Testing Is Bad For Developer Productivity

Summary

The video discusses how testing can negatively impact developer productivity if not treated as a first-class activity. Key issues include writing tests for complex legacy code, struggling to determine what/how to test, and long test runtimes. Solutions involve testing early, thinking deeply about requirements when writing tests, optimizing for test speed, and recognizing that testing is integral to development. The overall message is to make testing a priority, not an afterthought, to improve productivity.

Takeaways

• 🛠️ Writing tests for existing code is challenging due to lack of clarity on the code's functionality and the trade-offs made during its development.
• 📝 Writing tests as close as possible to the time of writing the production code, ideally beforehand, ensures better testability and understanding.
• 🔥 Tests that take a long time to run disrupt developers' flow and productivity, emphasizing the need for fast, efficient testing practices.
• 🤖 Thinking critically about what to test and how to test it is a crucial part of a developer's job, enhancing code quality and reliability.
• 📈 Treating testing as a first-class citizen in the development process is essential for maintaining high standards of quality and performance.
• 📱 Utilizing techniques like running tests in parallel and predictive test selection can significantly reduce testing time and improve efficiency.
• 👍 Prioritizing the development of tests that can run quickly and independently, without the need for complex setups or dependencies, enhances agility.
• 📚 Documenting assumptions and expected behaviors through automated tests serves as valuable, continuously validated documentation for developers.
• 🚀 Embracing a mindset of continuous integration and delivery requires integrating testing deeply into the development workflow for constant feedback.
• 💻 Making tests a core part of the development process ensures that changes do not inadvertently break existing functionalities.

Q & A

What is the main concern addressed regarding testing in software development?

The main concern addressed is that testing is often viewed as detrimental to developer productivity, leading to frustration and the feeling of not completing work efficiently.

Why is writing tests for existing code challenging?

Writing tests for existing code is challenging because developers may not remember the specifics of the code, including its intended functionality and the trade-offs made during its development, making it hard to know which tests to write.

What is the recommended approach to writing tests according to the video?

The recommended approach is to write tests as close as possible to the time of writing the production code, ideally beforehand, to ensure the code is easier to test and to avoid jeopardizing existing features.

What makes it hard to write tests, even when developers are ready and willing?

It's difficult to know what the tests should be, how to test the code effectively, and under which circumstances to test to ensure the code works correctly, requiring significant thought and planning.

How does writing tests benefit the development process?

Writing tests documents the expected behavior of the code under various conditions, assists in thinking through the code's functionality, and provides a continuously verified documentation through automated tests.

What issue do long-running tests pose to developer productivity?

Long-running tests interrupt the development flow by causing delays in feedback, leading to context switching and reduced efficiency.

What strategies can be employed to make tests run faster?

Strategies include pushing tests down the testing pyramid, making unit tests run quickly without external dependencies, running tests in parallel, and using predictive test selection to run a subset of tests.

Why is treating testing as a first-class citizen important in software development?

Treating testing as a first-class citizen ensures that tests are given priority, leading to fast-performing tests that enhance productivity and ensure that assumptions about code functionality are continuously validated.

What is the significance of thinking about what to test in the development process?

The thinking process involved in deciding what to test is crucial as it involves thorough consideration of the code's behavior and functionality, which is a fundamental aspect of a developer's job.

How does the video suggest supporting the continuous delivery channel?

The video suggests supporting the continuous delivery channel through Patreon, implying the value of financial contributions in sustaining the content and efforts of the channel.