skills.rest
timbuchinger
timbuchingerCOMMUNITY
Explore all skills by this author →
GitHub

test-driven-development

Enforce writing failing tests before implementing minimal code to pass.

1|Updated Dec 4, 2025
Search Tags:#testing#development#TDD#bug fix#quality#refactor#feature
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/timbuchinger/loadout --skill test-driven-development-timbuchinger
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: test-driven-development
Source: https://github.com/timbuchinger/loadout/tree/main/skills/test-driven-development
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/timbuchinger/loadout --skill test-driven-development-timbuchinger

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

This Skill ensures that your tests are effective and truly verify behavior by enforcing the Test-Driven Development (TDD) methodology. It prevents the common pitfall of writing tests after the fact, which often leads to incomplete or ineffective test suites.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Red-Green-Refactor Guidance: Systematically guides you through writing a failing test, making it pass with minimal code, and then refactoring.
  • Behavior Verification: Guarantees that tests actually verify desired behavior by requiring you to witness them fail first.
  • Bug Prevention: Helps catch bugs early in the development cycle and prevents regressions by building a solid test foundation.
  • Use Case: You're implementing a new user authentication feature. This Skill guides you to write the failing test for email validation first, then the minimal code to pass it, ensuring every piece of logic is covered and verified.

Quick Start

Guide me through implementing the 'add item to cart' feature using TDD, starting with the first failing test.

Frequently Asked Questions about test-driven-development

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I write tests before implementing code?▼

Test-driven development (TDD) requires you to write a failing test first that defines the desired behavior, then write minimal code to make it pass. This Red-Green-Refactor cycle ensures every line of code is tested and intentional from the start.

Why should I write failing tests before implementation?▼

Writing tests first catches bugs early and prevents incomplete test coverage. By witnessing tests fail before implementation, you verify that tests actually validate behavior rather than passing accidentally, building confidence in your code quality.

How do I refactor code safely with TDD?▼

TDD's Red-Green-Refactor workflow guides you to refactor after tests pass. Existing tests act as a safety net, allowing you to improve code structure and performance without breaking behavior or introducing regressions.

Can I use TDD for bug fixes and new features?▼

Yes. TDD applies across bug fixes, new features, refactoring, and behavior changes. Write a failing test that reproduces the bug or defines the feature, implement minimal code to pass it, then refactor—ensuring the fix is correct and regression-proof.

What's the difference between writing tests first versus after?▼

Tests written after implementation often miss edge cases and may pass without truly validating behavior. TDD enforces witnessing tests fail first, guaranteeing they verify actual requirements and catch regressions automatically throughout development.

Related Skills

Explore More Software Engineering Skills→
Objective-ArtsObjective-Arts

run-tests

Execute vitest test suites and report outcomes.

Official
Intermediate
StrategicMilkStrategicMilk

Test Coverage Analysis

Identify untested code paths and generate test specifications with a JSON report.

Community
Advanced
richardnguyen0715richardnguyen0715

requesting-code-review

Automate pre-commit code review with security scans, quality checks, and auto-fixes.

Community
Advanced
pagerguildpagerguild

test-gen-workflow

Generate unit, property-based, and mutation tests for Go, Python, and TypeScript.

Official
Advanced