test-driven-development

Test-driven development requires writing a failing test that defines expected behavior before writing any production code. You must adhere strictly to the Red-Green-Refactor cycle to ensure minimal, correct implementation.

The Red-Green-Refactor cycle is a mandatory workflow where you write a failing test, create minimal production code to pass it, and then refactor. This prevents technical debt by ensuring code is always verified.

For bug fixes and refactoring tasks, TDD enforces writing a failing test that proves the bug or validates the new structure before altering production logic. This guarantees all changes are verified by tests.

To prevent testing anti-patterns when mocking behavior, follow strict guidelines that prohibit mocking real behavior or polluting production code with test-only methods. This ensures tests validate actual requirements.

Writing implementation before testing creates technical debt because it produces unverified code. TDD eliminates this by requiring a failing test that proves the necessity of every feature before implementation begins.