I think the point about unit testing vs integration testing is true, what you test is what you've documented. So unit tests tell a different story then integration tests.
I just wanted to chip in that I do use tests as documentation, but not as something I read through. Its a reference I navigate with Reflector or Resharper. When I have a question about a method or class, I will find references to it in the tests to understand its intent and use. On Tue, Mar 1, 2011 at 8:09 AM, Alan Ridlehoover <[email protected]> wrote: > Good conversation. One point I think is missing is this: > Unit tests make good documentation for individual methods/classes. But, > automated functional/acceptance tests make better documentation for the > system as a whole. And, yes, I've seen environments where the Fitnesse > tests were the documentation for the system. I've also seen STiQ tests used > that way (with less success), and WatiN-based NUnit tests (with good > success). > Alan > On Feb 27, 2011, at 8:08 PM, Michael Ibarra wrote: > > Hi Aeden, > I've never seen tests written and organized well enough to serve as > documentation (for neither developers nor "the business"). However, I do my > best to write and organize my tests to be intention revealing. > But that's not why I write tests. I write tests primarily because: 1. I want > to make sure that the code I write works the way it's supposed to, 2. I want > to make sure that adding new features doesn't introduce any bugs, 3. I don't > write(and therefore maintain) any more code than is necessary to implement > the feature. 4. I find that writing my tests first helps me write cleaner, > more S.O.L.I.D. code. > I want other developers to be able to read my tests and understand what my > code does, but that's just a side effect of well written and well organized > tests. > Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Hope that helps. > Mike > > On Sun, Feb 27, 2011 at 7:13 PM, Aeden Jameson <[email protected]> > wrote: >> >> I'm curious how much stock people on this list put in the idea that >> tests serve as documentation. >> >> -- >> Cheers, >> Aeden >> >> Blog : http://aedenjameson.blogspot.com/ >> Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/aedenjameson >> Blah Blah Blah: http://www.twitter.com/daliful >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Seattle area Alt.Net" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/altnetseattle?hl=en. >> > > > > -- > ******************************** > Michael Ibarra > [email protected] > @bm2yogi > http://dev.bm2yogi.com > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Seattle area Alt.Net" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/altnetseattle?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Seattle area Alt.Net" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/altnetseattle?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Seattle area Alt.Net" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/altnetseattle?hl=en.
