When I first read/heard the word “testing” in the bootcamp, my stomach shrunk. Honestly, I was not sure what to expect of it but it definitely did not sound that appealing. As I progressed through the bootcamp, I noticed and started to value the importance of not only testing my code, but also writing tests.
Below are reasons that have convinced me why its so important:
- Enables to create more resilient applications - like the theory of falsification in science, testing motivates developers to think about ways to break their code. If all process fails, then the code can be considered valid.
- It’s good practice - sounds obvious after my first statement above but in all thruth it makes the process of creating good web applications a lot more professional and avoids potential catastrophic errors you want to avoid with clients.
- Code without testing can be like a ticking timebomb - sure writing tests is also time consuming and probably from some developers a little dreading, but it is important that we are writing code for the long term. As an application grows, it really pays off to have tests. It saves time and developing becomes more fun as you are not being blocked by hard to find bugs.
- Practice makes perfect - ok I’ll admit it, I am not perfect on it but, like I said before, I was one of those who dreaded testing. As I kept practicing it more and more, it becomes more of a second nature. It helps debug quicker and allows me to have that peace of mind as I build up my application.
Bottom line: test, test, test. Testing is your friend, not your foe - trust me!
