Quality Code: Software Testing Principles, Practices, and Patterns

Where Did I Put That Intent?

Intent can be a slippery thing. In broader society, you have phrases like “intentional living.” When you practice intentional living, you attempt to treat every action as deliberate rather than habitual or accidental, with a consideration about the place and consequences of those actions in their context. Clarity of intention is also frequently associated with minimalist approaches. It takes more discipline and effort to practice it than is immediately obvious.

Software requires the same attentiveness. Having worked on a number of projects and products with human safety implications, I have become sensitive to the consequences of the code I write. These consequences extend to all software to some degree. The e-mail ...