Test-driven development (TDD) dates back several decades, although it has gained particular attention in the Agile era. Relying on test cases to build quality software during the development process, TDD is meant to simplify efforts. It also lends greater reliability to the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC).
A popular style of development these days, TDD blends programming and testing together, accounting for multiple scenarios upfront. Through repeated testing, developers can ensure they are meeting the project requirements.
Are you considering implementing TDD at your organization? Do you already have the methodology in place and want to support and develop the process further? Software developers who are familiar with the methodology will help you meet your goals as a business. Here’s what you should look for in a skilled professional.
What is TDD?
TDD is a programming methodology that prioritizes testing activities in order to facilitate a stronger development process, effectively exposing bugs and defects upfront toward the goal of making software development more efficient. Developers create the simplest test passes possible, repeating the process to address different aspects of the program. The TDD process is essentially the flip side of the more traditional SDLC, in which developers code first and test second. In this case, testing occurs first. Developers continue to write failing tests and keep improving the code until it ultimately passes.
What are the benefits of TDD
The TDD process offers numerous benefits to the development process. Some of these are:
- Fewer defects overall
- Stronger ability to address and understand requirements
- A more streamlined and efficient development process
- Greater test coverage
- More productivity
- Higher-quality code
- Cleaner code
- Built-in documentation
- Earlier bug and defect detection
- Easier software maintenance
- A more cohesive process
- Better collaboration and teamwork
- Faster results
- Fewer risks
- A better overall process for developers
TDD vs. BDD
Behavior-driven development (BDD), as it sounds, focuses on the behavior of software. It was created to provide an extension of — and, in some ways, an alternative to — TDD. While TDD is the process of testing individual components of a program through building unique test cases, BDD starts with how the software should behave. A key difference is that TDD revolves around the tester or developer’s perspective, while BDD is more focused on the end user’s perspective and expectations for and of the product. There are advantages and disadvantages to each approach, of course. One benefit of BDD is that it’s a more accessible approach for non-technical teams that work with development teams.
Interview Questions
What are the steps involved in TDD?
In simple terms, the TDD process involves:
- Processing and understanding the request feature or fix
- Writing a test
- Running the test
- If the test fails to pass, write the code to make it pass
- Refactoring to clean the code
- Repeating the process again
What are some common mistakes when employing TDD?
Understanding the common mistakes people make when using a TDD approach can help prevent them from interfering with your project. They include:
- Initiating too many tests simultaneously
- Running tests too infrequently
- Failing to gain widespread buy-in on a team
- Failing to use a Mocking Framework
- Writing overcomplicated or large tests
- Testing excessively or unnecessarily
- Refactoring too infrequently
- Conducting or writing trivial tests
- Failing to conduct a QA testing process
- Failing to properly maintain the test suite
What are the limitations of TDD?
It can sometimes be difficult to fully implement a TDD process and approach at your organization. Testing ideation is one pitfall. Another is maintenance — as the project expands, it may be challenging to write and accommodate all the tests that are necessary. Moreover, some developers may become too caught up in the details of each test and component rather than looking at the fuller project. Or, they might overlook certain features.
How does TDD relate to Agile?
The Agile methodology depends on feedback, and with TDD, developers initiate the feedback cycle from the very beginning of the development process. Testing early on, after all, means you’re getting real-time information. And because the cycles are constantly repeated, teams can use this feedback to improve the product.
TDD is often part of an Agile approach. In addition to contributing feedback, both methodologies involve collaboration and communication.
What tools and frameworks are used in TDD?
There are many different types of tools and frameworks used for various aspects of TDD, such as unit testing, Rest API testing, different languages, and additional project components. They include:
- csUnit
- DocTest
- JUnit
- JMeter
- Mockito
- NUnit
- PHPUnit
- PyUnit
- RSpec
- TestNG
Job Description
We are in search of a highly skilled software developer with experience with test-driven development (TDD) to collaborate with other developers and QA testers and build superior software. The successful candidate will have experience working on complex projects of multiple sizes.
Responsibilities
- Write tests to expose bugs and defects
- Create failing test passes
- Create and run unit tests
- Structure testing and development plans based around the TDD methodology
- Leverage frameworks and tools to facilitate development procedures
- Understand business goals and objectives and align TDD strategies with them
- Work with clients to gather and research requirements
- Work closely with team members to conduct testing and development
Skills and Qualifications
- Exemplary technical skills
- Strong testing skills
- Ability to writing effective code for multiple types of tests
- Knowledge of tools and frameworks used in TDD
- Written and verbal communication skills
- Collaboration and teamwork skills
- Ability to communicate technical concepts
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, software development, information technology, or a related field
