agile testing best practices

Agile Testing Best Practices

Stephen RitchieDCAST March Meeting19-Mar-2013

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Agenda

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Motivation

Principles

Obstacles

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Motivation

Why Test Software?

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Chrysler New Yorker

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Motivation

Why Write Automated

Tests?

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Achieve Desired Results

• Software costs too much• Users demand quality• Testing takes too long• New features take too long

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Microscope: Visibility and Insight

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Smoke Detector: Problem Detection

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Weather Satellite: Advanced Warning

Software Works

Make Sure

As Intended

Automated Tests

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Agenda

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Motivation

Principles

Obstacles

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Agile Test Pyramid: Vision

Engineers

Testers

Aut

omat

ed

http://bit.ly/10QubsyGoogle “Agile Test Pyramid”

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Agile Test Pyramid: Reality

http://bit.ly/10QpUFGIce-Cream Cone Anti-Pattern

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Agile Test Quadrants

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Principles

1. Unit Test

Developer Tests“Intention Checking”

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Principles

2. Automate• Always running• Can't be bargained with• Can't be reasoned with• Tests don't feel pity or

remorse or fear• Absolutely will not stop,

ever, until you deliver a quality software product.

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Principles

2. Automate• CI Server

• Per Commit• Overnight Functional• Smoke Testing• Stability Testing• Performance/Load

• Automate Deployments• Project “Dashboard”

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Principles

3. Zero Configuration*

I can run your tests,You can run mine.

* One-time configuration is okay

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Principles

4. Fast

All tests run time efficiently

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Principles

5. Clear Results

Pass/Fail

Focused Test

Isolates Issue

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Principles

6. Easy to Maintain

Conventional

Brief

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Principles

7. TimelyTest-Driven Development (TDD)

Test As-It’s-Built

Test As-It’s-Fixed

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Agenda

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Motivation

Principles

Obstacles

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Requirements, Requirements, Requirements

•Too Abstract•Changing•Over Specification

Obstacle 1

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Specification by Example

Examples & Feature Files

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One Primary Assert To Rule Them All

One Primary Assert

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Time Crunch

Obstacle 2

Time Crunch

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Four Ways to Fake Time

• Virtual Machine• Isolate The System

• Inspect The Clock

• Dummy IClock

Fake Time

Real System Clock

Dummy Clock

IClock Interface

System Under Test

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Database Killed The Integration Test

Obstacle 3

DatabaseIntegration

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Fixture Setup and Data Arrangement

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Fixture Setup and Data Arrangement

• Schema Migration– RoundhousE– Flyway Db– Liquibase

• Data Arrangement– DbUnit &

NDbUnit

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Now We Have Too Much Test Code

Obstacle 4

Explosion ofTest Code

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Monitor Test Code Growth Rate

Control Growth• Monitor The Ratio

• Data-Drive Tests

• Boundary Analysis

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Bad Coupling

Obstacle 5Unhelpful Reuse

Unhelpful Repetition

Unhelpful Coupling

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In Test Code, Do Repeat Yourself ... Do Repeat Yourself

Test Code Is Different• Avoid Inheritance Reuse• Use “Context” Helpers• Repetition Is Better Than Coupling

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Agenda

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Motivation

Principles

Obstacles

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Of Course It’s Safe … After You

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Shameless Self Promotion Time!

• “Best Practices” Initiative• Tips and Tricks• Generate Ideas

• Quantifying Value• Biases & Aversions• Tools & Technologies

• Avoid Making the Same Mistake Once.

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Code and Slides

• Code: https://github.com/ruthlesshelp

• Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/ruthlesshelp

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Contact Me

• Email: stephen.ritchie@excella.com• Twitter: @ruthlesshelp• Blog: http://ruthlesslyhelpful.net• LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/

sritchie