CST 438 Week 8 Learning Journal

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Five Important Takeaways from CST 438

CST 438 was a very interactive class in terms of the components of software engineering. From all of the readings, assignments, and group activities, there were five important takeaways. 

1. REST APIs

The first important takeaway was working with REST APIs. REST APIs were introduced in previous courses, but in this course, we were able to see their implementation in a project using Spring server before the frontend was completed. We were able to test our backend system (registrar and gradebook) using HTTP requests and become more familiar with using Postman to test them. This was valuable as it improved our ability to start REST APIs, troubleshoot errors, and interpret console responses during debugging. 

2. Behavior-Driven Development

Behavior-Driven Development was introduced during the first iteration process in Assignment 1 and helped us write detailed stories that described how a user can interact with the software. This process not only allows us to focus on the functionality of the software but also on the user perspective. It was beneficial as it provided a more complete understanding of the purpose and scope behind each use case.
 


3. Agile Method

The Agile method is another important takeaway from the class. Beyond learning it in theory, we experienced it firsthand through Assignments 1-4 while working in a team. The iterations allowed us to apply Agile principles in practice, see their effectiveness, and understand how teamwork and adaptability are important to successful development. This was my favorite part of the class as it connected theory and real-world application. 
 

4. System Testing vs Unit Testing

Another important takeaway was the importance of unit tests and system tests. While unit tests can test the methods in isolation, the system test assesses whether the methods can work in tandem with other methods. System tests are larger and important as they may provide insight into possible issues that can arise when all methods are working cohesively together. This was an important takeaway as it tests our code in different ways, which can lead to more reliable and structured software. 

5. Code Reviews

The final takeaway was code review. It was interesting to learn that most programmers spend their time completing code reviews as part of their daily tasks. It was great to not only learn about code review but also have the opportunity to implement it in GitHub during our iterations. Since code reviews are an important part of an iteration, this is an aspect of a future job that we now have experience with. 

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