RE: Using refactoring to make code more testable Re: [refactoring] Using refactoring to make code more testable

Along similar lines, how do i get people to add tests? Most of the people I work with do not add any unit tests when submitting new code or fixing old bugs. It's a pretty generic question, but any approaches would help.

Thx

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:41:44 +0100
Subject: Re: [refactoring] Using refactoring to make code more testable Re: [refactoring] Using refactoring to make code more testable















 




    
                  

On 11 Oct 2009, at 20:48, Richard wrote:

[snip]

> Don't write tests just for the sake of writing tests, particularly on

> legacy code.  The changes you need to make to legacy code in order to

> make it testable can just as likely introduce defects as they will

> make the code testable.

[snip]



In addition it's been my experience that folk who just add tests for  

the sake of adding tests end up with a very fragile test suite -  

because they have to add a bunch of extra infrastructure to the test  

suite to deal with the non-TDD code the tests tend to produce a lot of  

false-fails. This is especially harmful when you're trying to  

introduce tests into a team coz people quickly stop trusting the tests.



> If you have defects to fix in that legacy code, then do traditional

> debugging to find the location of the fault and then do a minimal

> amount of decoupling around the fault so you can write a failing test,

> fix the fault and get a passing test.  Leave the rest alone.



That's what I'd do too. With maybe a few story-level tests on the top  

if I thought they'd have any long term value.



Adrian



-- 

http://quietstars.com  -  twitter.com/adrianh  -  delicious.com/adrianh





 

      

    
    
	
	
	
	


	


	
	 		 	   		  
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