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skills/test-driven-development/SKILL.md
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skills/test-driven-development/SKILL.md
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---
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name: test-driven-development
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description: Use when implementing any feature or bugfix, before writing implementation code - write the test first, watch it fail, write minimal code to pass; ensures tests actually verify behavior by requiring failure first
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---
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# Test-Driven Development (TDD)
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## Overview
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Write the test first. Watch it fail. Write minimal code to pass.
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**Core principle:** If you didn't watch the test fail, you don't know if it tests the right thing.
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**Violating the letter of the rules is violating the spirit of the rules.**
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## When to Use
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**Always:**
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- New features
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- Bug fixes
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- Refactoring
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- Behavior changes
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**Exceptions (ask your human partner):**
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- Throwaway prototypes
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- Generated code
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- Configuration files
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Thinking "skip TDD just this once"? Stop. That's rationalization.
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## The Iron Law
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```
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NO PRODUCTION CODE WITHOUT A FAILING TEST FIRST
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```
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Write code before the test? Delete it. Start over.
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**No exceptions:**
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- Don't keep it as "reference"
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- Don't "adapt" it while writing tests
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- Don't look at it
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- Delete means delete
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Implement fresh from tests. Period.
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## Red-Green-Refactor
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```dot
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digraph tdd_cycle {
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rankdir=LR;
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red [label="RED\nWrite failing test", shape=box, style=filled, fillcolor="#ffcccc"];
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verify_red [label="Verify fails\ncorrectly", shape=diamond];
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green [label="GREEN\nMinimal code", shape=box, style=filled, fillcolor="#ccffcc"];
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verify_green [label="Verify passes\nAll green", shape=diamond];
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refactor [label="REFACTOR\nClean up", shape=box, style=filled, fillcolor="#ccccff"];
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next [label="Next", shape=ellipse];
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red -> verify_red;
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verify_red -> green [label="yes"];
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verify_red -> red [label="wrong\nfailure"];
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green -> verify_green;
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verify_green -> refactor [label="yes"];
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verify_green -> green [label="no"];
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refactor -> verify_green [label="stay\ngreen"];
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verify_green -> next;
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next -> red;
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}
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```
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### RED - Write Failing Test
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Write one minimal test showing what should happen.
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<Good>
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```typescript
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test('retries failed operations 3 times', async () => {
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let attempts = 0;
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const operation = () => {
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attempts++;
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if (attempts < 3) throw new Error('fail');
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return 'success';
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};
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const result = await retryOperation(operation);
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expect(result).toBe('success');
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expect(attempts).toBe(3);
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});
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```
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Clear name, tests real behavior, one thing
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</Good>
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<Bad>
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```typescript
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test('retry works', async () => {
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const mock = jest.fn()
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.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error())
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.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error())
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.mockResolvedValueOnce('success');
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await retryOperation(mock);
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expect(mock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
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});
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```
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Vague name, tests mock not code
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</Bad>
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**Requirements:**
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- One behavior
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- Clear name
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- Real code (no mocks unless unavoidable)
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### Verify RED - Watch It Fail
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**MANDATORY. Never skip.**
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```bash
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npm test path/to/test.test.ts
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```
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Confirm:
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- Test fails (not errors)
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- Failure message is expected
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- Fails because feature missing (not typos)
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**Test passes?** You're testing existing behavior. Fix test.
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**Test errors?** Fix error, re-run until it fails correctly.
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### GREEN - Minimal Code
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Write simplest code to pass the test.
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<Good>
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```typescript
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async function retryOperation<T>(fn: () => Promise<T>): Promise<T> {
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for (let i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
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try {
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return await fn();
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} catch (e) {
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if (i === 2) throw e;
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}
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}
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throw new Error('unreachable');
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}
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```
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Just enough to pass
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</Good>
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<Bad>
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```typescript
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async function retryOperation<T>(
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fn: () => Promise<T>,
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options?: {
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maxRetries?: number;
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backoff?: 'linear' | 'exponential';
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onRetry?: (attempt: number) => void;
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}
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): Promise<T> {
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// YAGNI
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}
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```
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Over-engineered
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</Bad>
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Don't add features, refactor other code, or "improve" beyond the test.
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### Verify GREEN - Watch It Pass
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**MANDATORY.**
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```bash
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npm test path/to/test.test.ts
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```
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Confirm:
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- Test passes
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- Other tests still pass
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- Output pristine (no errors, warnings)
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**Test fails?** Fix code, not test.
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**Other tests fail?** Fix now.
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### REFACTOR - Clean Up
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After green only:
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- Remove duplication
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- Improve names
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- Extract helpers
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Keep tests green. Don't add behavior.
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### Repeat
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Next failing test for next feature.
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## Good Tests
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| Quality | Good | Bad |
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|---------|------|-----|
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| **Minimal** | One thing. "and" in name? Split it. | `test('validates email and domain and whitespace')` |
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| **Clear** | Name describes behavior | `test('test1')` |
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| **Shows intent** | Demonstrates desired API | Obscures what code should do |
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## Why Order Matters
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**"I'll write tests after to verify it works"**
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Tests written after code pass immediately. Passing immediately proves nothing:
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- Might test wrong thing
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- Might test implementation, not behavior
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- Might miss edge cases you forgot
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- You never saw it catch the bug
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Test-first forces you to see the test fail, proving it actually tests something.
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**"I already manually tested all the edge cases"**
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Manual testing is ad-hoc. You think you tested everything but:
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- No record of what you tested
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- Can't re-run when code changes
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- Easy to forget cases under pressure
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- "It worked when I tried it" ≠ comprehensive
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Automated tests are systematic. They run the same way every time.
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**"Deleting X hours of work is wasteful"**
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Sunk cost fallacy. The time is already gone. Your choice now:
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- Delete and rewrite with TDD (X more hours, high confidence)
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- Keep it and add tests after (30 min, low confidence, likely bugs)
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The "waste" is keeping code you can't trust. Working code without real tests is technical debt.
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**"TDD is dogmatic, being pragmatic means adapting"**
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TDD IS pragmatic:
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- Finds bugs before commit (faster than debugging after)
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- Prevents regressions (tests catch breaks immediately)
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- Documents behavior (tests show how to use code)
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- Enables refactoring (change freely, tests catch breaks)
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"Pragmatic" shortcuts = debugging in production = slower.
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**"Tests after achieve the same goals - it's spirit not ritual"**
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No. Tests-after answer "What does this do?" Tests-first answer "What should this do?"
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Tests-after are biased by your implementation. You test what you built, not what's required. You verify remembered edge cases, not discovered ones.
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Tests-first force edge case discovery before implementing. Tests-after verify you remembered everything (you didn't).
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30 minutes of tests after ≠ TDD. You get coverage, lose proof tests work.
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## Common Rationalizations
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| Excuse | Reality |
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|--------|---------|
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| "Too simple to test" | Simple code breaks. Test takes 30 seconds. |
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| "I'll test after" | Tests passing immediately prove nothing. |
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| "Tests after achieve same goals" | Tests-after = "what does this do?" Tests-first = "what should this do?" |
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| "Already manually tested" | Ad-hoc ≠ systematic. No record, can't re-run. |
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| "Deleting X hours is wasteful" | Sunk cost fallacy. Keeping unverified code is technical debt. |
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| "Keep as reference, write tests first" | You'll adapt it. That's testing after. Delete means delete. |
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| "Need to explore first" | Fine. Throw away exploration, start with TDD. |
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| "Test hard = design unclear" | Listen to test. Hard to test = hard to use. |
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| "TDD will slow me down" | TDD faster than debugging. Pragmatic = test-first. |
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| "Manual test faster" | Manual doesn't prove edge cases. You'll re-test every change. |
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| "Existing code has no tests" | You're improving it. Add tests for existing code. |
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## Red Flags - STOP and Start Over
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- Code before test
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- Test after implementation
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- Test passes immediately
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- Can't explain why test failed
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- Tests added "later"
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- Rationalizing "just this once"
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- "I already manually tested it"
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- "Tests after achieve the same purpose"
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- "It's about spirit not ritual"
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- "Keep as reference" or "adapt existing code"
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- "Already spent X hours, deleting is wasteful"
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- "TDD is dogmatic, I'm being pragmatic"
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- "This is different because..."
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**All of these mean: Delete code. Start over with TDD.**
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## Example: Bug Fix
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**Bug:** Empty email accepted
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**RED**
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```typescript
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test('rejects empty email', async () => {
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const result = await submitForm({ email: '' });
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expect(result.error).toBe('Email required');
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});
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```
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**Verify RED**
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```bash
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$ npm test
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FAIL: expected 'Email required', got undefined
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```
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**GREEN**
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```typescript
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function submitForm(data: FormData) {
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if (!data.email?.trim()) {
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return { error: 'Email required' };
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}
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// ...
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}
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```
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**Verify GREEN**
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```bash
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$ npm test
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PASS
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```
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**REFACTOR**
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Extract validation for multiple fields if needed.
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## Verification Checklist
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Before marking work complete:
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- [ ] Every new function/method has a test
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- [ ] Watched each test fail before implementing
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- [ ] Each test failed for expected reason (feature missing, not typo)
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- [ ] Wrote minimal code to pass each test
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- [ ] All tests pass
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- [ ] Output pristine (no errors, warnings)
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- [ ] Tests use real code (mocks only if unavoidable)
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- [ ] Edge cases and errors covered
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Can't check all boxes? You skipped TDD. Start over.
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## When Stuck
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| Problem | Solution |
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|---------|----------|
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| Don't know how to test | Write wished-for API. Write assertion first. Ask your human partner. |
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| Test too complicated | Design too complicated. Simplify interface. |
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| Must mock everything | Code too coupled. Use dependency injection. |
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| Test setup huge | Extract helpers. Still complex? Simplify design. |
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## Debugging Integration
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Bug found? Write failing test reproducing it. Follow TDD cycle. Test proves fix and prevents regression.
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Never fix bugs without a test.
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## Final Rule
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```
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Production code → test exists and failed first
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Otherwise → not TDD
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```
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No exceptions without your human partner's permission.
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Reference in New Issue
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