introduction to software testing with types description

7/30/2019 Introduction to Software Testing with Types Description

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What is Software Testing?

Software Testing is a process of verifying and

validating whether the program is performing correctly

with no bugs. It is the process of analyzing oroperating software for the purpose of finding bugs. It

also helps to identify the defects / flaws / errors that

may appear in the application code, which needs to be

fixed. Testing not only means fixing the bug in the

code, but also to check whether the program is

behaving according to the given specifications and

testing strategies. There are various types of software

testing strategies such as white box testing

strategy, black box testing strategy, gray box software

testing strategy, etc.

White Box Testing

It is the process of giving the input to the system and

checking, how the system processes the input, to

generate the output. It is mandatory for a tester to

have the knowledge of the source code.

Security Testing: Testing that confirms, how well asystem protects itself against unauthorized internal or

external, or willful damage of code, means security

testing of the system. Security testing assures that the

program is accessed by the authorized personnel only.
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Black Box Testing

It explains the process of giving the input to the

system and checking the output, without considering

how the system generates the output. It is also knownas Behavioral Testing.

Functional Testing: In this type of testing, the

software is tested for the functional requirements. This

checks whether the application is behaving according to

the specification.

System Testing: System testing is the testing

conducted on a complete, integrated system, to

evaluate the system's compliance with the specified

requirements. This type of software testing validates

that the system meets its functional and non-functional

requirements and is also intended to test beyond the

bounds defined in the software/hardware requirement

specifications.

White Box Testing Strategy: Testing of internalstructure of the software is known as white boxtesting.

Black Box Testing Strategy: This testing strategy isused to test different functionalities of thesoftware, that is being developed.

Gray Box Testing Strategy: The software is testedto find defects of any kinds, whether in code or instructure.


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There are other types of software testing, which are

used to test a product to ensure that the softwaremeets requirements of the end-user. They include:

Functional Testing Smoke Testing Usability Testing Validation Testing Compatibility Testing Sanity Testing Exploratory Testing

Security Testing Regression Testing Recovery Testing Performance Testing (This includes 2 sub-types -

Load Testing and Stress Testing)

Software Testing ModelsThere are different software testing models, which the

software testing team can choose from. Each of thesemodels have different methods, as they are based ondifferent principles. A number of factors are taken into

consideration, before a particular model is chosen. Thedifferent models that are used are:

Waterfall Model in Testing

Validation and Verification Model Spiral Model Rational Unified Process (RUP) Model Agile Model Rapid Application Development (RAD) Model


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1. Validation vs. VerificationVerification answers the question, Am I building

the product right, while validation answers thequestion, Am I building the right product. Toexplain it further, verification is carried out at theend of every phase to ensure that the software has

been developed in accordance with the conditionsset up at the beginning of the said phase. On theother hand, validation is carried throughout the

software development life cycle, to ensure that allthe requirements are satisfied.

What is Verification

The standard definition of verification goes like this: "Are we building

the product RIGHT?" i.e., Verification is a process that makes it sure

that the software product is developed in the right way. The software

should confirm to its predefined specifications. As the product

development goes through different stages, an analysis is done to

ensure that all required specifications are met.

Methods and techniques used in the verification and validation shall

be designed carefully, the planning of which starts right from the

beginning of the development process. The verification part of

'Verification and Validation Model' comes before validation, which


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incorporates software inspections, reviews, audits, walkthroughs,

buddy checks, etc. in each phase of verification (every phase of

verification is a phase of the testing life cycle).

During the verification, the work product (the ready part of the

software being developed and various documentations) is

reviewed/examined personally by one or more persons in order to

find and point out the defects in it. This process helps in prevention of

potential bugs, which may cause failure of the project.

What is Validation

Validation is a process of finding out if the product being built is

right? That is, whatever software product is being developed, it

should do what the user expects it to do. The software product should

functionally do what it is supposed to, it should satisfy all the

functional requirements set by the user. Validation is done during or

at the end of the development process in order to determine whether

the product satisfies specified requirements.

Validation and verification processes go hand in hand, but visibly

validation process starts after verification process ends (after coding

of the product ends). Each verification activity (such as requirement

specification verification, functional design verification, etc.) has its

corresponding validation activity (such as functional

validation/testing, code validation/testing, system/integration

validation, etc.).


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All types of testing methods are basically carried out during the

validation process. Test plan, test suits and test cases are developed,

which are used during the various phases of validation process. The

phases involved in validation process are: Code Validation/Testing,

Integration Validation/Integration Testing, Functional

Validation/Functional Testing, and System/User Acceptance

Testing/Validation.

Code Validation/Testing

Developers as well as testers do the code validation. Unit Code

Validation or Unit Testing is a type of testing, which the developers

conduct in order to find out any bug in the code unit/module

developed by them. Code testing, other than Unit Testing, can be

done by testers or developers.

Functional Validation/Testing

This type of testing is carried out in order to find if the system meets

the functional requirements. In this type of testing, the system is

validated for its functional behavior. Functional testing does not deal

with internal coding of the project, instead, it checks if the system

behaves as per the expectations.

Black box testing Internal system design is notconsidered in this type of testing. Tests are based onrequirements and functionality.


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White box testing This testing is based on

knowledge ofthe internal logic of an applications code.Also known as Glass box Testing. Internal software and

code working should be known for this type of testing.Tests are based on coverage of code statements,branches, paths, conditions.

Functional testing This type of testing ignores the

internal parts and focus on the output is as per

requirement or not. Black-box type testing geared to

functional requirements of an application.

Performance testing Term often used

interchangeably with stressand load testing. To

check whether system meets performance

requirements. Used different performance and load

tools to do this.

Security testing Can system be penetrated by any

hacking way. Testing how well the system protects

against unauthorized internal or external access.

Checked if system, database is safe from external

attacks.

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