Test-Driven Development

Overview

Write a failing test before writing the code that makes it pass. For bug fixes, reproduce the bug with a test before attempting a fix. Tests are proof — "seems right" is not done. A codebase with good tests is an AI agent's superpower; a codebase without tests is a liability.

When to Use

• Implementing any new logic or behavior
• Fixing any bug (the Prove-It Pattern)
• Modifying existing functionality
• Adding edge case handling
• Any change that could break existing behavior

When NOT to use: Pure configuration changes, documentation updates, or static content changes that have no behavioral impact.

Related: For embedded systems, combine host-based unit tests with HIL verification on target hardware — see the Embedded and Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing section below. See also embedded-debugging for crash analysis workflows.

The TDD Cycle

    RED                GREEN              REFACTOR
 Write a test    Write minimal code    Clean up the
 that fails  ──→  to make it pass  ──→  implementation  ──→  (repeat)
      │                  │                    │
      ▼                  ▼                    ▼
   Test FAILS        Test PASSES         Tests still PASS

Step 1: RED — Write a Failing Test

Write the test first. It must fail. A test that passes immediately proves nothing.

// RED: This test fails because createTask doesn't exist yet
describe('TaskService', () => {
  it('creates a task with title and default status', async () => {
    const task = await taskService.createTask({ title: 'Buy groceries' });

    expect(task.id).toBeDefined();
    expect(task.title).toBe('Buy groceries');
    expect(task.status).toBe('pending');
    expect(task.createdAt).toBeInstanceOf(Date);
  });
});

Step 2: GREEN — Make It Pass

Write the minimum code to make the test pass. Don't over-engineer:

// GREEN: Minimal implementation
export async function createTask(input: { title: string }): Promise<Task> {
  const task = {
    id: generateId(),
    title: input.title,
    status: 'pending' as const,
    createdAt: new Date(),
  };
  await db.tasks.insert(task);
  return task;
}

Step 3: REFACTOR — Clean Up

With tests green, improve the code without changing behavior:

• Extract shared logic
• Improve naming
• Remove duplication
• Optimize if necessary

Run tests after every refactor step to confirm nothing broke.

The Prove-It Pattern (Bug Fixes)

When a bug is reported, do not start by trying to fix it. Start by writing a test that reproduces it.

Bug report arrives
       │
       ▼
  Write a test that demonstrates the bug
       │
       ▼
  Test FAILS (confirming the bug exists)
       │
       ▼
  Implement the fix
       │
       ▼
  Test PASSES (proving the fix works)
       │
       ▼
  Run full test suite (no regressions)

Example:

// Bug: "Completing a task doesn't update the completedAt timestamp"

// Step 1: Write the reproduction test (it should FAIL)
it('sets completedAt when task is completed', async () => {
  const task = await taskService.createTask({ title: 'Test' });
  const completed = await taskService.completeTask(task.id);

  expect(completed.status).toBe('completed');
  expect(completed.completedAt).toBeInstanceOf(Date);  // This fails → bug confirmed
});

// Step 2: Fix the bug
export async function completeTask(id: string): Promise<Task> {
  return db.tasks.update(id, {
    status: 'completed',
    completedAt: new Date(),  // This was missing
  });
}

// Step 3: Test passes → bug fixed, regression guarded

The Test Pyramid

Invest testing effort according to the pyramid — most tests should be small and fast, with progressively fewer tests at higher levels:

          ╱╲
         ╱  ╲         E2E Tests (~5%)
        ╱    ╲        Full system tests, real hardware
       ╱──────╲
      ╱        ╲      Integration Tests (~15%)
     ╱          ╲     Component interactions, API boundaries
    ╱────────────╲
   ╱              ╲   Unit Tests (~80%)
  ╱                ╲  Pure logic, isolated, milliseconds each
 ╱──────────────────╲

The Beyonce Rule: If you liked it, you should have put a test on it. Infrastructure changes, refactoring, and migrations are not responsible for catching your bugs — your tests are. If a change breaks your code and you didn't have a test for it, that's on you.

Test Sizes (Resource Model)

Beyond the pyramid levels, classify tests by what resources they consume:

Small tests should make up the vast majority of your suite. They're fast, reliable, and easy to debug when they fail.

Decision Guide

Is it pure logic with no side effects?
  → Unit test (small)

Does it cross a boundary (API, database, file system)?
  → Integration test (medium)

Is it a critical user flow that must work end-to-end?
  → E2E test (large) — limit these to critical paths

Writing Good Tests

Test State, Not Interactions

Assert on the outcome of an operation, not on which methods were called internally. Tests that verify method call sequences break when you refactor, even if the behavior is unchanged.

// Good: Tests what the function does (state-based)
it('returns tasks sorted by creation date, newest first', async () => {
  const tasks = await listTasks({ sortBy: 'createdAt', sortOrder: 'desc' });
  expect(tasks[0].createdAt.getTime())
    .toBeGreaterThan(tasks[1].createdAt.getTime());
});

// Bad: Tests how the function works internally (interaction-based)
it('calls db.query with ORDER BY created_at DESC', async () => {
  await listTasks({ sortBy: 'createdAt', sortOrder: 'desc' });
  expect(db.query).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
    expect.stringContaining('ORDER BY created_at DESC')
  );
});

DAMP Over DRY in Tests

In production code, DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) is usually right. In tests, DAMP (Descriptive And Meaningful Phrases) is better. A test should read like a specification — each test should tell a complete story without requiring the reader to trace through shared helpers.

// DAMP: Each test is self-contained and readable
it('rejects tasks with empty titles', () => {
  const input = { title: '', assignee: 'user-1' };
  expect(() => createTask(input)).toThrow('Title is required');
});

it('trims whitespace from titles', () => {
  const input = { title: '  Buy groceries  ', assignee: 'user-1' };
  const task = createTask(input);
  expect(task.title).toBe('Buy groceries');
});

// Over-DRY: Shared setup obscures what each test actually verifies
// (Don't do this just to avoid repeating the input shape)

Duplication in tests is acceptable when it makes each test independently understandable.

Prefer Real Implementations Over Mocks

Use the simplest test double that gets the job done. The more your tests use real code, the more confidence they provide.

Preference order (most to least preferred):
1. Real implementation  → Highest confidence, catches real bugs
2. Fake                 → In-memory version of a dependency (e.g., fake DB)
3. Stub                 → Returns canned data, no behavior
4. Mock (interaction)   → Verifies method calls — use sparingly

Use mocks only when: the real implementation is too slow, non-deterministic, or has side effects you can't control (external APIs, email sending). Over-mocking creates tests that pass while production breaks.

Use the Arrange-Act-Assert Pattern

it('marks overdue tasks when deadline has passed', () => {
  // Arrange: Set up the test scenario
  const task = createTask({
    title: 'Test',
    deadline: new Date('2025-01-01'),
  });

  // Act: Perform the action being tested
  const result = checkOverdue(task, new Date('2025-01-02'));

  // Assert: Verify the outcome
  expect(result.isOverdue).toBe(true);
});

One Assertion Per Concept

// Good: Each test verifies one behavior
it('rejects empty titles', () => { ... });
it('trims whitespace from titles', () => { ... });
it('enforces maximum title length', () => { ... });

// Bad: Everything in one test
it('validates titles correctly', () => {
  expect(() => createTask({ title: '' })).toThrow();
  expect(createTask({ title: '  hello  ' }).title).toBe('hello');
  expect(() => createTask({ title: 'a'.repeat(256) })).toThrow();
});

Name Tests Descriptively

// Good: Reads like a specification
describe('TaskService.completeTask', () => {
  it('sets status to completed and records timestamp', ...);
  it('throws NotFoundError for non-existent task', ...);
  it('is idempotent — completing an already-completed task is a no-op', ...);
  it('sends notification to task assignee', ...);
});

// Bad: Vague names
describe('TaskService', () => {
  it('works', ...);
  it('handles errors', ...);
  it('test 3', ...);
});

Test Anti-Patterns to Avoid

Embedded and Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing

For embedded systems, unit tests on the host are essential but insufficient. Combine with:

• Host-based unit tests (Ceedling/Unity/CMock) for pure logic — fast, deterministic, no hardware needed
• Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) for peripheral interaction and timing — run on target or with a simulator (QEMU, Renode)
• On-target tests for memory layout, startup code, and ISR behavior — run on real hardware with debugger attached

Testing Decision Guide

Is it pure logic with no hardware dependency?
  → Host-based unit test (Ceedling/Unity/CMock)

Does it interact with a peripheral or have timing constraints?
  → HIL test on target or simulator

Does it depend on memory layout, boot sequence, or ISR context?
  → On-target test with JTAG/SWD

Is it a critical safety path?
  → All three levels

See embedded-debugging for crash analysis workflows and embedded-build-and-toolchain for cross-compilation test setups.

When to Use Subagents for Testing

For complex bug fixes, spawn a subagent to write the reproduction test:

Main agent: "Spawn a subagent to write a test that reproduces this bug:
[bug description]. The test should fail with the current code."

Subagent: Writes the reproduction test

Main agent: Verifies the test fails, then implements the fix,
then verifies the test passes.

This separation ensures the test is written without knowledge of the fix, making it more robust.

See Also

For detailed testing patterns, examples, and anti-patterns across frameworks, see references/testing-patterns.md.

Common Rationalizations

Red Flags

• Writing code without any corresponding tests
• Tests that pass on the first run (they may not be testing what you think)
• "All tests pass" but no tests were actually run
• Bug fixes without reproduction tests
• Tests that test framework behavior instead of application behavior
• Test names that don't describe the expected behavior
• Skipping tests to make the suite pass
• Running the same test command twice in a row without any intervening code change

Verification

After completing any implementation:

• Every new behavior has a corresponding test
• All tests pass: ceedling test:all or equivalent
• Bug fixes include a reproduction test that failed before the fix
• Test names describe the behavior being verified
• No tests were skipped or disabled
• Coverage hasn't decreased (if tracked)

Note: Run each test command after a change that could affect the result. After a clean run, don't repeat the same command unless the code has changed since — re-running on unchanged code adds no confidence.