test-driven-development

Test-driven development is a workflow requiring a failing test before production code. The red-green-refactor cycle defines expected behavior, implements minimum code to pass, and refactors while keeping tests reliable.

Start test-driven development by running a failing test first to reveal current behavior. Implement the minimum code required to pass the test, then refactor the implementation while maintaining reliable test validation.

Test-driven development applies to refactoring and behavior changes by enforcing a test-first sequence. It specifies validation criteria and guardrails to ensure tests fail before production code modifications, preventing regressions.

Test-driven development requires failing tests first to validate that the test accurately targets undefined behavior. This guardrail prevents false positives and ensures production code implementation directly addresses the expected behavior.

Test-driven development requires strict discipline to keep tests minimal and focused. Without adhering to guardrails, unit tests can become bloated and unmaintainable, reducing the reliability of the quality assurance workflow.

Test-driven development standardizes a workflow agnostic to specific frameworks. It defines required action sequences and validation criteria for unit testing, ensuring tests fail first and pass after implementation across any platform.