Why Should You Give TDD a Chance?

So, what is TDD? Let’s begin.

Test-driven development (TDD) is a software development process that involves writing tests for a piece of code before writing the actual implementation of the business code itself. It is a form of iterative development, where you repeatedly write tests, run them to see what works and what doesn’t, and then write code to make the tests pass.

TDD: Courtesy CIO Wiki (https://cio-wiki.org/wiki/File:TDD2.png)

There are several reasons why you should give TDD a chance:

• TDD can help you write better code. By writing tests first, you can think through the requirements and design of your code before writing it. This can help you write code that is more modular, easy to understand, and less prone to bugs.
• TDD can help you find and fix bugs early in the development process. By running your tests frequently, you can catch bugs as soon as they are introduced, which makes them easier to fix.
• TDD can improve the reliability and stability of your code. By writing a comprehensive suite of tests, you can ensure that your code is thoroughly tested and that it works as expected.
• TDD can increase your confidence in your code. By knowing that your code is thoroughly tested, you can feel more confident about making changes and deploying it to production.
• TDD can save you time in the long run. By writing tests upfront, you can avoid the need to manually test your code later on, which can save you time and effort.

Question: Does TDD shortens feedback loop? Yes, test-driven development (TDD) can shorten the feedback loop.

How you ask?

In the TDD process, you write tests for a piece of code before writing the code itself. You then run the tests to see what works and what doesn’t, and write code to make the tests pass. By running your tests frequently, you can get feedback on the progress of your code and quickly identify any issues.

This is in contrast to traditional development processes, where tests are often written after the code is written. In these cases, the feedback loop is longer because you have to wait until the code is complete before running tests, which can make it harder to identify and fix problems early on.

Question: Why shorten the feedback loop?

Good question btw. Shortening the feedback loop in the software development process can have several benefits:

• Increase developer productivity: A shorter feedback loop can help to reduce the time spent on debugging and testing, which can increase developer productivity.
• Make it easier to refactor code: With a shorter feedback loop, it’s easier to identify any issues that might arise from refactoring the code.

Overall, TDD is a valuable technique that can help you write better, more reliable code. It is worth giving it a chance and seeing how it can benefit your development process. The short feedback loop of TDD can help you write better, more reliable code by allowing you to catch and fix issues early in the development process. It can also save you time and effort by helping you identify problems sooner rather than later.

Let me know when did TDD helped you in your software development journey.

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