Introduction to Test and Behavior Driven Development

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/test-and-behavior-driven-development-tdd-bdd

Introduction

### Course Review: Introduction to Test and Behavior Driven Development on Coursera If you're a developer looking to strengthen your software development skills, particularly around testing methodologies, the “Introduction to Test and Behavior Driven Development” course on Coursera is a compelling option. This course delves into the essential practices of Test-Driven Development (TDD) and Behavior-Driven Development (BDD), equipping you with the knowledge to build not only functional software but also reliable, high-quality applications. #### Course Overview In today's fast-paced software development landscape, it's imperative for developers to ensure that their code is both effective and error-free. This course provides a thorough exploration of automated testing, emphasizing its vital role in creating robust applications that can withstand real-world challenges. The curriculum is designed to walk you through the fundamentals of testing, outlining the importance of various testing methodologies and how they fit into the broader development cycle. #### Syllabus Breakdown 1. **Introduction to Testing**: - The course begins with a foundational exploration of software testing. - You'll learn through an engaging example involving the Apollo 11 Lunar Module's guidance system. - Key concepts introduced include various levels of testing, the significance of test cases, and the differences between TDD and BDD. 2. **Test Driven Development (TDD)**: - This module dives deep into TDD, elucidating its core principles and its Red/Green/Refactor cycle. - You will explore essential tools for TDD in Python, including Unittest and Nose, and learn how to effectively use assertions and test fixtures. 3. **Advanced Methods for Test Driven Development**: - Building on the basics, this section teaches about test coverage and advanced techniques like mocking and using fake data, enhancing your test strategies. 4. **Behavior Driven Development (BDD)**: - Here, you’ll shift your focus to BDD, learning its benefits and gaining proficiency in Gherkin syntax. - The module covers popular BDD tools, with practical applications using Behave to test software behaviors from an end-user’s perspective. 5. **Running Behave for BDD**: - This module focuses on implementing BDD through Behave, providing insights into how to generate Python steps and manage test execution across different levels. 6. **Final Project and Final Exam**: - The course culminates in a hands-on final project where you will apply what you've learned to create a microservice backend for an eCommerce platform. This engaging project includes writing REST APIs and BDD scenarios, providing real-world application of your skills. #### Recommendations **Who Should Take This Course?** - **Aspiring Developers**: If you're new to software development or looking to transition into a more test-focused role, this course provides the essential foundation you’ll need. - **Experienced Developers**: Those looking to enhance their existing knowledge of testing methodologies will find this course packed with valuable insights and modern best practices. **Benefits of the Course**: - **Hands-On Learning**: The final project allows you to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical context. - **Expert Instruction**: Learn from industry professionals and gain insights that can help you in real-world scenarios. - **Flexible Learning**: Being an online course, it allows you to learn at your own pace, making it accessible for anyone with a busy schedule. #### Final Thoughts In conclusion, the “Introduction to Test and Behavior Driven Development” course on Coursera is a must-take for developers aiming to refine their skills in testing and development. With its comprehensive syllabus and practical applications, you'll gain a solid understanding of testing methodologies and how to effectively implement them. I wholeheartedly recommend this course to anyone passionate about writing better, more reliable software. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, you’ll find invaluable learning experiences within this course. Sign up today and take a significant step toward becoming a more proficient developer!

Syllabus

Introduction to Testing

This module provides an overview of software testing. You will learn about the importance of testing through an example: the development of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module’s guidance system. You will discover the numerous problems that occur when developers do not test their code. Then you will explore the four levels of testing and find out when each appears in the traditional release cycle. You will learn what test driven and behavior driven development are and why both are essential for effective testing. You will discover the purpose of test cases and witness their value through a demonstration.

This module provides an overview of Test-Driven Development (TDD). You will learn what TDD is and discover the three basic steps in the TDD and Red/Green/Refactor workflow. You will see why TDD is essential for DevOps and all automated testing. You will also discover popular testing tools for TDD and closely examine the features of several tools for Python. This module also covers essential methods for performing TDD. You will explore ways to run TDD tests such as, Python’s built-in test runner, Unittest, and the more feature-rich module, Nose. You will learn about assertions and how to use them to test code. You will discover why you must include happy and sad paths in your test module. You will also discover the test fixtures and how to use them to establish an appropriate initial state for each test.

This module covers advanced methods for TDD. You will learn about test coverage: why it’s important, how to increase it by using test coverage reports, and why you should keep testing even at full test coverage. You will discover the value of testing against fake data and how to use factories to generate this data. You will also explore mocking, a process for mimicking the behavior of real objects, and you will find out the testing situations for which mocking is useful. You will learn how to use two common methods for mocking: patching a function call and mocking entire objects.

This module provides an overview of behavior driven development (BDD). You will explore BDD, including its benefits for higher-level automated testing and its typical workflow. You will discover the basics of Gherkin syntax, a standard syntax for writing BDD specifications. You will learn about popular BDD tools and how to select the best one for your project. This module also covers essential methods for performing BDD with Behave. You will examine how Behave uses the code in feature and steps files to test an application’s behavior from a user’s perspective. You will discover how to build a Behave environment and control test execution at various levels. Then you will explore in detail how to write feature and steps files. In addition, you will learn how to load test data from tables, automate web page interactions with Selenium, and write Python functions for testing application behaviors.

This module provides an overview of how to use Behave to generate Python steps. Once you know how to generate the steps, you will learn the workflow for implementing them. The next lesson will explain the context variable and how to pass information between Python steps. In addition, you will discuss the benefits of variable substitution for working with Behave and its application in Python steps. Finally, you will practice behavior driven development.

In this final module, you will work on a Final project. You will apply many of the technologies and concepts you've learned in the course and will create a microservice for a product catalog backend to an eCommerce application. The UI of the eCommerce application will be used by administrators to maintain the product catalog. This Final Project is divided into two parts. In the first part of this project, you will use good Test Driven Development practices to create a REST API that allows users to Create, Read, Update, Delete, and List products by various attributes. In the second part of this project, you will write Behavior Driven Development scenarios to test that the administrative user interface that has been provided for you behaves as expected. Finally, you will also attempt a final exam to test the concepts learned.