As software engineers, we often deal with performance requirements and end-user acceptance requirements. Why should the development process be any different? Quite frankly, it shouldn't. Development projects should have realistic requirements for how long a build and test cycle should take. Metrics should be collected on a regular basis, so corrective action can be taken as soon as the build and test times exceed requirements.

Excerpted from Test-Driven Development: A J2EE Example, this chapter helps you select the right tools for getting started with test-driven development (TDD).

Author: Thomas Hammell, with Russell Gold and Tom Snyder
Published: JavaWorld, December 6, 2004