Exploring TDD’s Role in Software Quality Assurance
Explore the origins and evolution of TDD and its role in modern software testing through the lens of its origins in the Chrysler Comprehensive Compensation project.
In this lesson, we’ll take a critical look at what TDD has brought to the testing table, and what remains human activities. While TDD undoubtedly has advantages as part of a test strategy, it can never be the entire strategy for a successful software system.
Understanding the limits of TDD
TDD is a relatively recent discipline as far as mainstream development goes. The modern genesis of TDD lies with Kent Beck in the Chrysler Comprehensive Compensation System. The project began in 1993, and Kent Beck’s involvement commenced in 1996.
The genesis of TDD
The Chrysler Comprehensive Compensation project was characterized by extensive use of unit tests driving small iterations and frequent releases of code. Hopefully, we recognize those ideas from the preceding chapters in this course. Much has changed since then—the deployment options are different, the number of users has increased, and agile approaches are more common—but the goals of testing remain the same. Those goals are to drive ...