Day 1: Testing And The Modern Application

The first principle that a modern application must follow relates to testing. Specifically, how well the application is tested, today. This principle is simple, and stated as:

Modern applications must be well-tested.

It is not merely enough that an application be testable, but a modern application should be well-tested. There is a world of difference between the two: the first assumes that an application could, if the developer wanted, write tests. The latter assumes that the tests have been written and are in practice as a component of the application. This is ultimately the goal we are seeking with a modern application.

That’s not to say an application cannot be on the path to modernization if it lacks tests; however, it is impossible for an application to be truly modern without them. Applications must be simple to maintain and easy to change in order to be truly modern, two things that are impossible without an adequate test suite.

Note that I have not specified what kinds of tests are required here. I have not said you must have unit tests, or functional tests, or acceptance tests. Indeed, it is up to the developer, the business, and the team to determine the right balance of tests, the right coverage amounts, and the proper distribution of resources to provide for a test plan. This leaves the measure somewhat subjective, but it always was: code coverage has always been a poor metric of code and test quality.

A modern application must be well-tested. It is the only way the application can be sure to mature and change over time, without stress, without bugs, and without failure.

Matthew J wrote at 12/25/2020 9:36 pm:

Greet write-up, I agree with everything. I find that testing varies so much from organization to organization, but experienced developers understand its value.

Copyright © 2023 by Brandon Savage. All rights reserved.