PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP) Practice Exam

Which Agile practice focuses on writing tests before writing the code?

1. Pair Programming

2. Test-driven development

3. Scrum Master Guidance

4. Continuous Integration

The correct answer is: Test-driven development

The focus of the practice that emphasizes writing tests before writing the actual code is known as Test-driven Development (TDD). TDD is a software development technique that operates on the principle of writing a test for a small piece of functionality before implementing it. This approach ensures that the code is developed in a way that it meets the specified requirements from the outset, fostering better code quality and enhancing the ability to detect issues early in the development process. Through TDD, developers articulate the expected behavior of their code in the form of tests, which serve as a specification for the feature being implemented. This not only helps in maintaining a clear understanding of what is being built but also creates an automated testing framework that can be reused throughout the life of the project. By continuously running these tests throughout the development cycle, teams can quickly identify and rectify any deviations from the intended functionality. Other practices mentioned, such as Pair Programming, involve two developers working together at the same workstation, enhancing collaboration and knowledge sharing, but do not inherently require tests to precede code. Scrum Master Guidance pertains to the role of the Scrum Master in facilitating Agile practices but does not specifically relate to the concept of writing tests first. Continuous Integration focuses on integrating code changes frequently into a shared repository, which