Unit Testing in Java: How Tests Drive the Code

Rating:
Summary: Clear and practical
Review: This is a very readable introduction to unit testing, a good first book for anyone wanting a sound approach to software testing.

The main text is divided into two parts. The first is a clear introduction to the basics of the JUnit test framework. The pace is gentle, and the entire discussion is built around sample code - very helpful for the beginner who thinks in concrete terms. Link (the author) omits the JUnit API information that's already available in JUnit's JavaDoc pages. Those are just the basic words available in the framework; Link's goal is to put them together into meaningful test phrases. Throughout this half of the book, the reader is shown a number of common situations with non-obvious solutions. At each step, Link presents a little theory (plus some nice references), a little refactoring to improve the system's testability, and enough sample code to make the solution clear. This isn't a textbook on the theory of testing. Still, by the end of this first section, the reader has been exposed to many ideas: coverage metrics, internet resources, design and implementation for testability, and a lot more.

The book is heavily oriented towards Java, partly because of the relative wealth of test tools available and because of Java features and APIs that support automated testing. Having chosen Java, it is natural to ask testing for unique features of the Java environment: GUIs, persistence, EJB, servlets, RMI, and more. Link covers those in the book's second half. Many of these chapters are specific to Java technologies and APIs. Some, like the GUI discussion, have value beyond the Java specifics they discuss. Even if the language and APIs change, many of the techniques will work well in any GUI programming environment. This section ends at a strategic level: introducing testing into existing workflows, handling of legacy systems, and management issues.

Link has written a very helpful introduction to testing. It has enough specifics to get a beginner started, or to help an old hand deal with the problems of complex systems. The book's practical orientation skips a lot of the history and theory of testing, including tests that deal with qualitative performance issues rather than basic correctness. Anyone reading this book by itself might not realize just how broad and deep the subject really is. Link does at least mention the major ideas in the field, though, and prepares the reader for more advanced discussions.

//wiredweird


Rating:
Summary: Great introduction to Unit Testing
Review: Very good book for mastering the basics. Covers quite a bit of ground in a short period. Lots of references and examples make it easy to understand. I have worked with unit testing using JUnit for a couple of years and also enjoy the site www.developertesting.com by the folks at Agitar Software. I have recently taken unit testing to a new level using the Agitator, see www.agitar.com I highly recommend it!