TDD is a great way to test code, but have you ever wondered if there are ways to leverage the awesome power of computers and help us write better tests? Research in the field of formal verification has shown promising results with tools that analyze programs for logic errors and can even figure out what input values caused those failures.
However, until now, none of that research was ever used with Ruby. This talk discusses RubyCorrect, a research project that attempts to apply verification techniques like “extended static checking” and “symbolic execution” to the world of Ruby programs. We look at how these techniques work and how they could potentially improve the kinds of program faults we can detect. Machines that write our tests? So crazy that it just might work!
Video producer: http://rubyconf.org/