Test-Driven Development (TDD) is a famous and generally-used development methodology in the world of software. Programming is demanding, so the code errors do. It is crucial to identify bugs and errors during software development. This will increase the quality and efficiency of the product. Therefore, if you are an agile software developer, TDD is the best practice you should use during software development.

This article describes the basic concepts of test-driven development (TDD). You will learn what test-driven development is, why you should be using it, how to implement and what frameworks are most suitable to do that.

This article is part of three articles:

Article 1: What is Test-Driven Development?

Article 2: Frameworks and tools that support TDD

Article 3: TDD vs Traditional tests

TDD vs Traditional tests

According to Test Driven Development, TDD can be described as to “only ever write code to fix a failing test”. Test coverage under TDD is higher compared to the traditional development models. This is because the TDD creates tests for each functionality right from the beginning. Below is the main difference between Test-driven development and traditional testing:

1. When we are writing the tests in TDD, we implement the test and then the code, but in traditional tests, we write the code then implement the tests.
2. Traditional testing leads to the importance of testing the system, but in TDD, you focus on the importance and also the perfection of the system.
3. Code that is implemented using TDD usually has 90% to 100% of code covered with tests, unlike traditional testing.
4. When the code is tested, there are lesser chances of having bugs in the system.
5. TDD increases your confidence that your system actually works, that your system really meets the requirements defined for it and therefore you can go ahead with confidence.
6. In traditional testing, more focus is on test case design. Whether the test will show the right/wrong execution of the application. In TDD more focus is on production code that proves whether testing will work properly.
7. Small chunks of code, clear design, and clear API in TDD.

Disadvantages of Test-Driven Development Methodology

Like any other development methodologies, there are some pros and cons associated with Test-Driven Development. Here, we list some of the disadvantages of TDD.

1. You have to understand the matter you would like to unravel. This will help you when you are writing the tests, otherwise, your tests can not find bugs that you simply introduce within the test code and in the implementation code.
2. TDD slows down the development process because the implementation code may not be ready for some time due to spending time writing tests first. Commonly, this happened only for short-term projects. In the long run, TDD will be useful from a quality, budget, and speed perspective.
3. The TDD approach requires skills, persistence, and discipline. It may be challenging for the team to learn and adjust to its principles.
4. Tests have to be maintained so when the requirements for a product are changed, the tests must be changed to adapt.
5. From time to time, it’s necessary to refine the tests to make them run faster or to remove redundant tests. Booking more and more tests make your build longer and longer.
6. Although it is absolutely necessary, creating tests for failures can be tedious, but it pays off big time in the end.
7. Unit testing is something all members of the team have to participate in.

Finally, test-driven development generates better code that is more fault-tolerant. The final results of TDD are depending on the tests that have been used, the accuracy with which they have been done, and the conditions encountered by users of the final product.

Although the code is constantly enhanced and altered in various ways, it ensures consistent quality and leads to a more flexible codebase. TDD works incredibly well in usage and we think that all software developers should consider adopting this methodology. It would be cool if they have a technique that can virtually eliminate the need for debugging, and alert you to programming mistakes after you’ve made them.

TesetCrew – Your Software Partner

TestCrew is keen to implement quality tests regularly as well as provide international standards software-testing training. TestCrew also provides all technical, functional, and non-functional software quality test services related to user experience, which ensure the security and protection of end products from vulnerabilities and the risks of penetration, as per the standards of ISTQB and Test Maturity Model Integration Professional certification (TMMi).

In addition to that, TestCrew also offers software quality consulting services, you can also know more about what we do by visiting the various communication channels mentioned on our page, LinkedIn, email, or through our unified number.