test-driven-development

To apply test-driven development, write a failing test describing the desired behavior, run it to verify it fails, then implement the minimal code to make it pass. This enforces the red-green-refactor cycle to catch bugs early in new features.

The red-green-refactor cycle is a test-driven development workflow where you write a failing test, implement minimal code to pass it, then safely refactor. It includes strict verification checkpoints to ensure code quality and test-first validation.

Use test-first validation for bug fixes and refactoring by writing a test that reproduces the bug or verifies behavior changes, confirming it fails, then implementing the code fix. This ensures tests fail first and refactoring remains safe.

Common test-driven development anti-patterns include writing code without proper tests and skipping the failing test verification step. You can avoid these mistakes by following checklists and rules that enforce test-first validation and minimal code implementation.

You should use test-driven development during new feature development, bug fixing, refactoring, and behavior changes within any software project. It ensures code quality by catching hidden bugs and regressions early through strict test-first validation.

No specific testing frameworks are required to start writing tests before implementing code. The test-driven development workflow applies to any software project by enforcing the red-green-refactor cycle with strict verification steps and checklists.