SWIFT: The Five Qualities of Valuable Tests
A valuable test saves time and effort over the long term, while a poor test costs time and effort. I’ve focused on five qualities that tend to make a test save time and effort. The absence of these qualities is often a sign that the test could be a problem in the future. I’ve even managed to turn them into an acronym that is only slightly contrived: SWIFT:
- Straightforward
- Well defined
- Independent
- Fast
- Truthful
Let’s explore those in more detail.
Straightforward
A test is straightforward if its purpose is immediately understandable.
Straightforwardness in testing goes beyond just having clear code. A straightforward test is also clear about how it fits into the larger test suite. It should test something ...
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