Testing Extreme Programming (XP Series) (Paperback)

Testing is a cornerstone within the burgeoning discipline of Extreme Programming. Much has been written about XP, but to date, no book has specifically addressed the key role that the tester plays in this lightweight methodology. This new book defines how an XP tester can optimally contribute to a project, including what testers should do, when they should do it, and how they should do it. Each teaching point is supported by practical examples, helpful suggestions, and proven techniques that will help readers improve the quality of their next project. The material is based on the authors' real-world experience making XP work within development organizations. The book also provides a unique "Road Hazard Survival Kit" with copious resources that help the tester address common pitfalls. Both testers unfamiliar with XP, and XP devotees unfamiliar with testing, will benefit greatly from this book.

The rapid rise in popularity of Extreme Programming (XP) has put the practice of software testing squarely in the spotlight of application development. At one time, testing was a neglected practice, a highly specialized activity that came as an afterthought as complex, code-intensive projects were rushed to completion. But in today's world of escalating quality expectations, testing is a key component of the development process.

XP accelerates testing by demanding its complete integration with development. This in turn has pushed software professionals to rethink their traditional attitudes toward testing. XP asks the entire development team to embrace testing. In fact, testing is so critical to the XP methodology that programmers are required to write automated tests before they begin coding. Until now, however, there has been a distinct lack of instruction specific to testing and how it relates to XP.

Testing Extreme Programming is a practical tutorial that gives software builders a lucid understanding of this important aspect of development. This book demonstrates how testing is central to the XP project, clearly spelling out what testing should be done and when and how it should be performed. The authors teach by example, and readers will be able to improve their knowledge of the testing process by completing the book's exercises.

In addition, this book:

• Provides a general overview of the XP methodology
• Defines the roles of XP team members
• Shows how to write effective tests before coding begins
• Helps you avoid the traps and pitfalls that can derail software projects
• Sheds light on the important practice of refactoring and how it relates to testing
• Compares and contrasts manual and automated tests

Many software engineers have dismissed XP as a throw-out-the-rulebook, anything-goes technique. It isn't. As this book shows, XP is a deliberate and disciplined approach to software development. Many software engineers have reaped the benefits of this agile methodology because its emphasis on testing eliminates much of the risk inherent in software projects. XP helps developers produce software on time, under budget, and at a higher quality level. But you can't XP if you don't test. With this book as a guide, you will learn to embrace testing. A sound testing program is the engine that drives an XP project.