diff --git a/TESTING-GUIDE.md b/TESTING-GUIDE.md
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+# Testing Guide for API Response Utilities
+
+This guide helps you test the new unified response format utilities before merging the PR.
+
+## Quick Test Script
+
+Run the simple test script to verify basic functionality:
+
+```bash
+cd backend
+python test_response_utilities.py
+```
+
+This will test:
+- ✅ Import functionality
+- ✅ `success_response()` function
+- ✅ `error_response()` function  
+- ✅ `paginated_response()` function
+
+## Django Unit Tests
+
+Run the comprehensive unit tests:
+
+```bash
+cd backend
+python manage.py test igny8_core.api.tests.test_response
+```
+
+Expected output: All 15 test cases should pass.
+
+## Test the /api/ping/ Endpoint
+
+### Option 1: Using curl (if server is running)
+
+```bash
+# Test the ping endpoint
+curl http://localhost:8011/api/ping/
+
+# Expected response:
+# {
+#   "success": true,
+#   "data": {
+#     "pong": true,
+#     "time": "2025-01-XX...",
+#     "version": "1.0.0"
+#   },
+#   "message": "API is live"
+# }
+```
+
+### Option 2: Using Postman or Browser
+
+1. Start Django server: `python manage.py runserver`
+2. Navigate to: `http://localhost:8000/api/ping/`
+3. Verify response has `success: true` and `data` fields
+
+### Option 3: Using Python requests
+
+```python
+import requests
+
+response = requests.get('http://localhost:8011/api/ping/')
+data = response.json()
+
+assert data['success'] == True
+assert 'data' in data
+assert 'pong' in data['data']
+print("✅ Ping endpoint works!")
+```
+
+## Verification Checklist
+
+Before merging the PR, verify:
+
+- [ ] Quick test script passes (`python test_response_utilities.py`)
+- [ ] Django unit tests pass (`python manage.py test igny8_core.api.tests.test_response`)
+- [ ] `/api/ping/` endpoint returns unified format
+- [ ] No linting errors
+- [ ] All imports work correctly
+
+## What to Look For
+
+### ✅ Success Indicators:
+- All tests pass
+- Response has `success: true/false` field
+- Response has `data` field (for success) or `error` field (for errors)
+- No import errors
+- No syntax errors
+
+### ❌ Failure Indicators:
+- Import errors
+- Assertion errors in tests
+- Missing fields in responses
+- Syntax errors
+
+## Next Steps After Testing
+
+If all tests pass:
+1. ✅ Merge the PR
+2. Continue with Section 1, Task 2 (refactoring endpoints)
+3. Or move to Section 2 (Authentication)
+
+If tests fail:
+1. Check error messages
+2. Fix any issues
+3. Re-test
+4. Update PR with fixes
+
diff --git a/backend/test_response_utilities.py b/backend/test_response_utilities.py
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+++ b/backend/test_response_utilities.py
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+"""
+Quick Test Script for Response Utilities
+
+Run this to verify the new response format utilities work correctly.
+Usage: python test_response_utilities.py
+"""
+
+import os
+import sys
+import django
+
+# Setup Django
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(__file__))
+os.environ.setdefault('DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'igny8_core.settings')
+django.setup()
+
+from rest_framework import status
+from igny8_core.api.response import success_response, error_response, paginated_response
+
+
+def test_success_response():
+    """Test success_response function"""
+    print("\n" + "="*60)
+    print("TEST 1: success_response()")
+    print("="*60)
+    
+    # Test with data only
+    response = success_response(data={"id": 1, "name": "Test"})
+    data = response.data
+    print(f"✓ Status Code: {response.status_code}")
+    print(f"✓ Success: {data.get('success')}")
+    print(f"✓ Data: {data.get('data')}")
+    assert data['success'] == True, "Success should be True"
+    assert 'data' in data, "Should have data field"
+    print("✅ Test 1.1: success_response with data - PASSED")
+    
+    # Test with data and message
+    response = success_response(
+        data={"id": 2, "name": "Test 2"},
+        message="Resource created successfully"
+    )
+    data = response.data
+    assert data['success'] == True, "Success should be True"
+    assert data.get('message') == "Resource created successfully", "Should have message"
+    print("✅ Test 1.2: success_response with data and message - PASSED")
+    
+    # Test with custom status code
+    response = success_response(
+        data={"id": 3},
+        status_code=status.HTTP_201_CREATED
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 201, "Status should be 201"
+    print("✅ Test 1.3: success_response with custom status - PASSED")
+
+
+def test_error_response():
+    """Test error_response function"""
+    print("\n" + "="*60)
+    print("TEST 2: error_response()")
+    print("="*60)
+    
+    # Test with error only
+    response = error_response(error="Something went wrong")
+    data = response.data
+    print(f"✓ Status Code: {response.status_code}")
+    print(f"✓ Success: {data.get('success')}")
+    print(f"✓ Error: {data.get('error')}")
+    assert data['success'] == False, "Success should be False"
+    assert data['error'] == "Something went wrong", "Should have error message"
+    print("✅ Test 2.1: error_response with error only - PASSED")
+    
+    # Test with error and errors dict
+    response = error_response(
+        error="Validation failed",
+        errors={"email": ["Invalid email format"], "password": ["Too short"]}
+    )
+    data = response.data
+    assert data['success'] == False, "Success should be False"
+    assert 'errors' in data, "Should have errors field"
+    assert len(data['errors']) == 2, "Should have 2 field errors"
+    print("✅ Test 2.2: error_response with errors dict - PASSED")
+    
+    # Test with custom status code
+    response = error_response(
+        error="Not found",
+        status_code=status.HTTP_404_NOT_FOUND
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 404, "Status should be 404"
+    print("✅ Test 2.3: error_response with custom status - PASSED")
+
+
+def test_paginated_response():
+    """Test paginated_response function"""
+    print("\n" + "="*60)
+    print("TEST 3: paginated_response()")
+    print("="*60)
+    
+    paginated_data = {
+        "count": 100,
+        "next": "http://api.example.com/endpoint/?page=2",
+        "previous": None,
+        "results": [{"id": 1}, {"id": 2}]
+    }
+    
+    response = paginated_response(paginated_data)
+    data = response.data
+    print(f"✓ Status Code: {response.status_code}")
+    print(f"✓ Success: {data.get('success')}")
+    print(f"✓ Count: {data.get('count')}")
+    print(f"✓ Results: {len(data.get('results', []))} items")
+    assert data['success'] == True, "Success should be True"
+    assert data['count'] == 100, "Should have count"
+    assert 'results' in data, "Should have results"
+    assert len(data['results']) == 2, "Should have 2 results"
+    print("✅ Test 3.1: paginated_response - PASSED")
+    
+    # Test with message
+    response = paginated_response(paginated_data, message="Keywords retrieved")
+    data = response.data
+    assert data.get('message') == "Keywords retrieved", "Should have message"
+    print("✅ Test 3.2: paginated_response with message - PASSED")
+
+
+def test_imports():
+    """Test that imports work correctly"""
+    print("\n" + "="*60)
+    print("TEST 4: Import Verification")
+    print("="*60)
+    
+    try:
+        from igny8_core.api import success_response, error_response, paginated_response
+        print("✅ All imports successful")
+        return True
+    except ImportError as e:
+        print(f"❌ Import failed: {e}")
+        return False
+
+
+def main():
+    """Run all tests"""
+    print("\n" + "="*60)
+    print("RESPONSE UTILITIES TEST SUITE")
+    print("="*60)
+    print("Testing unified response format utilities")
+    print("="*60)
+    
+    try:
+        # Test imports
+        if not test_imports():
+            print("\n❌ Import test failed. Exiting.")
+            return
+        
+        # Test functions
+        test_success_response()
+        test_error_response()
+        test_paginated_response()
+        
+        print("\n" + "="*60)
+        print("✅ ALL TESTS PASSED!")
+        print("="*60)
+        print("\nNext steps:")
+        print("1. Run Django unit tests: python manage.py test igny8_core.api.tests.test_response")
+        print("2. Test /api/ping/ endpoint (if server is running)")
+        print("3. Merge PR when ready")
+        
+    except AssertionError as e:
+        print(f"\n❌ Test failed: {e}")
+        sys.exit(1)
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"\n❌ Unexpected error: {e}")
+        import traceback
+        traceback.print_exc()
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()
+