Test-Driven Development (TDD) Workflow

A disciplined approach to development where tests drive design and implementation.

The TDD Mantra

"Never write a line of code without a failing test."

The RED-GREEN-REFACTOR Cycle

RED Phase: Write a Failing Test

Goal: Define the expected behavior BEFORE implementation.

Rules:

1. Write the smallest test that fails
2. Test must fail for the RIGHT reason
3. Test should clearly express intent
4. Don't write implementation yet

Example:

// RED: Test the behavior we want
describe("Calculator", () => {
  it("should add two numbers", () => {
    const calc = new Calculator();
    expect(calc.add(2, 3)).toBe(5);
  });
});

// Run: npm test
// Result: FAIL - Calculator is not defined
// This is RED ✓

Checklist:

• Test is written
• Test fails when run
• Failure message is clear
• Test name describes expected behavior

GREEN Phase: Make the Test Pass

Goal: Write the MINIMUM code to pass the test.

Rules:

1. Do the simplest thing that works
2. Don't add extra features
3. Don't optimize
4. Just make it green

Example:

// GREEN: Minimum implementation to pass
class Calculator {
  add(a: number, b: number): number {
    return a + b; // Simplest thing that works
  }
}

// Run: npm test
// Result: PASS
// This is GREEN ✓

Checklist:

• Test passes
• No extra code added
• Implementation is minimal

REFACTOR Phase: Improve the Code

Goal: Clean up while keeping tests green.

Rules:

1. Only refactor with passing tests
2. Run tests after each change
3. Improve design, not behavior
4. Small, incremental changes

Examples of refactoring:

• Extract methods
• Rename for clarity
• Remove duplication
• Improve performance
• Add types/documentation

Checklist:

• Tests still pass
• Code is cleaner
• No behavior changed
• Ready for next RED

TDD in Practice

Starting a New Feature

1. Write high-level acceptance test (may not run yet)
2. Write first unit test (RED)
3. Implement minimum code (GREEN)
4. Refactor if needed (REFACTOR)
5. Repeat 2-4 until feature complete
6. Verify acceptance test passes

Test Structure (AAA Pattern)

it("should [behavior] when [condition]", () => {
  // Arrange - Set up test data and dependencies
  const user = createTestUser({ role: "admin" });
  const service = new UserService();

  // Act - Execute the code under test
  const result = service.getPermissions(user);

  // Assert - Verify expected outcomes
  expect(result).toContain("delete");
  expect(result).toContain("edit");
});

Test Naming Convention

[Unit]_[Scenario]_[ExpectedResult]

Examples:

• add_withPositiveNumbers_returnsSum
• login_withInvalidPassword_throwsAuthError
• getUser_whenNotFound_returnsNull

Test Categories

Unit Tests

• Single function/class in isolation
• Mock all dependencies
• Fast (<10ms per test)
• Run constantly during development

Integration Tests

• Multiple components together
• Real database (test instance)
• Slower but more realistic
• Run before commits

End-to-End Tests

• Full system through UI
• Slowest, most realistic
• Run in CI/CD pipeline
• Cover critical user paths

TDD Best Practices

DO:

• Start with the simplest case
• Write one test at a time
• Keep tests independent
• Test behavior, not implementation
• Use descriptive test names
• Commit after each green

DON'T:

• Write code before tests
• Test private methods directly
• Test framework code
• Overfit tests to implementation
• Skip the refactor phase

Edge Cases to Test

Always test:

• Empty inputs (null, undefined, [], {}, '')
• Boundary values (0, -1, MAX_INT, min/max dates)
• Error conditions (network fail, invalid input)
• Permission boundaries
• Concurrent access
• Unicode/special characters

Test Coverage Guidelines

Coverage is a metric, not a goal. 100% coverage doesn't mean bug-free.

Quick Reference

RED    → Write failing test (define behavior)
GREEN  → Minimum code to pass (make it work)
REFACTOR → Clean up (make it right)
COMMIT → Save progress (make it permanent)

Common TDD Mistakes