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Test-Driven Development in C++ - Unit Testing and Refactoring for Agile Software Development

2 days practical workshop for up to 12 people.

The Test-Driven Development in C++ course presents a number of modern practices for developing code based on an iterative and incremental development lifecycle. Agility and predictability are two qualities often missing from software development. A test-driven approach, in which design is grown and code delivered incrementally according to functionality or risk, forms the basis of the construction phase of an iterative and incremental development. The use of unit testingprovides confidence in existing code and supports the ability to refactor code as development unfolds.

Layout

The training course combines lectures with practical exercises that help the delegates to put what they have learned on the training course into practice. The exercises specifically build on what has been recently taught and are built up as the training course progresses.

Training Course Objectives

Appreciate the benefits of a continuous and iterative approach to design and delivery
Recognise the purpose and practice of refactoring in keeping a system supple and adaptable
Know how to build up a set of tests and simple test frameworks for units of code
Understand the consequences of dependency management on testing and code quality

Who it is for

The course is suitable for software developers experienced in C++ and familiar with object-oriented principles and practices.

Training Course Prerequisites

Any previous exposure to unit testing tools or agile development concepts is beneficial but not essential.

Chapters

Chapter 1 Agile Development Microprocess

Traditional versus agile development processes
Iterative and incremental development
Informal and continuous design
The role of refactoring
Refactoring versus other code changes
Extreme Programming
Test-Driven Development

Chapter 2 Testing in Principle

Traditional view and reality of testing
Driving development through testing
Testing early, often and automatically
Testing versus debugging
White-box versus black-box testing
Functional versus operational testing

Chapter 3 Basic Unit Testing in Practice

Test plans versus test code
Use of Assert
Testing at the interface
Testing the simplest things first
Testing incrementally
Testing correctness of failure

Chapter 4 Refactoring a Test Harness

Common unit test frameworks (xUnit and Boost)
Refactoring to a simple framework
Test cases, test suites and test runners
Throwing exceptions on failure
Continuing tests after failure
Customising assertions
Testing correctness of exceptions

Chapter 5 Test-Writing Techniques

Red, green, refactor
None to one to many
Faking it
Telling the truth
Isolated and short tests
Refactor common fixture code
Declare, prepare, assert
Test by method, state or scenario
Asserting compile-time constraints

Chapter 6 Common Refactorings

Renaming variables, functions, classes and headers
Restructuring class hierarchies by extracting interface classes, base classes and derived classes
Partitioning classes by extracting classes and functions
Changing private representation

Chapter 7 Decoupling Techniques