Timeline for How do unit tests facilitate refactoring without introducing regressions?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
7 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Mar 18, 2024 at 9:29 | comment | added | Basilevs | The situation described is inherently divisible - there is no feasible way for a single person to understand all intricacies of a complex system. Without a proper division of labor and responsibilities, such systems are unmaintainable. Similarly, if a component requires understanding of overall product to test, it can only be tested on a system level, and can't be a subject for a unit test. | |
| Mar 17, 2024 at 11:06 | comment | added | Steve | @Basilevs, I think what you're saying is that there is a way of maintaining the overall quality of the testing whilst reducing the cognitive load on those designing the tests. I'm saying that, by dividing things up to relieve the cognitive load, the programmers become less able to conceive the appropriate tests, because appropriate tests require a global comprehension. There should probably be a name for the fallacy of applying divide-and-conquer to a problem which requires an indivisible analysis. | |
| Mar 17, 2024 at 10:49 | comment | added | Basilevs | @Steve, I think you've missed the allegory. This answer is the illustration of sharp increase of cognitive load for integration testing compared to unit testing. | |
| Mar 15, 2024 at 21:23 | comment | added | Steve | This is an interesting answer because it touches on the fact that, as teams get bigger and organised into specialised functions, the extent to which any one person comprehends both the fine detail and the overall purpose reduces, and therefore the ability of anyone to properly conceive appropriate tests that cover the internals of the whole system reduces. | |
| Mar 15, 2024 at 21:20 | history | edited | devnull | CC BY-SA 4.0 | added 51 characters in body |
| Mar 15, 2024 at 21:11 | history | edited | devnull | CC BY-SA 4.0 | added 3 characters in body |
| Mar 15, 2024 at 21:06 | history | answered | devnull | CC BY-SA 4.0 |