So on my most recent project at work, I've been involved with very smart, well known external contractors who were brought in to help us out. I've always known what TDD is, the high level of how to do it, and the value of unit tests, but none of those things have ever really made it into any project I've been involved in a significant way.
All that has changed now. I've learned a ton watching and participating while things get built that way. It's a powerful concept. It's also a concept that you can't really grasp on your own, without practice (which should have been obvious to me). I can say that the shift between "I see the value but never have time to try it or do it" and "I'll never program any other way" is incredible subtle. It's seeing the difference between unit tests that don't do anything but excercise the most basic, obvious functionality and unit tests that actually expose the business logic.
I've read all the right books, websites, and blogs, but until now it never clicked. The codebase we are creating, while not perfect, is much cleaner than anything else I've dealt with before, and the team is flying along.
Anyway, give it a shot. I'll see if later I can't articulate some hints to those who like I was, are on the fence or having trouble really getting the most out of the technique.
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