test-driven-development

Test-driven development enforces a test-first workflow where you write a failing test specifying desired behavior, implement minimal code to pass it, then refactor. This red-green-refactor cycle guides feature development and prevents regression.

The red-green-refactor cycle is a unit testing workflow where you first write a failing test defining expected behavior, implement only enough code to achieve a deterministic green pass, then continuously refactor to improve maintainability.

TDD prevents regression during refactoring by validating behavior through automated tests. You write failing tests specifying desired outcomes before changing code, ensuring new changes are validated by deterministic green passes before completion.

Test-first development applies across feature development, bug fixes, and refactors. For every change, you write a failing test specifying desired behavior first, then implement minimal code to pass it, ensuring traceable quality assurance.

Test-driven development requires no specific external dependencies. It is a discipline enforcing test-first development principles. You need a unit testing framework in your environment to execute tests and verify deterministic green passes.

TDD requires writing failing tests before implementation, which can slow initial feature delivery. However, this continuous refactoring discipline prevents regression and ensures maintainability. It demands strict adherence to the red-green-refactor workflow for reliable software behavior.