test-driven-development

Test-driven development (TDD) is a test-first development process where you write a failing test, implement minimal code to pass it, then refactor. The Red-Green-Refactor cycle enforces this sequence to validate requirements early and reduce regressions across any project.

To start test-first development, instruct your AI assistant to adopt TDD for your next feature: write a failing test first, then implement the minimal production code required to pass all tests. This enforces early validation of requirements before functional code exists.

Yes, test-driven development is framework-agnostic. You can apply the Red-Green-Refactor workflow across any project by adapting the guidance to your specific test runner and programming language to validate requirements and reduce regressions.

Test-driven development applies to new features, bug fixes, and refactors. By writing a failing test that captures the bug or desired refactored behavior first, you ensure code only goes green after tests pass, eliminating guesswork and reducing future regressions.

Writing a failing test before production code ensures test-first development by validating requirements early. This practice eliminates guesswork, confirms the test actually checks the intended behavior, and reduces regressions by enforcing minimal code that passes all tests.