What Is Test-Driven Development In SAFe®?

 

Test-driven development, or TDD, is a software testing process that relies on an incremental cycle of testing and coding. In the most basic form of test-driven development, programmers implement a test suite to evaluate components of their system before writing the production code.

Let’s have a clear understanding of TDD in SAFe in this blog section.

 

Test-Driven Development (TDD) Process

Diagram

Description automatically generated

Figure: Test-Driven Development (TDD) Process

(Source: Scaled Agile Inc.)

 

1.      First, write a test and make sure the developer understands the mandatory behaviour. This is a new test or a change to an existing test.

2.      Test execution and oversee how that goes wrong. This may seem pointless as there is no code yet, but it has two useful purposes: to make sure the test works out, including any test harnesses, and to show how the system behaves when the code is invalid.

3.      Create the smallest amount of code in order to clear out the test. If that does not work, review or try the code until it works normally.

4.      Keep on establishing new codes till complete all tests. This action gives the developer confidence that the changes they made were updated and did not cause errors elsewhere in the system.

5.      Refactors are necessary to meet the change in needs. Testers constantly change projects to make sure that changing needs, combined with a expanding codebase, do not cause poor code.

In XP, this practice was designed primarily to be used in the context of unit tests, i.e., tests written by developers to evaluate a class or method. It is a form of white-box testing as it checks inside the system and for different code paths. To ensure high quality, developers work with a colleague to write code and test that code. This provides multiple perspectives on the code and allows for integrated reviews.

Although the tests are designed independently of the code, they provide another pair of eyes for evaluating the code. Unit testing enables developers to refactor with the confidence that they won't introduce new bugs into their code and that the design of their code will remain sound.

 

Unit Tests

 

TDD creates a number of self-checking tests, which allows QA and testing staff to focus on component interactions and more complex behaviour rather than spending time looking for coding errors.

In open-source community, developers write unit test frameworks for many programming languages, such as C/C++/C#/Python/Java. A unit test framework provides a system for developers to create and carry out unit tests on their code, as well as automatically run these tests in an automated fashion.

TDD has test & code together and so they can occur at the same iteration. This lets a team automate regression tests, which improves quality and efficiency.

 

Component Test

 

Testing teams will also assess system components at a large scale. Their tests can be seen in various architecture layers that give for features or other services. Testing tools and practices will vary among different development organizations.

For example, component testing can also be done in a programming language. Team members may not even consider it as a separate function, as they consider component testing part of their testing strategy.

The developers themselves can write tests in any language or environment in which they are most productive. These tests can be automated, and they serve as a safety net against new code and refactoring.

 

Final Thoughts

Test-Driven Development (TDD) is an Agile software development approach to software engineering that values the creation of good, testable code that can be easily maintained. TDD in SAFe® may seem complicated to beginners, but it's actually quite simple. Its focus is on driving development from tests, not requirements or designs.

As a developer, you can gain knowledge on Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) and understand the values in its implementation through SAFe Training.

Became a SAFe expert by earning globally recognized credential “SAFe Certification”. Know more to get started today!

 

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