Live Coding Session Demonstrating Test Driven Development with Phoenix LiveView

Joshua Plicque presented on the advantages of test driven development (TDD), especially in relation to Elixir's Phoenix LiveView. He advocated for TDD as a means to code both faster and with more assurance, refuting the notion that TDD slows developers down. Instead, he argued, TDD offers a structured approach that always starts with a failing test to define the problem, ensures the code works without breaking other parts, and documents the process effectively for future developers. Plicque compared his engineering education, which emphasized finding problems and solutions systematically, to his TDD approach in software development. Using examples from his experience, including issues with CSV data import and API access rights, Plicque illustrated how TDD helps limit the scope of a coding problem, allows for rapid feedback, and fosters a refactoring culture within teams. His talk included a real-world conversation with a colleague named Vladimir, who experienced firsthand the benefits of working in a high test coverage environment that supports substantial refactoring.