Test-Driven Java Development

Book excerpt: Invoke TDD principles for end-to-end application development with Java About This Book Explore the most popular TDD tools and frameworks and become more proficient in building applications Create applications with better code design, fewer bugs, and higher test coverage, enabling you to get them to market quickly Implement test-driven programming methods into your development workflows Who This Book Is For If you're an experienced Java developer and want to implement more effective methods of programming systems and applications, then this book is for you. What You Will Learn Explore the tools and frameworks required for effective TDD development Perform the Red-Green-Refactor process efficiently, the pillar around which all other TDD procedures are based Master effective unit testing in isolation from the rest of your code Design simple and easily maintainable codes by implementing different techniques Use mocking frameworks and techniques to easily write and quickly execute tests Develop an application to implement behaviour-driven development in conjunction with unit testing Enable and disable features using Feature Toggles In Detail Test-driven development (TDD) is a development approach that relies on a test-first procedure that emphasises writing a test before writing the necessary code, and then refactoring the code to optimize it. The value of performing TDD with Java, one of the most established programming languages, is to improve the productivity of programmers, the maintainability and performance of code, and develop a deeper understanding of the language and how to employ it effectively. Starting with the basics of TDD and reasons why its adoption is beneficial, this book will take you from the first steps of TDD with Java until you are confident enough to embrace the practice in your day-to-day routine. You'll be guided through setting up tools, frameworks, and the environment you need, and will dive right in to hands-on exercises with the goal of mastering one practice, tool, or framework at a time. You'll learn about the Red-Green-Refactor procedure, how to write unit tests, and how to use them as executable documentation. With this book you'll also discover how to design simple and easily maintainable code, work with mocks, utilise behaviour-driven development, refactor old legacy code, and release a half-finished feature to production with feature toggles. You will finish this book with a deep understanding of the test-driven development methodology and the confidence to apply it to application programming with Java. Style and approach An easy-to-follow, hands-on guide to building applications through effective coding practices. This book covers practical examples by introducing different problems, each one designed as a learning exercise to help you understand each aspect of TDD.