Code quality

Main Goals and Errors in Programming

• A 'formally correct' program aims to ensure that all specifications and requirements are met without inconsistencies.
• Improper use of program statements can lead to syntax errors.
• Compile-time errors primarily include syntax errors and type-checking errors, which prevent the program from compiling successfully.

Documentation Tools

• Tools like JavaDoc, Doxygen, and Sphinx are used to generate documentation from source code, enhancing code understanding and usability.

Types of Errors

• Runtime errors occur during the execution of a program, leading to abnormal termination or unexpected behavior.
• Dynamic semantic errors and logical errors involve the program running without crashing, but producing incorrect results due to miscalculations or flow issues.

Software Testing Strategies

• Testing simple cases, large cases, weird cases, and limit cases is recommended to cover diverse scenarios and ensure robustness.
• Testing software at the end, after implementation, can lead to undetected issues and increased costs, making it a risky approach.

Test-Driven Development (TDD)

• TDD is based on writing tests before writing functional code, ensuring that all new code is verified against tests from the outset.
• Rule #1 in TDD mandates that the test should always fail initially, which confirms the test's effectiveness.

Phases of TDD

• The 'Green' phase in the Red, Green, Refactor approach focuses on passing the test by writing the minimum amount of code necessary to make the test succeed.
• TDD promotes incremental programming by encouraging developers to add small features progressively, which simplifies debugging and enhances code quality.

Unit Tests in TDD

• According to Rule #1, tests should initially fail to confirm their validity and the correctness of the feature being developed.
• Writing unit tests before functional code in TDD ensures that the code meets specified requirements and promotes reliability and maintainability.

This quiz covers runtime errors such as dynamic semantic errors and logical errors that cannot be detected by the compiler, along with debugging techniques. It also explores formal methods, which involve using mathematical modeling for system specification, development, and verification in software development.