test-first-development

Test-driven development prevents scope creep by locking acceptance tests as an immutable contract before implementation begins. This approach ensures every line of code maps to a specific failing test, preventing unplanned work and defining strict completion criteria for feature delivery.

Completion contracts for software features are defined by writing and verifying acceptance tests as failing before any implementation starts. This test-first discipline ensures a feature is considered finished only when all deterministic tests pass, guaranteeing full scope coverage.

To start a test-first workflow for an API endpoint, instruct the orchestrator to initialize the process for your current feature plan. You define all success and failure scenarios as acceptance tests first, locking the scope before writing implementation code.

Immutable scope fencing should be used when building features where scope definition and completion contracts are critical. It locks the test suite during the implementation phase, ensuring strict adherence to deterministic testing rules and preventing mid-development scope changes.

Test-first development integrates into quality assurance workflows by enforcing deterministic testing rules and traceability. It requires acceptance tests to be verified as failing prior to implementation, making it suitable for new feature delivery rather than retroactive code validation.