• Solutions
    • I Can Help
      • Define
      • Educate
      • Integrate
      • Advise
    • Consultation
      • Assessments
      • Design Reviews
      • Code Inspections
      • Ongoing Support
    • Training Classes
      • Training Schedule
      • On-Site Classes
      • Online Training
      • Customized Coaching and Mob Facilitation
    • Learning Roadmap
      • Developer Essentials Training
        • Agile Analysis and Design Patterns
        • Hands-On: Extreme Programming Practices
      • Scrum Framework Developer Essentials
      • Design Pattern Developer Essentials
      • Object-Oriented Analysis and Design Patterns
      • Scrum Software Developer Essentials
      • Agile Software Developer Essentials
      • Agile Software Developer Intensives
    • Speaking
      • Beyond the Legacy Code Crisis
      • Five Developer Practices for Agile Software
      • Writing High Quality, CLEAN Code
      • Essential Scrum Developer Practices
      • Improving Your Scrum Process
      • The Agile Development Advantage
    • Testimonials
    • Clients
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • My Book: Beyond Legacy Code
    • Bibliography
    • Referral Program
    • Associates
  • Contact
    • Contact Me
    • Schedule A Call
    • About
  • Schedule A Call

Use Helper Methods

  1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. Use Helper Methods

2025 Public Training Schedule

June 23 26, 2025 – Agile Analysis and Design Patterns – Half-Day Sessions Online

July 22 – 25, 2025 – Agile Analysis and Design Patterns – Half-Day Sessions Online

Register Now
Or schedule a private class
Course Descriptions
  • Developer Essentials Training
    • Agile Analysis and Design Patterns
    • Hands-On: Extreme Programming Practices
  • Object-Oriented Analysis and Design Patterns
  • Scrum Software Developer Essentials
  • Agile Software Developer Essentials
  • Agile Software Developer Intensives
Follow me on Twitter:

Follow @ToBeAgile

Blog Post Categories
  • Announcements {19}
  • Articles {2}
  • Bits and Pieces {74}
  • Blogosphere {1}
  • Bonuses {2}
  • Build in Small Batches {27}
  • Collaborate {38}
  • Create CLEAN Code {34}
  • Implement the Design Last {11}
  • Integrate Continuously {30}
  • Off-Topic but Interesting {3}
  • Rants {82}
  • Refactor Legacy Code {24}
  • Say What, Why, and for Whom Before How {22}
  • Seven Strategies {38}
  • Specify Behaviors with Tests {17}
  • Write the Test First {27}
Archives
  • 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • 2022
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • 2021
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • 2020
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • 2019
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • 2018
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • 2017
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • 2016
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • 2015
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • 2014
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • 2013
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • 2012
  • December 2012
  • Privacy Policy

    (c) 2025 To Be Agile

    • December 18, 2019
    • Specify Behaviors with Tests

    What? Helper methods? Whenever I see a class called Helper in code I think that the developer who wrote it wasn’t willing to take the time to discover what objects were really responsible for those behaviors. Although we would like to believe otherwise, in reality, there is no benevolent helper class in the world that floats around and provides utility services, or at least we shouldn’t think about modeling it that way in our code. 

    In other words, I think that oftentimes helper methods and helper classes in production code is a code smell that is hiding entities that have yet to be discovered in the system. The good news is that we can use this code smell to help us discover what the missing entities are and thereby enrich the design of the system.

    However, I have a very different opinion about helper methods when used in test code versus production code. Test code is different than production code. It serves a different purpose and unlike the object-oriented programs that I write, which endeavor to become models of whatever it is that I’m building, my test code is really scenarios for exercising those models in the ways that I intend to use them. 

    The intention is not to build a model and test code but rather to exercise the model through test scenarios. Helper methods for creating in maintaining test scenarios are entirely valid and so I use them quite a bit when writing unit tests.

    Refactoring is a major part of doing software development. Refactoring code is like editing prose. It’s always better to work with something rather than trying to start with a blank page. Any writer will tell you that. I believe it’s true for software development as well. When you understand how to do refactoring efficiently and effectively, it turns out to be a valuable technique for emerging designs safely and efficiently. But it does mean that I spend a significant portion of my time refactoring code. In addition to refactoring my code, I also spend time refactoring in my tests. In fact, I tend to spend more time refactoring my tests then I spend refactoring my code.

    When I’m refactoring my tests I’m doing a different activity than when I’m refactoring my code. When I refactor code, I’m usually doing it to improve the design and I draw on a variety of principles, design patterns, practices, and other techniques to create understandable and maintainable designs. When I am refactoring my tests I’m generally doing it to remove redundancy. This has a lot to do with how I create my tests in the first place.

    Let’s say I’m creating a system that requires users to register and log in before they may access an online forum. Every test that exercises the behavior of the forum must first register and login users. The set up for this may involve many steps and be quite complex but we can encapsulate this into a helper method.

    If there’s a common set up or tear down that all test need in a particular test class then we can put this in a test initialize or tests finalize method that every unit testing framework supports, although the syntax is slightly different between frameworks. However, we often need to do additional set up in some tests that other tests don’t need and this is where helper methods come in.

    First of all, think about what these additional steps accomplish for the test scenarios and put that common behavior in a helper method owned by the test and shared among multiple test methods. Give the helper method an intention revealing name that describes what it does.

    Creating helper test methods not only removes redundancy by taking common scenario elements and putting them in a single place, but it also gives us the opportunity to give those common steps I name and thereby documenting the purpose which helps our tests read more like specifications so it’s more understandable to others.

    Note: This blog post is based on one of the “Seven Strategies…” sections in my book, Beyond Legacy Code: Nine Practices to Extend the Life (and Value) of Your Software.

    Previous Post: « Instrument Your Tests

    Next Post: Show What’s Important »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Solutions

    I Can Help
    • Define
    • Educate
    • Integrate
    • Advise

    Consultation
    • Assessments
    • Design Reviews
    • Code Inspections
    • Ongoing Support

    Testimonials Clients

    Resources

    • Blog
    • My Book: Beyond Legacy Code
    • Referral Program
    • Associates


    Read my book!
    Schedule a Call

    Training

    • Training Schedule
    • Learning Roadmap
    • On-Site Classes
    • Online Training
    • Customized Coaching and Mob Facilitation

    Course Descriptions
    • Developer Essentials Training
      • Agile Analysis and Design Patterns
      • Hands-On: Extreme Programming Practices
    • Object-Oriented Analysis and Design Patterns
    • Scrum Software Developer Essentials
    • Agile Software Developer Essentials
    • Agile Software Developer Intensives

    Copyright 2025 © To Be Agile. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. I'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    SAVE & ACCEPT