Lesson 1219 of 1596
AI coding: the test-first loop that makes review trivial
Ask the AI for failing tests first, approve them, then ask for the implementation. Review collapses to reading two diffs.
Creators · AI-Assisted Coding · ~7 min read
The premise
Generating tests before implementation forces the AI to commit to a contract you can read in plain English. Once tests pass, the implementation is constrained and review becomes mechanical.
What AI does well here
- Generate readable test cases from a behavior description
- Iterate on implementation until provided tests pass
- Surface ambiguities as test names you can question
What AI cannot do
- Invent meaningful tests for behavior you never described
- Catch missing test categories you didn't request
- Decide whether the test list is complete enough to ship
Key terms in this lesson
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