superpowers-test-driven-development

Test-driven development begins by writing a failing test that defines the intended behavior, observing the failure, then implementing minimal production code to pass it. This disciplined test-first workflow ensures features are covered by tests before implementation.

The red-green-refactor cycle is a test-driven development workflow where you write a failing test, implement minimal code to pass it, and then refactor with confidence. This structured process reduces regressions and improves design clarity.

Yes, test-first development integrates into bug fixes and refactoring to keep behavior covered by tests. By requiring a failing test to exist before minimal code changes, it ensures intended behavior is verified and enables safer refactors.

Writing failing tests before implementation enforces quality assurance discipline by keeping tests close to requirements and preventing overengineering. It reduces regressions and improves design clarity by driving feature development through explicit verification steps.

Test-driven development is designed for feature development, bug fixes, and refactoring across codebases. It may not suit exploratory prototyping where behavior is undefined, as it requires a failing test to exist and a structured red-green-refactor cycle.

No specific frameworks are required to follow the red-green-refactor workflow. The process relies on writing a failing test, implementing minimal code to pass, and refactoring, which can be applied across codebases using standard testing tools.