Six Real World Problems That Can Be Solved Immediately With IoT
24 July 2017
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At Digi117, we like to engage in unit testing because it helps us work with more confidence. This is because we know that the functionality of the code we wrote is correct. As a result, it also helps us work faster and more efficiently.
Sometimes software development teams cut corners because of a tight deadline or budget constraints. But regardless, unit testing is something that shouldn’t be skipped because it provides assurance, prevents accidents, and helps determine a probable cause and enables the formulation of safety recommendations.
Unit testing in a nutshell
Unit testing can be described as the testing of individual components or units of a particular software. The primary purpose here is to validate each software component to ensure that it performs as intended.
Unit tests apply to the smallest testable part of the software that is usually made up of one or more inputs and a single output. This process can ensure that the team is achieving the stated requirements of the project and enables objective measures and assessments as to the degree of conformity.
These tests are separate code pieces that are written to test for any errors in the logic and functions. Furthermore, this code will need to be maintained throughout the development cycle of the project.
It’s a vital part of software development as it’s essentially the foundation of assurance and reliability which is the bedrock of responsive and agile construction. This is because it tests for things a software engineer may not think of, so by engaging in this activity, if there are errors, they can be quickly identified and resolved.
When you’re building large enterprise applications, this kind of assurance is critical as you move forward. But engaging in this activity also has the potential to grind software development to a halt. However, it’s worth the investment as it will ultimately reduce the costs that are associated with buggy software.
Why implement a test driven development (TDD)
Unit tests are usually created by the developer because it requires significant insight into the code. So it’s best to put someone close to the project in charge of it. Some developers even benefit from doing this as it helps them understand the code a lot better.
Development teams should also incorporate TDD where coding, testing, and design are all interwoven. In this scenario, a programmer will write a single unit test describing an aspect of the program, run the test, and if it fails because the program lacks a particular feature, then just write enough code to ensure that it passes the test.
The code will be refactored until it conforms to the criteria of simplicity (and these tests are repeated over a period of time). Furthermore, this approach will ensure that all coders contribute fewer bugs when it’s time to deliver the product.
Unit testing is the best way to negate end user frustration because of a buggy final product. While it’s usually utilized in larger projects, smaller ones can still benefit from it a great deal.
As unit tests are modular in nature, you can be sure to allow new additions and changes to larger projects without interfering with other parts of the code.
It’s important to note that test scripts that aren’t written correctly can quickly turn into a burden for development teams. So you have to ensure that you get them right to deliver a bug-free product.
