Recognizing Test Smells
Tonight, I was plodding through the process of getting to know MongoDB and its java driver, TDD style. This is an interesting experience, as most of one’s development is going to involve technologies with which one is familiar and working out designs. This is classic problem isolation — all of your tools are familiar, and you have only to work out the design itself. In this case, I have two problems – the technology and the design aren’t familiar. In situations like this, it’s even more important to follow your nose when it comes to smells in code or tests, as you’re really flailing around in the dark. These may be the only things that guide a technology initiate to good practice short of taking a class or reading some books (and even then, they’re important, because you can only learn so much without getting your hands dirty.