vitest >=5.0.0 changed what `vitest list` does. It parses test files statically instead of running them to collect tests; pass --no-static-parse to run the files instead. Silent: code written for older versions still runs, without an error.

const fs = require("fs");
const path = require("path");
const cp = require("child_process");
const dir = "/w/list";
fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
function write(file, text) {
  const p = path.join(dir, file);
  fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(p), { recursive: true });
  fs.writeFileSync(p, text);
}
function vitest(args, cwd) {
  const r = cp.spawnSync(process.execPath, ["/w/node_modules/vitest/vitest.mjs", ...args], {
    cwd: cwd || dir,
    encoding: "utf8",
    env: { ...process.env, NO_COLOR: "1", CI: "1" },
    timeout: 40000,
  });
  return { status: r.status, out: (r.stdout || "") + (r.stderr || "") + (r.error ? String(r.error) : "") };
}

// The test file records when it is executed; static parsing must not execute it.
write("a.test.mjs", [
  "import { test } from 'vitest'",
  "import { writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'",
  "writeFileSync(new URL('./executed.txt', import.meta.url), 'yes')",
  "test('listed by name', () => {})",
].join("\n") + "\n");
const r = vitest(["list"]);
console.log(r.out);
if (!r.out.includes("listed by name")) {
  console.error("ERROR: vitest list did not print the test (exit " + r.status + ")");
  process.exit(2);
}
if (fs.existsSync(path.join(dir, "executed.txt"))) {
  console.error("FAIL: vitest list ran the test file to collect tests instead of parsing it statically");
  process.exit(1);
}
console.log("PASS: vitest list printed the test without running the file");

const fs = require("fs");
const path = require("path");
const cp = require("child_process");
const dir = "/w/list";
fs.rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
function write(file, text) {
  const p = path.join(dir, file);
  fs.mkdirSync(path.dirname(p), { recursive: true });
  fs.writeFileSync(p, text);
}
function vitest(args, cwd) {
  const r = cp.spawnSync(process.execPath, ["/w/node_modules/vitest/vitest.mjs", ...args], {
    cwd: cwd || dir,
    encoding: "utf8",
    env: { ...process.env, NO_COLOR: "1", CI: "1" },
    timeout: 40000,
  });
  return { status: r.status, out: (r.stdout || "") + (r.stderr || "") + (r.error ? String(r.error) : "") };
}

// The test file records when it is executed; static parsing must not execute it.
write("a.test.mjs", [
  "import { test } from 'vitest'",
  "import { writeFileSync } from 'node:fs'",
  "writeFileSync(new URL('./executed.txt', import.meta.url), 'yes')",
  "test('listed by name', () => {})",
].join("\n") + "\n");
const r = vitest(["list"]);
console.log(r.out);
if (!r.out.includes("listed by name")) {
  console.error("ERROR: vitest list did not print the test (exit " + r.status + ")");
  process.exit(2);
}
if (fs.existsSync(path.join(dir, "executed.txt"))) {
  console.error("FAIL: vitest list ran the test file to collect tests instead of parsing it statically");
  process.exit(1);
}
console.log("PASS: vitest list printed the test without running the file");