My Agent Skill for Test-Driven Development
a day ago
- #AI testing
- #software design
- #TDD guidance
- AI agents currently struggle with writing effective tests, often producing vague or disorganized ones.
- Human-written test examples are often poor quality, making it difficult for agents to learn good practices.
- With proper guidance like Kent Beck's Canon TDD, agents can follow a rational process and write clear, meaningful tests.
- The specify-encode-fulfill (SEF) loop is introduced as an alternative to red-green-refactor for structuring TDD.
- Canon TDD involves listing specifications, encoding them as tests, and minimally changing code to pass each test.
- Additional skills like Test Design Review and Software Design Review help agents identify and fix design violations in tests.
- Agents sometimes recognize when it's necessary to 'clean the kitchen' (refactor) before proceeding with new code.
- Combining AI with timeless software design principles leads to significant productivity gains, even if perfection isn't always achieved.