Building a Testing Habit

To many developers, writing tests looks like a drag at first. But well-chosen tests give you confidence, especially when making changes. The goal isn’t to test every line; it’s to protect important behaviors.

Start with Small Functions

Pure functions are the best starting point for the testing habit. You provide input, you expect output.

function slugify(title: string) {
  return title.toLowerCase().trim().replaceAll(" ", "-");
}

Functions like this are easy to test and offer fast feedback.

Integration Tests Protect Flows

For flows like API endpoints, form submissions, or database operations, integration tests are more valuable. They’re closer to real user behavior.

Conclusion

The testing habit starts with small, meaningful scenarios. Over time, tests become not just files that catch bugs but living documentation of the project.