test-driven-development

Begin test-driven-development by writing a failing test that captures the bug or requirement, then implement the minimal code to make the test pass. This enforces the RED-GREEN-REFACTOR cycle to validate behavior before writing actual implementation code.

The RED-GREEN-REFACTOR cycle is a test-driven-development practice where you first write a failing test (RED), implement minimal code to make it pass (GREEN), and then refactor the code while keeping tests green to ensure behavior matches expectations and guard against regressions.

Yes, test-driven-development applies to bug fixes by requiring you to document a prove-it pattern that reproduces the bug first. You write a failing test capturing the exact bug behavior, then implement the fix to make that test pass, ensuring the regression is permanently guarded against.

Test-driven-development applies across languages and platforms for feature development, bug fixes, and refactors. It does not depend on specific frameworks, instead enforcing a tests-first approach to ensure behavior matches expectations regardless of the underlying technology stack.

Writing a failing test before implementation improves design clarity and maintainability by tying changes to explicit outcomes. Test-driven-development enables safer refactors and clearer requirements, preventing undetected bugs and brittle designs that often occur when writing software without tests.

You should always use a tests-first approach when refactoring to guard against regressions. Test-driven-development ensures behavior matches expectations by validating changes incrementally, preventing the undetected bugs and brittle designs that occur when refactoring without explicit test coverage.