The State of Testing 2018 - Why Aren't Devs Testing?

A short 5-minute presentation given at This Dot's "The State of Testing 2018" online roundtable.

Transcript

1. Developers,
   just test your code!*
   

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2. *The reasons developers don’t test their
   code is multifaceted and not a reflection of
   their skill or worth as a human being
   (and a lot of developers *do* test their code)
   

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3. Why aren’t devs testing?
   

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4. “Which tool do you use to test your
   JavaScript?”
   https://ashleynolan.co.uk/blog/frontend-tooling-survey-2018-results#js-testing
   

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5. https://slides.com/seldo/npm-future-of-javascript#/74
   

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6. “Do you write tests?”
   https://ponyfoo.com/articles/javascript-developer-survey-results#do-you-write-tests
   

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7. “How much automated testing do you
   feel you have on a typical project?”
   Disclaimer, it's only 27 votes… from people who follow me
   

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8. What’s the answer?
   

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9. Developers are testing,
   but don't seem content
   

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10. Is it the tools?
    

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11. “Would you use again?”
    https://2018.stateofjs.com/testing/overview/
    

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12. “How happy are you (1-5)”
    https://2018.stateofjs.com/testing/conclusion/
    

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13. Maybe it’s the docs?
    

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14. Most Liked Aspects of Jest
    https://2018.stateofjs.com/testing/overview/
    

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15. Most Liked Aspects of Mocha
    https://2018.stateofjs.com/testing/overview/
    

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16. Courses are getting the hint
    

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17. What is it then?
    

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18. “What's holding you back from writing
    automated tests?”
    https://twitter.com/klamping/status/739101158061395968
    

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19. https://twitter.com/klamping/status/739101158061395968
    

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20. “What's holding you back from writing
    automated tests?”
    https://twitter.com/klamping/status/739101158061395968
    

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21. But but but!
    

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22. •Unit Tests allows you to make big changes to code quickly.
    •TDD helps you to realize when to stop coding.
    •The tests and the code work together to achieve better code.
    •TDD helps with coding constipation. When faced with a large and daunting piece of work
    ahead writing the tests will get you moving quickly.
    •Unit Tests help you really understand the design of the code you are working on.
    •Unit Tests give you instant visual feedback, we all like the feeling of all those green lights
    when we've done.
    •Contrary to popular belief unit testing does not mean writing twice as much code, or
    coding slower.
    •Good unit tests can help document and define what something is supposed to do
    •Unit tests help with code re-use.
    https://stackoverflow.com/questions/67299/is-unit-testing-worth-the-effort/
    

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23. “There’s no obvious ROI. You can’t get
    the buy-in or budget for testing efforts”
    

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24. •Unit Tests allows you to make big changes to code quickly.
    •TDD helps you to realize when to stop coding.
    •The tests and the code work together to achieve better code.
    •TDD helps with coding constipation. When faced with a large and daunting piece of work
    ahead writing the tests will get you moving quickly.
    •Unit Tests help you really understand the design of the code you are working on.
    •Unit Tests give you instant visual feedback, we all like the feeling of all those green lights
    when we've done.
    •Contrary to popular belief unit testing does not mean writing twice as much code, or
    coding slower.
    •Good unit tests can help document and define what something is supposed to do
    •Unit tests help with code re-use.
    https://stackoverflow.com/questions/67299/is-unit-testing-worth-the-effort/
    

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25. Either sell testing, or stop asking
    for permission and just do it
    Warning: opinions ahead!
    

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26. Can I do that?
    

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27. https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2017#evaluating-developers
    

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28. https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2017#evaluating-developers
    

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29. https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2017#evaluating-developers
    

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30. Code coverage? Number of tests?
    Users don't care!
    

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31. Ability to effectively use the site?
    Users care!
    

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32. Why code coverage then?
    Easier to measure; Can immediately impact it
    

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33. You don't write a test, then say,
    “Yeah! That'll really make the customer happy!"
    

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34. What makes users happy?
    

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35. Well, not having bugs, obviously.
    

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36. Responding to feedback and improving the site
    

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37. We hurt ourselves…
    

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38. Tight coupling in tests and poorly managed
    dependencies slow us down
    

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39. "Does this make it easier to update my code?”
    

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40. Sell the result (happier customers)
    

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41. "Testing helps me know that I'm not
    ruining things for our customers"
    

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42. "I can't be effective at my job if I'm not able to
    spend time working on tests"
    

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43. Move testing from "something I should do" to
    "something I do to get things done"
    

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44. • https://slides.com/seldo/npm-future-of-javascript#/74
    • https://2018.stateofjs.com/testing/overview/
    • https://twitter.com/klamping/status/1072881714798702595
    • https://ashleynolan.co.uk/blog/frontend-tooling-survey-2018-results#js-testing
    • https://ponyfoo.com/articles/javascript-developer-survey-results#do-you-write-tests
    • https://twitter.com/klamping/status/739101158061395968
    • https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2017#evaluating-developers
    • https://stackoverflow.com/questions/67299/is-unit-testing-worth-the-effort/
    

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