3 posts
Programmers routinely complain about code being "unreadable". They also routinely argue, sometimes quite heatedly, about how to make code "more readable". I have noticed a conflict that they might be missing which could help moderate those arguments and make them more constructive.
Rules can cause confusion, because we try too hard to follow them. The Rule of Three, a classic "rule" of refactoring, carries this risk. How do we reap the benefits while avoiding the drawbacks?
When we limit ourselves to one outcome per test, we exert helpful pressure on our design that sometimes results in simpler code that is easier to test. We have more confidence in it. I use someone else's article and example to illustrate what can happen. And no, you don't need to be a Wizard to do this.