xp-practices

Apply XP practices including pair programming, ensemble programming, continuous integration, and sustainable pace. Use when implementing agile development practices, improving team collaboration, or adopting technical excellence practices.

Best use case

xp-practices is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.

Apply XP practices including pair programming, ensemble programming, continuous integration, and sustainable pace. Use when implementing agile development practices, improving team collaboration, or adopting technical excellence practices.

Teams using xp-practices should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.

When to use this skill

  • You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.

When not to use this skill

  • You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
  • You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.

Installation

Claude Code / Cursor / Codex

$curl -o ~/.claude/skills/xp-practices/SKILL.md --create-dirs "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/proffesor-for-testing/agentic-qe/main/.claude/skills/xp-practices/SKILL.md"

Manual Installation

  1. Download SKILL.md from GitHub
  2. Place it in .claude/skills/xp-practices/SKILL.md inside your project
  3. Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill

How xp-practices Compares

Feature / Agentxp-practicesStandard Approach
Platform SupportNot specifiedLimited / Varies
Context Awareness High Baseline
Installation ComplexityUnknownN/A

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this skill do?

Apply XP practices including pair programming, ensemble programming, continuous integration, and sustainable pace. Use when implementing agile development practices, improving team collaboration, or adopting technical excellence practices.

Where can I find the source code?

You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.

SKILL.md Source

# Extreme Programming (XP) Practices

<default_to_action>
When applying XP practices:
1. START with practices that give immediate value
2. BUILD supporting practices gradually
3. ADAPT to your context
4. MEASURE results

**Core XP Practices (Prioritized):**
| Practice | Start Here | Why First |
|----------|------------|-----------|
| TDD | ✅ Yes | Foundation for everything |
| Continuous Integration | ✅ Yes | Fast feedback |
| Pair Programming | ✅ Yes | Knowledge sharing |
| Collective Ownership | After CI+TDD | Needs safety net |
| Small Releases | After CI | Infrastructure dependent |

**Pairing Quick Start:**
```
Driver-Navigator (Classic):
- Driver: Writes code
- Navigator: Reviews, thinks ahead
- Rotate every 20-30 min

Ping-Pong (with TDD):
A: Write failing test
B: Make test pass + refactor
B: Write next failing test
A: Make test pass + refactor
```
</default_to_action>

## Quick Reference Card

### When to Pair

| Context | Pair? | Why |
|---------|-------|-----|
| Complex/risky code | ✅ Always | Needs multiple perspectives |
| New technology | ✅ Always | Learning accelerator |
| Onboarding | ✅ Always | Knowledge transfer |
| Critical bugs | ✅ Always | Two heads better |
| Simple tasks | ❌ Skip | Not worth overhead |
| Research spikes | ❌ Skip | Pair to discuss findings |

---

## Agent Integration

```typescript
// Agent-human pair testing
const charter = "Test payment edge cases";
const tests = await Task("Generate Tests", { charter }, "qe-test-generator");
const reviewed = await human.review(tests);
await Task("Implement", { tests: reviewed }, "qe-test-generator");

// Continuous integration with agents
await Task("Risk Analysis", { prDiff }, "qe-regression-risk-analyzer");
await Task("Generate Tests", { changes: prDiff }, "qe-test-generator");
await Task("Execute Tests", { scope: 'affected' }, "qe-test-executor");

// Sustainable pace: agents handle grunt work
const agentWork = ['regression', 'data-generation', 'coverage-analysis'];
const humanWork = ['exploratory', 'risk-assessment', 'strategy'];
```

---

## Agent Coordination Hints

### Memory Namespace
```
aqe/xp-practices/
├── pairing-sessions/*   - Pair/ensemble session logs
├── ci-metrics/*         - CI health metrics
├── velocity/*           - Team velocity data
└── retrospectives/*     - XP retrospective notes
```

### Fleet Coordination
```typescript
const xpFleet = await FleetManager.coordinate({
  strategy: 'xp-workflow',
  agents: [
    'qe-test-generator',   // TDD support
    'qe-test-executor',    // CI integration
    'qe-code-reviewer'     // Collective ownership
  ],
  topology: 'parallel'
});
```

---

## Related Skills
- [tdd-london-chicago](../tdd-london-chicago/) - TDD deep dive
- [refactoring-patterns](../refactoring-patterns/) - Safe refactoring
- [pair-programming](../pair-programming/) - AI-assisted pairing

---

## Remember

**XP practices work as a system** - TDD enables collective ownership, CI enables small releases, pairing enables collective ownership. Don't cherry-pick randomly.

**With Agents:** Pair humans with agents. Agents handle repetitive work (regression, data generation, coverage analysis), humans provide judgment and creativity.

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