joelhooks/tdd

Test-Driven Development (TDD)

The Rhythm: RED-GREEN-REFACTOR

1. RED    - Write failing test first (define expected behavior)
2. GREEN  - Minimal implementation to pass (don't over-engineer)
3. REFACTOR - Clean up, remove duplication, run tests again

Why TDD Works (The Lore)

Kent Beck (Test-Driven Development by Example)

"The act of writing a unit test is more an act of design than verification."

• Tests become executable documentation of intent
• "Fake it til you make it" - start with hardcoded values, generalize
• Small steps reduce debugging time
• Confidence to refactor comes from test coverage

Michael Feathers (Working Effectively with Legacy Code)

"The most powerful feature-addition technique I know of is test-driven development."

• TDD works in both OO and procedural code
• Writing tests first forces you to think about interfaces
• Tests are the safety net that enables aggressive refactoring
• Legacy code = code without tests

Martin Fowler (Refactoring)

"Kent Beck baked this habit of writing the test first into a technique called Test-Driven Development."

• TDD relies on short cycles
• Tests enable refactoring
• Refactoring becomes safe - tests catch regressions instantly

The Counterpoint: Know When to Break the Rule

John Ousterhout (A Philosophy of Software Design)

"The problem with test-driven development is that it focuses attention on getting specific features working, rather than finding the best design."

When TDD can hurt:

• Can lead to tactical programming (feature-focused, not design-focused)
• May produce code that's easy to test but hard to understand
• Risk of over-testing implementation details

The balance:

• For exploratory/architectural work, design first, then add tests
• Don't let tests drive you into a corner
• Step back periodically to evaluate overall design

When to Use TDD

✅ Use TDD for:

• New features with clear requirements
• Bug fixes (write test that reproduces bug first)
• Refactoring existing code (add characterization tests first)
• API design (tests reveal ergonomics)
• Any code that will be maintained long-term

❌ Skip TDD for:

• Exploratory spikes (but add tests after if keeping the code)
• Emergency hotfixes (but add tests immediately after)
• Pure UI/styling changes
• One-off scripts
• Throwaway prototypes

The TDD Workflow

# 1. Write test, watch it fail
bun test src/thing.test.ts  # RED - test fails

# 2. Implement minimal code to pass
bun test src/thing.test.ts  # GREEN - test passes

# 3. Refactor, tests still pass
bun test src/thing.test.ts  # GREEN - still passing

# 4. Repeat for next behavior

TDD Patterns

Start with the Assertion

Write the assertion first, then work backwards:

// Start here
expect(result).toBe(42);

// Then figure out what 'result' is
const result = calculate(input);

// Then figure out what 'input' is
const input = { value: 21 };

Triangulation

Use multiple examples to drive generalization:

it("doubles 2", () => expect(double(2)).toBe(4));
it("doubles 3", () => expect(double(3)).toBe(6));
// Now you MUST implement the general solution

Obvious Implementation

When the solution is obvious, just write it:

function add(a: number, b: number): number {
  return a + b; // Don't fake this
}

Fake It Til You Make It

When unsure, start with hardcoded values:

// First pass
function fibonacci(n: number): number {
  return 1; // Passes for n=1
}

// Add test for n=2, then generalize

Testing Pyramid

        /\
       /  \     E2E (few)
      /----\
     /      \   Integration (some)
    /--------\
   /          \ Unit (many)
  --------------

• Unit tests: Fast, isolated, test one thing
• Integration tests: Test component interactions
• E2E tests: Test full user flows (expensive, use sparingly)

Common TDD Mistakes

1. Writing too many tests at once - One failing test at a time
2. Testing implementation, not behavior - Test what, not how
3. Skipping the refactor step - Technical debt accumulates
4. Over-mocking - Don't mock what you don't own
5. Testing private methods - Test through public interface

Integration with Beads

When working on a bead:

1. Start bead: beads_start(id="bd-123")
2. Write failing test for the requirement
3. Implement to pass
4. Refactor
5. Close bead: beads_close(id="bd-123", reason="Done: tests passing")