tdd-green-phase

name	tdd-green-phase
description	Use when working on Green phase tasks during OpenSpec apply. Guides writing the minimum implementation code to make failing tests pass — no more, no less.

TDD Green Phase

Write the minimum code to make the failing test pass.

When to Use

• Working on a ### Green task in an OpenSpec tasks.md
• A corresponding Red phase test exists and is failing for the right reason
• You need to make a specific test pass without overbuilding

Process

1. Run the failing test. Confirm it still fails and you understand what it expects. If the test is not failing, stop — you're not ready for Green.

2. Write the simplest code that makes the test pass. Hardcode values if that's sufficient. Return a literal if that satisfies the assertion. The goal is a passing test, not a complete solution.

3. Run the test. It must pass.

4. Run the full test suite. All tests must pass — not just the one you targeted. If an existing test broke, fix your implementation without changing the other tests.

What "Minimum" Means

• If the test expects a function to return true for a specific input, a single return true is valid if no other test contradicts it.
• If two tests expect different return values for different inputs, add just enough branching to satisfy both.
• Let the tests drive the complexity. Each Green task adds only what its corresponding Red test demands.

Rules

• No code without a failing test. If you see behavior that "should" exist but no test covers it, that's a future Red task. Don't write it now.
• No refactoring. Duplication is fine. Poor naming is fine. Ugly conditionals are fine. Refactor phase handles cleanup.
• No abstractions. Don't extract helpers, create base classes, or introduce patterns. If the test passes with inline code, inline code is the answer.
• No future-proofing. Don't add parameters "you'll need later," error handling for cases no test checks, or configuration for flexibility.
• Don't change the tests. If a test seems wrong, stop and raise it. Green phase never modifies Red phase tests.

Completion

A Green task is complete when:

1. The targeted test passes
2. All other tests still pass
3. No code was written beyond what the tests require