characterization test
[ kar-ik-ter-uh-ZEY-shuhn test ]noun
A test that writes down what code does today, right or wrong, so you can tell later whether you broke it.
Explanation
The one thing to do before letting an AI near old code. Pin down what it does now, or you will not be able to tell a fix from a fresh break.
Related words
- brownfield — Code that already exists and already works, which you now have to change without breaking it.
- silent regression — A change that fixes the bug you reported and quietly breaks something nearby that was working fine.
Prompts that deal with it
- Hunt Regressions — Make it hunt for its own mistakes
- Red Before Green — The test exists before the feature does