Clean code that works - now. This is the seeming
contradiction that lies behind much of the pain of programming.
Test-driven development replies to this contradiction with a
paradox-test the program before you write it.
A new idea? Not at all. Since the dawn of computing,
programmers have been specifying the inputs and outputs before
programming precisely. Test-driven development takes this age-old idea,
mixes it with modern languages and programming environments, and cooks
up a tasty stew guaranteed to satisfy your appetite for clean code that
works-now.
Developers face complex programming challenges every
day, yet they are not always readily prepared to determine the best
solution. More often than not, such difficult projects generate a great
deal of stress and bad code. To garner the strength and courage needed
to surmount seemingly Herculean tasks, programmers should look to
test-driven development (TDD), a proven set of techniques that
encourage simple designs and test suites that inspire confidence.
By driving development with automated tests and then
eliminating duplication, any developer can write reliable, bug-free
code no matter what its level of complexity. Moreover, TDD encourages
programmers to learn quickly, communicate more clearly, and seek out
constructive feedback.
Readers will learn to:
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Solve complicated tasks, beginning with the simple and proceeding to the more complex.
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Write automated tests before coding.
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Grow a design organically by refactoring to add design decisions one at a time.
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Create tests for more complicated logic, including reflection and exceptions.
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Use patterns to decide what tests to write.
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Create tests using xUnit, the architecture at the heart of many programmer-oriented testing tools.
This book follows two TDD projects from start to
finish, illustrating techniques programmers can use to easily and
dramatically increase the quality of their work. The examples are
followed by references to the featured TDD patterns and refactorings.
With its emphasis on agile methods and fast development strategies, Test-Driven Development is sure to inspire readers to embrace these under-utilized but powerful techniques.