- How Unit Tests Help Developers
- How Unit Tests Provide Overall Value
- Getting Started with Unit Testing
Getting Started with Unit Testing
At this point, you might be thinking, "All of this sounds good, but how do I get started?" Well, I'm glad you asked! The following is a short (but powerful) list of places where you can go for more information on the topic of unit testing. If I've sparked an interest in developing automated unit tests, these resources will actually address the implementation of those tests. Good luck!
For an overview of test-driven development using unit tests, I suggest grabbing a copy of Kent Beck's Test-Driven Development: By Example (Addison-Wesley, 2002, ISBN 0321146530). This is an excellent book with examples that even an admittedly junior developer like me can follow.
If you just need access to a unit test framework for your development language, check the Cunningham & Cunningham wiki. This site has a wonderful amount of information on the topic and maybe the most comprehensive list of links to the different frameworks.
If you're a community-minded individual, check out TestDriven.com. Here you'll find articles, blog feeds, forums, and downloads related to everything that's remotely associated with unit testing. This is an excellent site that I visit almost daily.
Michael Kelly is a senior consultant for Fusion Alliance, with experience in software development and testing. Mike is currently serving as the program director for the Indianapolis Quality Assurance Association and the membership chair for the Association for Software Testing. You can reach Mike by email at Mike@MichaelDKelly.com.