Agile vs TDD

The methodology that turned 'we'll figure it out later' into a formal process, often with more meetings than code meets write tests first, cry later—but at least your code won't break in production. Here's our take.

Agile

Nice Pick

The methodology that turned 'we'll figure it out later' into a formal process, often with more meetings than code.

Pros

• Promotes flexibility and rapid adaptation to change
• Encourages continuous customer feedback and collaboration
• Delivers working software in small, manageable increments
• Reduces risk by allowing frequent reassessment and course correction

Cons

• Can devolve into endless meetings and documentation without strict discipline
• Often misapplied as an excuse for poor planning or scope creep

TDD

Write tests first, cry later—but at least your code won't break in production.

Pros

• Catches bugs early, saving debugging time later
• Forces cleaner, more modular code design
• Provides a safety net for refactoring
• Reduces regression issues in long-term projects

Cons

• Slows down initial development speed
• Can lead to over-testing trivial code
• Requires discipline that many teams struggle to maintain

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Agile is a development methodologies while TDD is a testing tools & methodologies. We picked Agile based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Agile wins

Based on overall popularity. Agile is more widely used, but TDD excels in its own space.