test-first

The Red-Green-Refactor cycle in Test-Driven Development mandates writing a failing test first, implementing minimal code to pass it, and then refactoring to ensure code quality and prevent regressions.

To write tests before code, you create an executable specification that fails for the new behavior, write the minimal implementation to pass it, and refactor to prevent regressions and document behavior.

Writing tests first improves code design because it forces you to define behavior through executable specifications beforehand, naturally leading to cleaner, more modular code that is easier to refactor.

Yes, you can use TDD for bug fixes and verification by providing clear guidelines to write a failing test that reproduces the bug before writing the implementation code to fix it.

You should reconsider Test-Driven Development when facing common rationalizations against it, though the process is designed to address these concerns and ensure robust, well-documented software through executable specifications.

No specific testing framework is required to start TDD. The process focuses on writing failing tests before implementation code, allowing you to use your existing environment to validate behavior and prevent regressions.