test-driven-development

Test-driven development prevents bugs by enforcing a test-first approach, requiring you to write a failing test that verifies every piece of production code before implementation begins.

The Red-Green-Refactor cycle is the core TDD process: write a failing test, implement the minimal code required to pass that test, then refactor the code while ensuring it maintains passing test results.

To apply TDD for bug fixes or refactoring, generate a failing test that reproduces the specific bug, then write minimal code to pass the test, maintaining regression safety throughout the software project.

High-quality TDD tests require clear naming, a single-behavior focus for each test, and using real code rather than excessive mocks to ensure accurate verification.

You should avoid test-driven development when exploring experimental prototypes where behavior is undefined, as TDD requires clear expected behaviors to write failing tests before writing minimal implementation code.

No specific testing frameworks are required to start writing failing tests first; you only need an environment capable of executing test suites to verify the red-green-refactor cycle.