Dirty Tests and How to Clean Them | Gil Zilberfeld | Testμ 2022

About The Talk

Join another insightful session at the Testμ Conference featuring Gil, as he delves into practical instances of test anti-patterns and effective strategies for rectification. In this engaging talk, Gil will shed light on common pitfalls in test development and provide valuable insights on how to refactor and optimize your testing practices. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your testing skills and ensure the quality of your software projects.

Video Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

01:10 - Welcome and Acknowledgements

02:35 - Speaker Introduction

04:25 - Topic Introduction: Dirty Tests and Clean Code

06:50 - Importance of Clean Tests

09:15 - Challenges in Writing Clean Tests

11:30 - Examples of Anti-patterns in Tests

13:45 - Writing Clean Tests: Strategies and Techniques

15:20 - Refactoring Tests for Clarity and Maintainability

17:05 - The Builder Pattern in Test Automation

19:10 - Importance of Test Names and Descriptions

21:00 - Code Smells in Tests

23:15 - Practical Demo: Refactoring a Test Suite

25:40 - Extracting Setup Code to Reduce Duplication

27:55 - Renaming Tests for Better Clarity

29:30 - The Role of Constants and Literals in Tests

31:45 - Final Thoughts on Clean Tests and Q&A

Key Topics Covered

Introduction to Test MEW: Anmul Gupta opens the conference and thanks the partners and attendees.

Gil Gilberfeld's Background: Gilberfeld, with over two decades of experience in software development, is introduced. He has a rich history of working with various aspects of software development, including automated and exploratory testing, design practices, team collaboration, and agile methodologies.

Focus on Testing Anti-Patterns: Gil speaks about the importance of identifying and cleaning up anti-patterns in tests. He emphasizes the need for concrete examples to illustrate these anti-patterns and how they can be addressed.

Dirty Tests vs. Clean Code and Tests: The discussion shifts towards the difference between 'dirty' tests and the principles of clean code and clean tests. Gil explains why it's essential to maintain cleanliness in code to ensure efficiency and ease of maintenance.

Building Better Software: Gil offers insights into his approach to creating better software, including the significance of clean code and tests in the development process. He shares resources like his blogs and books, which focus on these aspects.

Practical Examples and Solutions: Throughout the video, Gil provides practical examples of common issues found in tests and demonstrates techniques to resolve them, ensuring tests are clean, understandable, and maintainable.

Q&A Session: The video concludes with a Q&A session where Gil answers questions from the audience, providing further clarity on the topics discussed and offering advice on best practices in software testing and development.