What are the key practices of Agile programming methods?
Short iterations with continuous collaboration and feedback — pair programming, frequent code review, refactoring, and test-driven development.
Agile Method practices include:
- Pair Programming — two developers at one workstation
- Extreme Programming (XP) — frequent releases, pair programming, code review
- Refactoring — restructuring code without changing behavior
- Fast code reviews — quick feedback cycles
- Test-driven programming (TDD) — write tests before code
- Storycards — user stories as requirements
Why these practices help security: Several agile habits double as security controls. Pair programming and fast code review mean a second set of eyes can catch an injection bug or a = vs == slip before it merges. TDD lets you write tests that assert security behavior (e.g., "a non-admin must get 403"). Short iterations give a place to add security testing every sprint instead of one big audit at the end. The catch: because Agile deliberately welcomes change, security can't be a one-time gate — it has to be integrated into each sprint (the "shift-left" / DevSecOps idea), or it falls through the cracks.