F.I.R.S.T Rules

The F.I.R.S.T Rules are a set of principles good tests should follow. They make sure that automated tests are worth their investment. They are a bit abstract and don’t tell you directly how to do things. But later, we will discover many techniques that help you apply the F.I.R.S.T Rules for a great testing experience.

F.I.R.S.T is an acronym for:

• F ast: Tests should run fast
• I ndependant: A test should not depend on another test
• R epeatable: test should be repeatable, so they are reproducable
• S elf-Validating: No manual work should be required to check if a test failed or not
• T imely: Ideally, tests should be written before writing the production code

A detailed explanation of the F.I.R.S.T Rules can be found here.