Writing tests first is your only opportunity as a developer to black-box test your own code. If you write tests after you write the code then you are too familiar with it’s workings to do successful black-box testing. This doesn’t matter so much in a larger team where you have designated QA and can get other developers to write tests for your code (or in La-La Land as it is called). If you are a solo developer or on a real team where everyone else has their own problems and everyone can barely find time to eat then test first is your only opportunity to black-box test.
Sure, maybe if you’re the best developer in the world your code can’t be improved by testing or otherwise. Maybe if you’re not the best developer your code can’t be improved either, but in the same sense that the Home Improvement boardgame can’t be improved, not a good position to be in.
So don’t listen to Joel and Jeff, well I mean, do listen… and they’ll probably be first to agree that you need to do your own research and find what works for you and not take anything on either side of the argument as gospel.
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