Test-Driven Development Workflow

Ensure all code development follows TDD principles with 80%+ code coverage.

When to Activate

• Writing new features or functionality
• Fixing bugs or issues
• Refactoring existing code
• User says "write tests", "add specs", "how should I test this"

Quick Start

1. Write user journey in acceptance-test format ("As a [role], I want...")
2. Generate test cases (happy path + edge cases + errors)
3. Run tests → verify RED state (must fail before implementation)
4. Implement minimal code to make tests pass → GREEN state
5. Refactor while keeping tests green
6. Verify 80%+ coverage achieved

Key Concepts

• Tests before code — Write tests first, then implementation
• RED-GREEN-REFACTOR — Fail → Pass → Improve (no exceptions)
• 80% coverage minimum — Unit, integration, and E2E combined
• Unit-level isolation — Mock dependencies, test behavior not implementation
• Independent tests — No test ordering dependencies; each can run solo

Common Usage

Most frequent patterns:

• Unit tests for functions and components
• Integration tests for API endpoints and database operations
• E2E tests for critical user flows
• Edge case and error path testing
• Fast execution (unit tests < 50ms each)

References

• references/workflow-steps.md — Detailed 7-step TDD cycle with git checkpoints
• references/patterns-and-best-practices.md — Test patterns, common mistakes, success metrics