FatGeekUK

… it’s about GOOD.

Using Agile techniques, Rails for instance, or any of the other new frameworks popping up more quickly than mushrooms on a cowturn in a darkened room, and things like TDD, BDD, SPEC driven whatever, is NOT about writing code FASTER than previously.

Its about writing code in an acceptable timescale that is maintainable, extensible and more easily supportable.

Sure, if you develop in rails and forgo all the speccing, test script converage etc, you can write code more quickly than the guy in the next cubicle, but what about the poor bloke (possibly you) who has to support it into the future.

Writing in Rails with good test/spec coverage, and careful design, takes time. But the framework itself saves you enough time with respect to other platforms that this extra time is actually saved from other activities.

Expecting a well written RAILS development to be VASTLY quicker than using some other set of tools AND to expect it to be better quality and easier to support is wishing for your cake and eating it too.

Good code takes TIME, it takes THOUGHT.

Over the last day or so, I have been playing with RSPEC. I must admit, its NICE.

What makes it even nicer, is using autotest

This is a nice addon that will automatically run your tests or rspecs when you change files and save them in your rails project.

Even nicer, you can coax it to talk to growl and get the tests to notify you onscreen as to progress.

Really wonderful. and not a daffodil in sight.