Unit Testing Balance

testing

Consider writing unit tests:

• When the logic behind the method is complex enough that you feel you need to test extensively to verify that it works.
• When a particular code function breaks and it takes longer than a minute or so to fix it.
• Whenever it takes less time to write a unit test to verify that code works than to start up the system, log in, recreate your scenario, etc.

Consider avoiding unit tests:

• When elaborate frameworks need to be created or installed (such as mock objects and dependency injection) just to get the tests to work.
• When the tests are applied to code that, if broken, has very little bearing whatsoever on the overall software quality.
• When the costs of maintaining the set of tests are higher than the costs of maintaining the actual product code.

Source: https://www.javaworld.com/article/2892225/how-just-about-everyone-gets-unit-testing-wrong.html

Written on April 22, 2019