3-4 Using Cursor for Coding and Testing

In the previous articles, we've covered how to use Cursor during the design phase. Now that you've completed the design phase, you're ready to move into the implementation stage of the software development lifecycle. Here, we'll explore how to use Cursor effectively for coding and testing during implementation.

Consider a typical scenario: a developer receives a new feature request for a user authentication system with specific validation rules. The natural instinct is to dive straight into coding the login function, but this approach often leads to endless debugging sessions and missed edge cases.

There's a better way to approach this problem. Instead of writing code first and hoping it works, developers can define exactly what success looks like before writing a single line of implementation code. This test-driven approach becomes incredibly powerful when combined with Cursor's AI capabilities.

Let's take a look at how we can utilize Cursor to achieve the TDD approach.

Step 1: Write Tests First with Cursor

Before jumping into implementation, you can use Cursor to write tests based on your requirements. This approach helps you define the expected behavior before writing the actual code.

Cursor generates test code based on your requirements. Remember, at this stage, don't blindly trust Cursor's output. Instead, carefully review the generated tests to ensure they're complete and accurate.

Step 2: Write Code with Cursor

After completing the test writing, you can use Cursor to write the actual code based on the tests. This approach offers several advantages: you can first determine what functionality the code needs to accomplish, then begin writing the implementation.

Later, you can have Cursor run the tests, and if they fail, you can ask Cursor to analyze the errors and adjust the code until all tests pass.

Step 3: Review the Code

While AI can help complete the code, you still need to carefully review it. Don't just check if the code works correctly—also examine whether it's maintainable and consistent with your existing codebase's style.

After reading through Cursor's code, if you find that while the functionality was correct, the code quality wasn't optimal, you could ask Cursor to make improvements.

Conclusion

Through the examples above, you should have a better understanding of how to use Cursor for code generation and testing. This test-first approach helps you build more reliable software by defining success criteria upfront and letting AI handle the implementation details.

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