Lesson 1445 of 1596
Writing Failing Tests First, Then Asking AI to Implement
Drive AI implementation with tests you write yourself.
Creators · AI-Assisted Coding · ~7 min read
The premise
When you hand AI a failing test as the spec, the success criterion is unambiguous and you can verify the output by running the suite.
What AI does well here
- Implement code that satisfies a precise failing test.
- Suggest additional edge-case tests once a base test exists.
What AI cannot do
- Decide what behavior is correct for your domain.
- Catch tests that pass for the wrong reason.
Key terms in this lesson
Practice this safely
Use a small project example from your own work. The useful move is to compare the AI's draft against your goal, sources, and constraints before you trust it.
- 1Ask AI to explain tdd in plain language, then underline anything that sounds uncertain or too broad.
- 2Give it one detail from "Writing Failing Tests First, Then Asking AI to Implement" and ask for two possible next steps plus one reason each step might be wrong.
- 3Check spec against a trusted source, teacher, adult, expert, or original document before you use it.
End-of-lesson quiz
Check what stuck
10 questions · Score saves to your progress.
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