Sumanth Kumar Mora’s Post

What is Test-Driven Development? As a college student, I had heard of TDD a couple of times, but never appreciated what it really meant. I presumed it must be some other paradigm of software development with some advantages. But when I explored more about it, I discovered it is a vastly different idea than traditional software development. Classical software engineering principles focus on testing a functionality after it is developed. While this approach makes sense when developing tightly coupled applications with a few teams, it can be an obstacle when developing applications with a large number of distributed teams. Test-Driven Development (TDD) is a practice that focuses on designing and writing tests before the actual functionality. This allows the developer to think of all the possibilities of input data and functional behaviour before writing the code for that functionality, allowing to focus on the problem statement that is being solved. TDD focuses on getting a minimum workable solution to the defined problem.  TDD methodology can be summarized in the following five steps: 🎯 Define the test: Understand the user requirements and define a test based on the constraints and boundaries specified by the user, the type of data expected by the function, the return type and so on.  ❌ Run the test to fail: Yes, you heard that right. Ensure your application first fails on your developed test, because it won’t be built to handle the newly generated test case. This acts as a little smoke test to ensure the test is integrated into the development environment and that it doesn’t blindly pass all the tests. 💻 Develop to pass: The solution only needs to satisfy the developed test, which is the only factor the developer keeps in mind. This allows for focused functionality development, with scope of refactoring. ✅ Run the test to pass: Now, run the test to ensure that the developed functionality clears the test. The developed code has attained requisite functionality. 🔧 Refactor: Review the code and look for ways to improve readability while maintaining the functionality. Re-run tests after each iteration to ensure the functionality is maintained. I feel TDD is a fundamental aspect to rapid application development and agile methodology. Its emphasis on iterative development and objective-based development is a great advantage, especially considering automated codebase changes through CI / CD. In the coming posts, I will explore more about TDD and its applications in unit and integration testing.  #SoftwareEngineering #TestDrivenDevelopment #AgileMethodology

Debunking Myths: Is TDD Right for You? Test-driven development (TDD) is a hot topic, but is it all it's cracked up to be? This article explores common myths surrounding TDD to help you decide if it's the right fit for your development process. We'll tackle myths like: - TDD takes too much time. - It hurts productivity. - It only works for simple projects. - It eliminates bugs. - It's just another testing strategy. By debunking these myths, you'll gain a clearer understanding of how TDD can improve your development process. Ready to write better, more maintainable code? Check out the full article to see how TDD can benefit your team!

TDD: The Most Reliable Approach Why is testing crucial in software engineering? How can we ensure our code is not only functional but also reliable and easy to maintain over time? Over time, I've discovered that investing the right amount of time in testing upfront can save countless hours in the future. Initially, like many, I didn't prioritize testing, thinking it wasn't necessary. However, once I adopted Test-Driven Development (TDD), there was no turning back. TDD not only ensures each change is secure but also fosters a habit of crafting more maintainable code. 🎯 What is TDD? TDD is a development approach where tests are written before the actual implementation code. It follows a simple mantra: "Red, Green, Refactor." You start by writing a failing test (Red), then make the test pass by writing the minimum amount of code (Green), and finally refactor to improve the code while ensuring the tests still pass. 💡 Why TDD? - Enhanced Quality: TDD promotes a mindset where quality is built into the code from the outset. By writing tests first, developers gain a clearer understanding of the expected behavior, leading to fewer bugs and more reliable software. - Faster Feedback Loop: TDD accelerates the development process by providing instant feedback on code changes. Developers can quickly identify and fix issues, leading to faster iterations and shorter development cycles. - Confidence in Refactoring: Refactoring is an essential part of maintaining clean code. With a comprehensive suite of tests in place, developers can refactor with confidence, knowing that any regressions will be caught by the tests. - Documentation: Tests serve as living documentation, providing insights into the intended functionality of the codebase. New team members can easily understand the codebase by examining the tests. 🛠️ Getting Started with TDD - Start Small: Begin by writing tests for small, isolated units of functionality. Gradually increase the scope as you become more comfortable with the TDD process. - Choose the Right Tools: Utilize testing frameworks and tools that align with your project's requirements and programming language. - Continuous Integration: Integrate TDD into your CI/CD pipeline to automate the testing process and ensure consistent code quality across environments. - Collaboration: Foster a culture of collaboration within your team by encouraging pair programming and code reviews focused on test coverage and effectiveness. Incorporating Test-Driven Development into your workflow isn't just about writing tests—it's about adopting a mindset that prioritizes quality, feedback, and collaboration #TDD #SoftwareDevelopment #QualityCode

Alright, this is going to be a short discourse on TDD, Test-Driven Development. *Yawn*, but seriously, it's not as complex as it sounds. So here is an anecdote from chatting with another developer recently. The question was, "How do you do testing?" I am no genius and have no real idea what I am building before I build it. But I do think about the interface a lot, and one of the better ways to think about writing tests is to consider the normal and corner cases around the interface of what you build. The hard part is, let's all say it together, **NAMING**. When you write your test, you are working on something a priori. Or it feels like that. You are forcing yourself to know about your implementation before you have completed the deduction of what your implementation does. Don't sweat it, friend! Naming is actually easy. The Terms we define for our code are the easiest to change. Their signatures are less so, but there is a hack. Just make them generic, don't worry about it, and keep it simple. Start by assuming each module has a single entry point, just like those "Hello World" methods you wrote when you started coding. Name your entry point "call," "do," or "execute," and then decide what it will return. If it's going to be a gentle side effect like logging or mutating the database, think of it in terms of CQRS! Commands, Queries and procedural modules Orchestrators. It contains a sequence of Commands and Queries to create a "feature." So you should test each Command, Query, and Orchestrator at its entry point (call, do, etc.). That's my decision framework, and then we do the old-fashioned Red, Green, Refactor flow as written about by our friend Martin Fowler. https://lnkd.in/gNkqWPqR Next, I create a pyramid of tests, starting with the integration test—usually one at the beginning of the feature request. So, if you are working on a web app's back end, this might be the controller. On the front end, this might be the page's component container. This is likely also an Orchestrator, but that's not a guarantee. What this top-down approach offers you is a way to think about your work in terms of a contract. A contract is a simple communication agreement between producer and consumer. These happen each time we all use a method, dispatch an action, or make a web request. This is the best place to verify your feature works, and since it is unassuming about the how of your work, only what it accepts and produces. We have made this incredibly easy to reason about. Now, go build and refine your test. When your code becomes reasonably complex, it's time to write new modules and tests. Repeat this pattern for each module you create. Best of all you have those original tests to make sure you don't break any of your hard fought assumptions as your refactor. Boom you be testin'!

Why Test-Driven Development Matters Maintaining high-quality code is more critical than ever in today's fast-paced software development landscape. Test-driven development (TDD) offers a disciplined approach that can significantly enhance code quality and developer productivity. What is TDD? Test-Driven Development is an iterative software development process that emphasizes writing tests before actual code. The TDD cycle consists of: 1. Red: Write a test that fails. 2. Green: Write just enough code to pass the test. 3. Refactor: Clean up the code while ensuring tests still pass. Benefits of TDD 1. Improved Code Quality: TDD promotes cleaner, more maintainable code by focusing on writing only what's necessary to pass tests. 2. Early Bug Detection: TDD allows developers to catch bugs early in the development process, reducing the time and cost of fixing issues later. 3. Enhanced Design: Writing tests first encourages better software design and architecture from the outset. 4. Documentation: Tests act as live documentation, making it easier for new team members to understand the codebase. My Experience with TDD TDD has consistently proven valuable in my career, spanning various industries, from healthcare to e-commerce. I've used TDD extensively in projects like Knowledge-Bot and the Head-Of-Product Bot to ensure robust, bug-free implementations. Getting Started with TDD 1. Start Small: Begin with manageable projects to grasp the TDD cycle. 2. Leverage Tools: Utilize frameworks that support TDD (e.g., JUnit for Java, pytest for Python). 3. Build a Habit: Regular practice with code reviews and pair programming helps ingrain TDD into your workflow. Why Should You Consider TDD? TDD is not just a testing methodology; it transforms how you approach coding. Integrating TDD into your workflow ensures that every piece of code is tested, refined, and reliable. Would you be ready to elevate your development practices? Let's discuss how TDD can improve your projects. #SoftwareDevelopment #TDD #CodingQuality #TestDrivenDevelopment

Why Test-Driven Development (TDD) is Perfect for Fixing Bugs As a software engineer, bugs are inevitable. After releasing a project, you’ll inevitably spend time fixing issues. But I realized something: TDD is one of the most efficient ways to fix bugs. Here’s why: Time Efficiency While it might seem like TDD takes longer at first, it actually saves a lot of time for bug fixes. Without TDD, you typically spend time replicating the issue, fixing the bug, and writing a test afterward. With TDD, you write the test first, reproducing the issue faster, and then fix the bug. Engineering Excellence TDD ensures that your bug fix is covered by a test, preventing the bug from reappearing. This leads to cleaner code and improved engineering practices, giving you more confidence during refactoring and future development. Next time you get a bug ticket, try TDD! Learn more about it in the article 👇 https://lnkd.in/dgXYP6J7

Importance of Test-Driven Development in Software development life cycle: Test-Driven Development (#TDD) is an essential methodology in software development. By writing test cases before the actual feature or function is written, TDD ensures the correctness of the code and helps evolve the design and architecture of the project. Its iterative development cycle emphasizes repetition of short development cycles, combining building and testing. Learn more about TDD's importance in software development in this informative article. #softwaredevelopment #testdriven #methodology #tdd #sdlc

#softwareDevelopment #Testing #TDD #TestDrivenDevelopment One way I find it very helpful to learn writing code quickly, but rightly, is to try to attempt to build the feature or requirement I am working on using Test Driven Development, TDD. I learned with time the following: 1. I am encouraged to understand what the user asked early before even thinking about coding, and raise a few questions for clarifications, 2. Then I went through a few iterations to get the right test in place. These iterations involved discussions with users, PO and the team. So communication is key here, helping to align perspective and understanding early in the development phase, 3. Yes, write the code! I tried to write code to make the test pass. This took me through a number of iterations of fail-pass-refactor cycles. Here I was forced to think about the design of my solution, data flow and manipulation. Again, I found myself sharing my design with the team for quick feedback. So more communication, and emphasis on aligning perspectives and understanding. Now you have your code and unit test(s) completed. Push your code and created the PR/MR for code review and approval to merge with Master. These are simple baby steps, but their impact is profound and big. They will help build a structured approach to building software features. TDD might not be suitable for all cases, but no harm in trying. Push yourself and find where it stops! Here are some useful links to experience TDD in action An introduction to TDD https://lnkd.in/eiJ7Vvrd Building login form in React JS using TDD https://lnkd.in/etVkAZ-e Building RESTful APIs in Spring Boot using TDD https://lnkd.in/e-5Ntt9Q

Test Driven Development: A Critical Tool in My Engineering Toolkit 🛠️ One of the practices that has made a significant impact on my development process is Test Driven Development (TDD). It’s more than just writing tests—it’s a mindset that has transformed the way I approach building software. Here’s why TDD has become so valuable to me: 1. Build Tests Before Code: One of the most powerful aspects of TDD is that you start by writing your tests. This forces me to think critically about what I’m building before I even start coding. It helps clarify requirements and ensures that the code I write directly meets those needs. No more rushing to push things into the main branch without proper testing! 🧪 2. Quick Feedback Loop: TDD provides fast feedback on your code. You immediately know when something breaks, which makes it easier to fix issues before they escalate. This also reduces the time spent on debugging later in the process, leading to more confidence in the quality of the code I ship. ⚡ 3. Cleaner, Simpler Solutions: Because you’re writing tests first, it encourages you to write cleaner, more focused code. TDD has helped me avoid over-engineering solutions—keeping things simple, efficient, and maintainable. Instead of adding unnecessary complexity, I stick to exactly what the tests require, which leads to better overall design. 💡 For me, TDD isn’t just about testing—it’s a tool that improves the quality, efficiency, and clarity of my code. How has TDD impacted your workflow? Let’s discuss! 💬

📚The Challenges of TDD for Junior Developers: A Perspective on Quality and Delivery🔍 While unit and integration tests are universally acclaimed for their role in validating business logic and enhancing code coverage, TDD might not always be the silver bullet, especially for junior developers. 🔄The Dynamic Nature of Requirements😓 TDD presupposes clear, unchanging requirements. However, in real-world scenarios, especially during the development of a new product, requirements can evolve as features are built and understanding deepens. This dynamic change necessitates frequent rewriting of tests, which can be counterproductive. Writing tests first means any change in understanding or requirements could lead to significant rework—first the tests, then the code. This iterative correction could lead to inefficiency, particularly for those new to development. 🏗️Architectural Considerations🔧 For beginners, there is a high chance of initially choosing a suboptimal architectural approach, only to realize later that a different architecture would be more appropriate. If such shifts occur, pre-written tests based on the original architecture may no longer be valid, requiring a complete overhaul. Designing tests that are robust against architectural changes requires experience that junior developers typically do not have yet. 🤝Collaborative Testing🖖 An alternative approach could be separating the roles of writing tests and functionality. When developers and testers collaborate but focus on different aspects, they can offer unique perspectives that enhance overall quality. The developer, understanding the flow and functionality, and the tester, focused solely on requirements and interfaces, can together ensure a comprehensive coverage that might be overlooked if a single person is responsible for both. ✨Conclusion😎 Although TDD offers a structured path to thinking about code from different angles, and undoubtedly broadens a developer's perspective, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. It demands a level of clarity, foresight, and stability in project requirements that might not always be available, particularly in fast-evolving projects. For junior developers, gaining experience and gradually integrating TDD practices as they grow more comfortable with stable aspects of software development might be a more practical approach. #TDD #TestDrivenDevelopment #JuniorDevelopers #SoftwareTesting #CodeQuality #TechChallenges #AgileDevelopment #SoftwareArchitecture #ContinuousIntegration #DeveloperLife #Coding #TechCommunity #Programming #SoftwareDevelopment #TechTalk