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EuroSTAR Conference

Europe's Largest Quality Engineering Conference

Deep Dive DD1

Test-driven Generation: A Hands-on Experience

James Lyndsay

10:30 - 12:15 CEST Wednesday 4th June

In this hands-on session, you’ll write tests that fail, and your AI will hand back code which passes those tests. You’ll go round this magic loop several times; building more tests and generating more code.

We’ll build a couple of things (a unit converter and an account handler). You can build your own tests, and we’ll have guide tests if you’d rather not. If you prefer to observe (or if we run out of bandwidth), you can look over someone’s shoulder – or watch how it works on the presenter’s machine.

Along the way, we’ll watch how the generated code grows and changes, and consider our influence over it. We’ll use coverage tools, syntax tools and change control to escape common pitfalls. We’ll explore our test-passing running system to expose the unexpected. We’ll tune our prompts to suit our purposes, and look at the scripts and tools that make this possible.

Before we go, we’ll wonder out loud whether our needs at work can be met by an ability to build things that pass our tests.

This session uses a browser and needs you to type. You’ll gain access to your own temporary browser-based development environment (Python or JavaScript): editor, file browser, command line, test runnner, coverage tool, static code checker, change control, target UI, AI wrangler and (Anthropic/Claude) API key – and a short, open-source, readable script that brings all of these together. Bring an internet-connected device that you’re happy to type on.

What you will learn

  1. A worked example of integrating deterministic tests with generative AI, including simple and readable shell scripts you can build on in your practice
  2. Hands-on practice building a sequence of executable tests that guide AI to generate working code.
  3. Experience of adjusting AI prompts and their supporting scripts to fine-tune code generation, with examples you can transfer to your own projects.

Session Details

  • Intermediate
  • 90 minutes
  • Focused Deep Dive
  • Implementing/integrating AI tools
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Check out this video from James Lyndsay to hear more about his Deep Dive, ‘Test-driven Generation: A Hands-on Experience.’

We look forward to welcoming you to EuroSTAR 2025.

Session Speaker

James Lyndsay

Workroom Productions, UK

I had my first job, and my first job testing, in 1986: working at IBM in a small team on an x86 graphics processor chip. I was handy at testing, and way out of my depth at everything else. I set up Workroom Productions in 1994. I’ve worked for myself, as a systems tester, since then.

I’ve resisted specialising in a particular technology or market, and I’ve tried to change with my industry. My clients include retail and telecommunications, banking and social media, rapidly-evolving internet start-ups, traditional large-scale enterprise, and government bodies.

I’ve worked as an innovator (loved it), and as a standardiser (less so). I work as a consultant with an eye for strategy, quality and motivation. I’ve stepped into roles as manager, mentor, advocate and implementer – with a particular focus on tooled-up exploratory testing.

I’ve worked internationally as a consultant and teacher since 2000, and I’ve been trusted to deliver keynotes and hands-on workshops at the largest and most interesting conferences. I’ve won prizes for several papers, and was the 2015 recipient of EuroSTAR’s Testing Excellence award.

I have an MA in Physics from Trinity College, Oxford. I’ve studied experiential teaching with Jerry Weinberg, Impro with Keith Johnstone, and writing with Joel Morris. I sing with the London Bulgarian Choir, and co-produced all three of their albums.

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