The Value of Small Tests

Whenever unit-tests are written, chances are good that the code is not isolated. Many tests run against a given class/interface/function. The design didn’t consider isolating the dependencies of this function, which makes tests slower, larger, less focused, and likely depending on external dependencies (e.g. database access) which decreases the reliability. In addition, it disables much of the interaction-based testing or verification of behavior at error conditions. In this session I will demonstrate the value of small, isolated tests and explain good engineering practices for how to structure them. I will review examples in several programming languages and domains including C++ and Java, but also on web applications, UMTS Protocol Design and Testing (Device Testing), and other platforms.  Talk give at the Third Annual Google Test Automation Conference (GTAC), Seattle, WA, Oct. 23rd and 24th. Speaker: Christopher Semturs.