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claude-codedevelopment

Babysitter test-driven-development

Use when implementing any feature or bugfix, before writing implementation code. Enforces RED-GREEN-REFACTOR cycle.

install
source · Clone the upstream repo
git clone https://github.com/a5c-ai/babysitter
Claude Code · Install into ~/.claude/skills/
T=$(mktemp -d) && git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/a5c-ai/babysitter "$T" && mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -r "$T/library/methodologies/superpowers/skills/test-driven-development" ~/.claude/skills/a5c-ai-babysitter-test-driven-development-7e5236 && rm -rf "$T"
manifest: library/methodologies/superpowers/skills/test-driven-development/SKILL.md
tags
#test-writing#code-quality#software-design#development-practice
source content

Test-Driven Development (TDD)

Overview

Write the test first. Watch it fail. Write minimal code to pass.

Core principle: If you did not watch the test fail, you do not know if it tests the right thing.

The Iron Law

NO PRODUCTION CODE WITHOUT A FAILING TEST FIRST

Write code before the test? Delete it. Start over. No exceptions.

RED-GREEN-REFACTOR

  1. RED - Write one failing test showing desired behavior
  2. Verify RED - Run test, confirm it fails for the right reason
  3. GREEN - Write simplest code to pass (YAGNI)
  4. Verify GREEN - Run test + full suite, all must pass
  5. REFACTOR - Clean up while keeping tests green
  6. COMMIT - Frequent small commits

Red Flags (STOP and Start Over)

  • Code before test
  • Test passes immediately
  • "I'll test after"
  • "Too simple to test"
  • Rationalizing "just this once"

Agents Used

  • Process agents defined in 
    test-driven-development.js

Tool Use

Invoke via babysitter process: 

methodologies/superpowers/test-driven-development