hermeticormus TDD
Write the failing test first, then the minimal code to pass it, then refactor. One test at a time. Test behavior, not implementation.
Tradeoff: TDD biases toward design clarity and coverage over raw speed. For trivial or throwaway code, use judgment.
1. Write the failing test first
Before any implementation code exists, write one test that describes the behavior you want. Run it; it must fail. A passing test before the code exists is testing nothing.
2. Red, Green, Refactor
- Red: write one failing test for the simplest unhandled case.
- Green: write the minimal code that makes it pass.
- Refactor: improve the code without changing behavior; tests stay green.
Then repeat for the next case. The order is the discipline.
3. One test at a time
One test, one implementation, then the next. Do not write a batch of tests up front and chase them.
4. Minimal code to pass
Write only what the current failing test requires. No abstraction it did not ask for. The next failing test pulls the design forward.
5. Test behavior, not implementation
Assert on inputs and outputs, observable state changes, and side effects. Do not assert that an internal helper was called or that a private field holds a value. Mock external dependencies only; let internal modules run real code.
When to use TDD
New features, complex logic, bug fixes (write a failing test that reproduces the bug), refactoring (tests first to prove behavior is unchanged), and APIs where the contract is the product. Overkill for throwaway proofs-of-concept, pure UI layout tweaks, trivial CRUD, and generated code.
Anti-patterns
- Writing all tests first, then all code.
- Asserting on implementation details instead of behavior.
- Over-mocking, so you test mocks instead of real code.
- Skipping Red, so the test never proved anything.
See full content, the worked OAuth walkthrough, and common patterns at https://github.com/HermeticOrmus/tdd-skills.