Why you should test (often)

As already mentioned, testing is a fundamental part of the work of a software engineer. It is a statement that we can all agree on – I would say it is almost intuitive – but let’s try to dig a little deeper and truly understand why it is essential to test our code (and our code interacting with other code and systems). The reasons I am about to present are not necessarily listed in order of importance, and they may not be the only ones. I am sharing what, in my experience, has been significant.

Identifying and fixing defects

Let’s start with the most obvious motivation. Testing your software allows you to identify defects (bugs), errors, and faults. In this regard, we have included an article in the Further reading section that explains the differences between these terms, which are often used interchangeably. These issues can manifest in various forms, such as functional flaws, performance bottlenecks, security vulnerabilities...