Driving with Tests

I admit I am not a strict TDD developer. I write my logic first, and then move on to writing tests wherever I feel its applicable. It works for (at least until now), and looks right to me. This year I have put down an objective for myself to be a bit more strict in this area. I would want to start any feature implementation by writing its tests first and then get the code done, thus driving with tests. As a start, I did a small piece of functionality with this approach, and, I actually enjoyed it. I mean I enjoyed it so much that I was supposed to leave office early to get somewhere, I actually postponed it to complete my TDD approach. Sweet!(Umm that’s geeky, I know I know…) I had heard several experts saying that once you get onto the wagon of TDD, it would be the feel the most appropriate thing to do and would be hard to get off it.

I would suggest folks like me out there to give it a shot, make a task in your Outlook (or Lotus Notes, good bless you in that case!) to implement at least one teeny tiny feature with TDD approach. I think you would appreciate it. And if not, well… no one is stopping you from the Gung-Ho style Winking smile.

Happy Programming!

Abhang Rane


The next shiny thing

Warning : This post is more of self-criticism.

I have been a technical guy for a good part of my professional career, which is a good thing I think. I come across certain technologies at my work, I use them to solve problems. I also try to look out the window for more technologies that might help me get better at my work. This might involve a completely new technology (outside of the .NET world that I more accustomed to). Although I do get carried away sometimes with the next big thing. So I am working on WinForms Infragistics and creating some UI applications, next I realize there is HTML5, everything else is so not cool. So I have all kinds of HTML5 resources around me and I am excited. Then the REST web api catches my eye. Ah sweet, I need to get on that! And now I am scratching my head for how to solve problems using web api.

I think technology will come and go like it did until now. It is upon us to not get carried away by all kinds of things come up here and there. Sure, read about it, try to work out any useful things out of it, but be aware of the shiny trap. You should not end up being to know a 100 things and not 1 of them has been practically applied anywhere. This is a kind of addiction for sure, but stay focused by writing such posts every now and then Winking smile.

Abhang Rane