=list2, text="nojk")
         item.full_clean() # should not raise
 
+    def test_string_representation(self):
+        item = Item(text="sample text")
+        self.assertEqual(str(item), "sample text")
+
 class ListModelTest(TestCase):
         def test_get_absolute_url(self):
             mylist = List.objects.create()
             self.assertEqual(mylist.get_absolute_url(), f"/apps/dashboard/{mylist.id}/")
+
+        def test_list_items_order(self):
+            list1 = List.objects.create()
+            item1 = Item.objects.create(list=list1, text="i1")
+            item2 = Item.objects.create(list=list1, text="item 2")
+            item3 = Item.objects.create(list=list1, text="3")
+            self.assertEqual(
+                list(list1.item_set.all()),
+                [item1, item2, item3],
+            )

src/apps/dashboard/views.py

@@ -1,16 +1,15 @@
-from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django.shortcuts import redirect, render
 from .forms import ExistingListItemForm, ItemForm
 from .models import Item, List
 
 def home_page(request):
-    return render(request, 'apps/dashboard/home.html', {"form": ItemForm()})
+    return render(request, "apps/dashboard/home.html", {"form": ItemForm()})
 
 def new_list(request):
     form = ItemForm(data=request.POST)
     if form.is_valid():
         nulist = List.objects.create()
-        Item.objects.create(text=request.POST["text"], list=nulist)
+        form.save(for_list=nulist)
         return redirect(nulist)
     else:
         return render(request, "apps/dashboard/home.html", {"form": form})
@@ -24,5 +23,5 @@ def view_list(request, list_id):
         if form.is_valid():
             form.save()
             return redirect(our_list)
-    return render(request, 'apps/dashboard/list.html', {'list': our_list, "form": form})
+    return render(request, "apps/dashboard/list.html", {"list": our_list, "form": form})