Description

Test-driven development (TDD) is a new approach to application development that is designed to eliminate the fear often associated with building software. Admittedly, some fear is healthy (often viewed as a conscience that tells programmers to “be careful!”), but the author believes that programmers build better software when they have the freedom to be creative. By building tests before coding begins, programmers ensure the success of their application from the outset. Students are more likely to achieve positive results with TDD. The author's example-driven approach also teaches students to be better communicators, and encourages team members to seek out constructive criticism.

Features

Test Driven Development (TDD) is Kent Beck's latest focus; the approach is proven to reduce defects and produce more robust software.

° Write clean code that works with the help of this groundbreaking software method

° Begin to write automated tests that allow you to "test on the fly," and learn to optimize the practice of refactoring

° Example-driven teaching; Kent Beck's step-by-step instruction will have you using TDD to further your projects

Table of Contents

Preface.


Acknowledgments.


Introduction.

I. THE MONEY EXAMPLE.

 1. Multi-Currency Money.
 2. Degenerate Objects.
 3. Equality for All.
 4. Privacy.
 5. Franc-ly Speaking.
 6. Equality for All, Redux.
 7. Apples and Oranges.
 8. Makin' Objects.
 9. Times We're Livin' In.
10. Interesting Times.
11. The Root of All Evil.
12. Addition, Finally.
13. Make It.
14. Change.
15. Mixed Currencies.
16. Abstraction, Finally.
17. Money Retrospective.

II. The xUnit Example.

18. First Steps to xUnit.
19. Set the Table.
20. Cleaning Up After.
21. Counting.
22. Dealing with Failure.
23. How Suite It Is.
24. xUnit Retrospective.

III. Patterns for Test-Driven Development.

25. Test-Driven Development Patterns.
26. Red Bar Patterns.
27. Testing Patterns.
28. Green Bar Patterns.
29. xUnit Patterns.
30. Design Patterns.
31. Refactoring.
32. Mastering TDD.
Appendix I: Influence Diagrams.
Appendix II: Fibonacci.
Afterword.
Index. 0321146530T10172002

Back Cover

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:

Solve complicated tasks, beginning with the simple and proceeding to the more complex.

Write automated tests before coding.

Grow a design organically by refactoring to add design decisions one at a time.

Create tests for more complicated logic, including reflection and exceptions.

Use patterns to decide what tests to write.

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.

0321146530B10172002

Author

Kent Beck consistently challenges software engineering dogma, promoting ideas like patterns, test-driven development, and Extreme Programming. Currently affiliated with Three Rivers Institute and Agitar Software, he is the author of many Addison-Wesley titles.