December 2024 Roundup: Kickstart your TDD Project in a Sandbox, Expert Insights, and Must-Attend Online Events
Hello TDD Enthusiasts,
Happy New Year 2025! ??
As we bid farewell to this year, we’re also wrapping up our final edition of the TDD newsletter for 2024. But don’t worry, 2025 promises a fresh approach, new ideas, and exciting TDD content to look forward to!
In this edition, we’re focusing on getting started with TDD in a controlled setup, sharing valuable insights from experienced practitioners, and highlighting must-attend events in January 2025.
Ready? Let’s dive in!
?? Topic of the Month: Implementing TDD in a Sandbox Project First
Implementing TDD in real-world projects can feel overwhelming. That’s why starting with a TDD Sandbox Project is a smart move. It bridges the gap between theoretical exercises and the complexities of production code. Here’s why it’s the perfect stepping stone before tackling legacy systems.
Katas are too basic; real projects are too complex. A Sandbox Project strikes the right balance, offering a manageable yet realistic environment to practice and build confidence.
Here’s how it can help:
1. Katas don’t prepare you for real-world problems
TDD katas typically revolve around basic, standalone exercises, such as algorithm puzzles like FizzBuzz. While helpful for grasping fundamentals, they rarely address handling dependencies, integrations, or database interactions which are the key aspects of real-world software development.
The advantage of a Sandbox Project:
? provides a practical environment for honing TDD skills, mimicking real-world scenarios involving dependencies and complex systems
2. Real projects can be too intimidating
Jumping straight into TDD with a live project can feel like diving into the deep end. Complex domain logic, legacy code, and architectural constraints make it hard to focus on learning TDD. The added pressure of setting up tools like Docker, Test containers, or Pact can quickly become overwhelming.
Why a Sandbox Project is ideal:
? offers a simplified version of real-world scenarios, without the added stress of tackling business logic or complicated setups.
3. Safe space for learning and experimenting
Applying TDD directly to production projects can be risky. Breaking dependencies might introduce bugs; incomplete test coverage during refactoring can cause real issues. The learning process itself can also slow down delivery and increase pressure.
Why a Sandbox Project reduces risk:
? mistakes are harmless in a sandbox. You can experiment, make errors, and learn without affecting production or delivery timelines.
4. Build credibility as a change leader
Adopting TDD often requires someone to champion the practice. However, advocating for TDD without sufficient experience can lead to poor implementation and resistance from your team. Convincing management and teammates also requires a clear demonstration of its benefits.
Why a Sandbox Project is essential:
? use the sandbox to showcase tangible results, making getting buy-in from your team and management easier while avoiding common pitfalls.
Source: Optivem Journal
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?? Highlighted Experts' Posts on TDD
Paul explains that breaking the problem down into first solving the issue and then having a separate step to just clean and tidy up is very liberating.
Grenning suggests that small steps, guided by cause and effect, are powerful across technical tasks and central to TDD.
Dekker shares the feedback from the book TDD for Embedded C, where he highlights how programming is about validating behavior through tests, benefiting both development and legacy code.
Taking insights from Kent Beck, Jelena highlights that TDD helps focus on meaningful design changes that simplify future behavior adjustments.
?? Upcoming Events and Webinars
Date: 30-31 January 2025, Online
Practical, pragmatic, and realistic Clean Architecture certification training for Java developers building large-scale applications. Register here
Date: 8 January 2025, Online
Interactive session with like-minded people learning to upskill TDD with full hands-on training and discussions supported by James and Texas. Register here
Date: 23 January 2025, London
Engage in this fun session to get started with coding kata. You'll collaborate with software crafters, practice your Test Driven Development skills, and build a network in the process! Register here
Have a good day! ??
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Wingman Software - Coaching and training in Agile technical practices - Author Test-Driven Development for Embedded C
1 个月Thanks for the mention.