test-driven-development

The red-green-refactor workflow enforces test-driven development by having you write a failing red test first, implement the minimal code to pass it green, then refactor for clarity and maintainability with immediate feedback.

You should write unit tests before implementing features to validate behavior beforehand, preventing wasted effort on untested code and ensuring correctness across feature work, bug fixes, refactors, and behavior changes.

To start writing failing tests first, describe a failing test for the intended feature, implement the minimal code required to pass that test, and then refactor the code for readability and maintainability.

Test-driven development works for bug fixes and refactoring across languages and projects by enforcing a strict workflow that maintains confidence and catches regressions early during behavior changes.

Test-driven development ensures you validate behavior before coding rather than writing tests after implementation, which prevents wasted effort on untested features and provides long-term safety for easier refactoring across teams.

Test-driven development requires strict discipline to follow the red-green-refactor cycle and may slow initial feature delivery, but it catches regressions early and ensures long-term safety and maintainability across teams.