The test suite as a regression sensor

According to Martin Fowler's site, software engineer Birgitta Böckeler examines test suites as regression sensors—a critical concept when AI coding agents write your code. She focuses on mutation testing, a technique that validates whether your tests can actually catch bugs. Mutation testing works by deliberately introducing errors into code and checking whether your test suite detects them. If tests miss a mutation, you've found a blind spot in your coverage. For teams using AI coding assistants, robust regression sensors matter: they're the difference between a helpful tool and a risk. The piece shows how mutation testing goes beyond typical code coverage metrics to truly measure test quality.

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