>> Software Testing

Software Testing:

Software testing is the process to make sure that the software or application under test is working as per the design/expectation.  The purpose of any kind of testing is to make it defect free.

The software or application is developed as per the design or requirement . In IT  projects, in most of the situations ,  the design or requirement is provided to testing team by Business Analyst . The design is called Business Requirement Document or BRD. Another forms of design document could be functional design document (FDD) or mapping document or User Stories. Based on these document/s , a tester has to write Test cases and/or conduct the testing activities.

Types of Testings:

1. Functional Testing

2. Non-Functional Testing

1. Functional Testings

1.1 Smoke Testing:

This is the first testing after any build or release is ready to be tested. This covers the overall basic functionalities. It does not cover the deep testing of any particular functionality or scenario. It is to make sure that the basic things are working in that  build or release. It is generally one or two Test cases covering basic functionalities.

1.2 Integration Testing:

In this all the components to be tested are combined as a group and testing is conducted. This testing covers the testing of overall components/modules of the software. There are two approaches  in integration Testing.

Top Down and Button Up

1.2.1 Top Down

In this testing , the top  level modules or components are tested first . The testing moves from the higher  level components to the lower level components.  If any lower level component is not present then temporary module called STUB  is created and the testing is carried out. The STUB should give the same output as expected from the actual module.

1.2.2 Buttom Up

In this testing , the lowest level modules or components are tested first . The testing moves from the lower level components to the higher level components.  If any upper level component is not present then temporary module called DRIVERS is created and the testing is carried out.

1.3 Regression Testing

It is a testing to make sure that after fixing issues/bugs or adding new functionality in the product , the product/program/software is working as expected, ie, the change has not impacted other healthy components. Suppose , a product is having four components A, B, C, D . Suppose there is error in 'C ' Then after fixing 'C' , you need to make sure that other remaining components A, B and D  should work properly like before 'C' was failed and fixed. So in this scenario, the testing carried out to make sure that the old components A, B, D working as expected is regression Testing. OR in the product all components A, B, C, D are working fine and a new component/functionality 'E' is added. Now, you need to make sure that the old components A, B, C, D should work fine like before  'E' was added. In this situation, the testing carried out to make sure that the  old components A, B, C, D are working as expected is regression Testing.

1.4 End to End Testing

It is a testing of the application from the start to finish. This testing includes all the system dependencies, data integrity , data communication between the systems or system components or external interfaces, database etc.

1.5 User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

This is the last phase of testing by the clients/user before the software goes live.  This is done after functional , integration , regression testings are done. This testing is done to make sure that the product can handle the actual challenges  when it goes to the market.

1.6 Unit Testing

This testing is done by developer . After a developer creates or fixes a component or product, he carries out the testing of that component or unit.

1.7 Performance Testing

It is testing of the software performance under the particular workload. Such as response time, speed, reliability, stability, resource usage, scalability etc.  The purpose of the performance testing is not to find bug or defects but to make sure that the software performance is meeting the given standard or not ie the software performs the given task with given resources in the given time limit.

Types of Performance Testings:

Load Testing

Stress Testing

1.7.1 Load Testing

This testing is carried out to test the software response with given load condition. In real time situation, the concurrent users using the software are the actual load. So, the tester carrying out this testing can find out how many concurrent users  can be handled meeting the given time constraint.

1.7.2 Stress Testing

Stress Testing is also called fatigue testing.  In this testing , the work load is increased beyond its normal limit to determine its breaking point ie to determine at what point it fails. So that a safe usage limit can  be determined. This testing is done to test the reliability  ,  stability and recovery  of the system under heavy load/traffic conditions.

1.8 White box Testing

This includes the testing of the internal code, components , structure or design of a software. A tester should have the knowledge of the internal code/components/structure/design  to conduct this testing.

1.9 Black box Testing

This is a testing of the functionality only with out touching the internal code, components, structure or design. A tester does not need to have the knowledge of the internal structure of the software to carry out this testing.