test-driven-development

The Red-Green-Refactor cycle enhances quality assurance by requiring a failing test before writing production code, ensuring every feature implementation is behaviorally verified and free from regression errors.

To implement a new feature with test-driven development, first define the expected behavior in a failing unit test case, then write the minimal production code to pass it, and finally refactor the codebase safely.

Use strict TDD cycles for bug fixes and refactoring when you need to prevent technical debt and ensure behavioral verification, applying the methodology across all tasks within the software development lifecycle.

The best way to avoid common unit testing anti-patterns is to reference comprehensive guidelines that identify pitfalls like mocking behavior instead of verifying real logic, ensuring robust test coverage.

Writing failing tests before production code is required to enforce strict adherence to TDD principles, eliminating unreliable code by guaranteeing that every line written is directly verified by a test.