From: Curt Sampson <cjs@...>
Date: 2002-08-12T12:49:55+09:00
Subject: RE: Unit testing is considered harmful

On Sat, 10 Aug 2002, Rich Kilmer wrote:

> ...and I found myself iterating toward complete unit
> testing of my public interface/behavior while the unit tests served as a
> "sounding board" for my design (API simplicity, etc) as well as a
> verifier of functionality.  It was much more back and forth for me than
> test first...all specifications defined...write code.

This is actually a very important part (or consequence) of the "test
first" strategy: the unit tests not only serve to make sure that what
you have works, but let you concentrate first on the interface for
whatever it is you're trying to build.

I am always having the experience of thinking I wanted to write
something in a certain way, sitting down and writing unit tests,
and just while writing the tests realizing that I need a different
API than what I'd thought.

cjs
-- 
Curt Sampson  <cjs@cynic.net>   +81 90 7737 2974   http://www.netbsd.org
    Don't you know, in this new Dark Age, we're all light.  --XTC