test-driven-development

The red-green-refactor cycle in test-driven development requires writing a failing test first, implementing minimal production code to pass it, and then refactoring to maintain code quality and prevent regressions.

To write tests first for a new feature, define a failing unit test that captures the desired behavior, then implement only the smallest amount of production code required to make that specific test pass.

Yes, test-driven development applies to bug fixes and refactoring existing codebases. You write a failing test that reproduces the bug or captures the new behavior before making minimal code changes to pass it.

Writing a failing test before production code eliminates ambiguity in feature development, guides software design, guarantees tests exist for new behavior, and prevents future regressions across your codebase.

The best way to ensure minimal production code is to follow a strict test-driven development cycle where you write a failing test first and implement only the exact code required to make that specific test pass.

Test-driven development requires understanding unit testing fundamentals as it enforces a strict red-green-refactor cycle. You must be able to define failing tests that capture desired software behavior before writing code.