Rethinking Test Coverage with Fewer Tests

In Tyler Young's talk at ElixirConf US 2024, he explores the challenge of ensuring that a system's functionality is validated through tests, while also recognizing the time and maintenance overhead that numerous tests can incur. He argues that more tests can sometimes hinder clarity and development speed. Instead, Young proposes strategies to achieve adequate test coverage without overwhelming the system with numerous test cases. Specifically, he examines the use of table-based testing and property-based testing as methods to maintain or even increase confidence in the system with fewer tests. The talk also covers how to get team buy-in for these methodologies, emphasizing the importance of communication through tests.