Static and dynamic software testing

Source : http://softwaretesting.snappages.com/blog/2012/09/27/static-and-dynamic-software-testing

Software testing is the process of testing new software by using it prior to its release. This testing process is carried out in order to spot and locate any kind of existing problems or technical issues. This can be carried out by the execution of a code. This code can be a small component or a program. This process is also called dynamic testing. This kind of testing can be carried out using a testing tool automatically or it can be carried out by hand manually. Whether it is carried out automatically or manually, code execution is used.

Software testing also involves what is called “static testing”. This kind of testing is also called code walkthroughs. It is the inspection of any software that does not need code execution. People also call this genre of testing “walkthroughs & inspections”, it is clear by this naming that the term software testing is preferably used to referrer to any kind of testing process that includes the execution of a specific code for testing. Despite that, using both types of testing the static testing and the dynamic testing is a very vital part of any strategy for quality control.

Software testing for any software quality control that lies within the SDLC has to go through both kinds of testing, dynamic and static. This means that technical specs, test plans and business needs have to be subjected to ‘walkthroughs and inspections’ which is also known as static testing. Everyone knows that dynamic testing can run automatically without the inference of the human element. The same thing can be applied to static testing as it can also be automated to save a lot of time and effort. For instance, using a tool that is able to measure the code’s complexity for a specific program can be an example of an automatic static testing tool.

The importance of software testing

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Software testing is used by all of the top companies that designs and manufactures different software. Despite the fact that using software testing can lead to the delaying of the release of new software it is still used by the biggest companies. This is due to the fact that using it is a vital part in the common protocols that are used in software development. Not only that as testing new software has many other advantages that pushes the software developing companies to test their software even if it is going to delay or push back the release date of the newly designed piece of software.

Software testing would allow the companies and the developers to be sure that the software that they are releasing will work to its full efficiency. This is because when new software is tested, the developers are able to spot any kind of technical issues or errors in the design so they can fix it before being released to the public. This helps the companies make sure that the software will work as it should when it is released and used by the clients. It also helps the software manufacturers make sure that the software that they are releasing is able to pass and meet all of the regular quality standards and tests.

Software testing would also help the users of the software avert away from any kind of damage that can harm their computers due to any technical issues. Most organizations now depend on their computers in almost everything because technology and computers makes everything easier. This is why they have to make sure that no harm will be done to their systems by the usage of the software. This is due to the fact that serious harm can come to the company’s business if any damage is done to its computer network and system.

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Solving technical errors through software testing

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Software Testing is a process that any software has to go through before its release. It is a kind of investigation that provides the stakeholders with all kinds of information that they may want to know about the product. It also lets people know about the risks that are involved if they use the software and helps them understand these risks. So it is basically a warning system that prevents a lot of damage and losses if it is carried out in the correct way.  Each kind of user needs a different kind of software. For instance, an accountant will need accounting software and a player will need gaming software and so on. This is why software developers judge their software and deem is suitable or not according to the needs and the requirements of its end clients. This is why they implement software testing because it helps them achieve that target.

Software testing can also save a lot of money. It was stated by a research by NIST that the errors and the bugs that appear in software costs the economy of the United States approximately sixty billion dollars per year. Third of this number can be saved if software developers carry out more strict and better testing on their software before they release it. The reasons behind the various bugs and errors that appear in software include hardware compatibility, programming errors and the compatibility with older versions. Some of the techniques that are used to solve these errors are Integration, regression, black box, grey box, white box and acceptance among other techniques that are very effective in solving these errors and bugs.

Software testing would allow the software developer to spot and locate these bugs before the release of the product so the developers and programmers can work on them and fix them.

The vital part played by software testing

Software testing is an essential phase that every software has to pass through during its development and prior to its release. Companies who implement a strict quality control strategy will always put their newly designed and developed software through a software testing process. This process allows them to check for the existence of any bugs or errors. It enables the software developers to be certain that the software they are going to release is up to par with all of quality standards of the company and the market. This is how big companies maintain the high level of quality of their products.

Software testing is carried out at the last stages of the development of the software. The testing process starts with putting the software through a series of exams and tests to make sure that it passes all requirements and quality control standards of the company. This includes the stability of the system, the performance, the usability of the software, the stability of the platform and its functional fit. Special software are used in the testing phase, these software are designed to locate and spot any kind of issues, bugs or technical errors that might have entered the software’s coding during the designing and developing process. After locating and identifying these errors, the developers then start to fix them before testing the software again to make sure that they fixed it all.

Software testing programs are customized and tailored according to the cultural and business needs of each manufacturing company. It also depends on the kind of software and its purpose. This is why each software developing company uses a specific type of software testing programs. These programs have become very vital and essential in the life span of the software development, regardless of the software’s type, genre or purpose.

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The reasons for applying software testing

Software testing is the process of testing any newly developed software to check if it has any bugs, technical issues or errors that could have crept into the coding of the programming during its development.  These errors will have a negative effect on the quality of the software and this is why the new software gets tested so the developer can eliminate and fix any bugs or technical issues prior to the release of the software. This allows the manufacturer to be one hundred percent certain that the software is of high quality that it meets all of the quality standards.

Software testing became a vital phase that any software has to go through due to the existence of the internet. Everyone is looking for top quality products and software. This is why any software that does not meet these quality standards is deemed to fail. This is why software testing became an important part of the SDLC (software development life cycle). Most of the errors and technical issues that exist in any software are a result of design errors and miscalculations. Any grade ‘A’ product will have to be bug and error free and this is why big program developers test their software to make sure that it does not contain any bugs and if it does, it will have to be corrected and fixed before it is released to the public. This is done in order to control the quality of the products.

Software testing includes static and dynamic testing. These kinds of tests can be done automatically through an automated test tool or it can be done manually. This testing involves the execution of a code that tests and examines the software for the existence of any bugs, technical issues or errors. To sum it up, software testing is very vital to any quality control strategy and this is why it is used and applied by the biggest software developers.

Which Software Testing Company?

Software Testing Services
A key area to focus on when considering a software testing company is its software testers. Today there exists two popular certifications, ISEB and ISTQB. Try and ensure that the software testers at least hold these certifications at foundation level. Another factor with regards to software testers is the amount of experience they have. Many software testing companies state that there testers have five years I.T. experience. But reading between the lines, this simply means that they have five years experience anywhere in the field of Information Technology. You should really ask the software testing company, how many years professional software testing experience they actually have.

Many software testing companies offer a wide range of software testing services. Caution should be used though, as many of these companies will advertise these services but may not necessarily have the expertise to perform them. The types of software testing services that any professional company should offer is:

Test Case Creation
This very popular service typically involves creating detailed test cases that not only can be used on the project under test, but also due to their high quality can be re-used on future projects and form a high quality test documentation asset. Good testers will accumulate all required information necessary to produce the test cases, typically from design documentation, requirements and developer interview. Once the information has been analyzed a software tester will create a sophisticated excel spreadsheet which includes test cases, results sheets, environment setup and version details etc. Clients are involved in every stage of test case development in the form of a test case review process.

Functional Testing
Typical software products today include large amounts of critical functionality and complex features, added to this significant time pressures to get the product released make functional testing one of the most important stage of any software development. A software tester's manual functional testing techniques have been proven to be highly effective at essentially determining whether or not the functionality actually works, or not.
Versatile software testers can work from their own created test cases or use any pre-existing test cases you may already have. Good software testers readily use ad-hoc techniques when executing any tests to expand the test coverage. The aim during functional testing is to highlight any issues as early as possible so the developers can resolve it. This can obviously effectively reduce the development costs to your company.

Usability Testing
In order to ensure your software meets the needs of the end user; Usability Testing can be used. Not only will usability testing detect errors, but it will also detect navigational issues, language issues, workflow experience etc. Good software testers put themselves into the mindset of the end user and will report on the 'look & feel' of the software under test. Good software testers often build a set of test cases based upon real end user scenarios or business cases to ensure the software is tested in a similar way to how the real end users will actually use the software. This type of software testing has been proven to increase the ROI of software developments by enhancing the end user experience and therefore potentially increasing product sales. As usability testing is trying to ensure that the end user experience is appreciated, we perform this type of testing manually.

Regression Testing
Regression testing is surprisingly often overlooked area of software testing. This is often due to the assumption that when new functionality is working correctly then the software is ready for release. However, more often than not, additional issues have been introduced that affect existing functionality. Software testers have the knowledge and experience to identify existing test cases that are suitable for regression. Regression test cases are commonly functional test cases that are reused at regular intervals throughout the software development to ensure that the expected results remain consistent, thus providing confidence that nothing has been adversely affected by change.

Acceptance Testing
Acceptance testing is typically driven by the end user or customer. Acceptance test cases are normally executed by the customer prior to accepting the product. But commonly, these test cases are also given to the software developers to ensure their product meets the level of acceptance before the end of development. Software testers can perform execution of these test cases to highlight any issues to the development team as early as possible. Software testers can also derive expected acceptance test cases from customer requirements for you. On a smaller scale our software testers can also derive smoke tests to act as a form of acceptance tests during stages of the software development life cycle.

System Testing
System testing of software is testing conducted on a complete, integrated system to evaluate the system's compliance with its specified requirements. Good software testers treat System testing as an investigatory testing phase, where the focus is to have almost a destructive attitude and will aim to test not only the design, but also the behavior and even the believed expectations of the customer. Software testers will It is also test up to and beyond the bounds defined in the software requirements specification. This is test that if a failure occurs, that it is handled correctly by the software with as little impact on the customer as possible.

Exploratory Testing
Commonly, while the software is being tested, a good software tester learns things that together with experience and creativity generates new good test cases to run. Good software testers consider exploratory testing to be an approach that can be applied to any test technique, at any stage in the development process. Software testers adopt the exploratory approach during all stages of testing. However, many software test teams use the exploratory testing approach during the final stages of a development just to allow a software testers to roam freely throughout the software focusing on areas of functionality that the software tester has a 'gut feel' where there may be issues. This approach can often detect defects that have previously not been considered in other 'more formal' areas of software testing.

Installation Testing
Installation testing is a type of software testing that focuses on what customers will need to do to install and set up the new software successfully. The testing process may involve full, partial or upgrades install/uninstall processes. Good software testers will typically perform installation testing when a compiled version of code has reached the final stages of testing or pre-production environment, from which it may or may not progress into final production. By the use of virtual machines, software testers can replicate many different operating systems and environments to fully test installation of software.

http://www.testing4success.com is a professional software testing company providing highly cost-effective outsource software testing services to companies around the globe. We can provide outsource software testing services to supplement your existing project, or provide dedicated outsource software testing for entire projects, all delivered on-time and with outstanding results. Please contact us with any questions you may have, or for a free quote.

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Software testing : Things to know about

Software Testing Vs Software Quality Assurance
Executing software program purposefully with intention to “find bugs”, “measuring quality, security, functionality and performance” can be defined as software testing. Making sure that the standard procedures are adopted in all the phases of SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle), monitoring & improving process of all phases of SDLC and intend to solve identified all the problems is known as software quality assurance. Software testing is done to detect errors and Software quality assurance is oriented towards “prevention”.

SDLC Vs STLC
Preliminary analysis, Systems analysis, Systems design, Development, Installation & deployment and Maintenance are phases of SDLC.

The need of software begins when a business is in need of computerized solution for its problems or when the business identifies the opportunity for computerized solution. As next step, goals and scopes are defined along with system boundary, cost-benefit analysis and feasibility study. Then, project development plan is developed and other planning documents are prepared. Once that is done, analysis of user requirements is carried out and detailed functional document is developed. On the next phase the requirements are transformed into system design, and then the system design is converted into information system - at this phase system installation, creating and setting up the databases, coding, compiling and refining the programs are done.

Further in testing, STLC (Software Testing Life Cycle) is applied, which has the following phases:
System Study
Test planning
Test case preparation
Test case review
Execute test case
Identify bugs
Report bugs

Types of testing are Defect testing the failed scenarios, including defect tracking, Path testing, Data set testing, Unit testing, System testing, Integration testing, Black-box testing, White-box testing, Regression testing, Automation testing, User acceptance testing, Software performance testing

Once the testing phase is completed, system is implemented in production environment and further maintenance is carried out.

Further on Software testing
Test bed :
Test bed is setting up environment for testing, which includes configuring specific hardware, operating systems, network topology and etc to perform testing. In detailed test plan, “Test bed” should be consider in first point.

Test data :
What data to be tested with the software program. It is used to test effective controls of software with input.

In software testing, term “error” means - deviation of actual and expected output, term “bug” means - the error which can be found in development environment before delivery to customer and the term “defect” means - error which can be found in delivered product to the customer.

Reasons for errors on Software:
Communication gap on what the application should & should not do
Programmers mistake in codes
Changes of requirements
Running to meet deadlines

Only few things about software testing is discussed above out of several points to be considered about software testing.

Essential of Software testing

Usually time allocated for software testing is less compare to other areas of software development. There are situations where actual testing is performed more quicker than actual allocated time for testing. Because, there are software developing companies getting pressure from other stakeholders like marketing team, management team and etc. The reason for the pressure may be the marketing department and management team may have allocated lots of money in advertising and promotion activities, as a result they always need to launch the product in time, even they prefer sooner is better. That obviously put less time on testing.

Usually, taking the software to end user is the goal of marketing and management teams. But it has to be ensured that that end users will not find any serious bugs on the software. That kind of considerations make stable positions for software in the market. Bugs in reporting format or etc usually has less impact on software product and end-users, anyway which should be fixed in upcoming releases of the product. Bugs like loosing data or crashing the program may cause serious impact on end users' data as well as on stability of the market for software. When software testing is planned, critical areas where system may crash or loose data, should be given high priority in testing.

Software testing includes quality assurance, validations and performance testing and etc. When planning a testing, specific areas should be tested, for an example if the performance testing is planned, there should not be more focus to be given to quality rather than performance. Such mis-leading things may lead to have hidden bugs in the software.

Nowadays software testing become very important in-order to deliver quality products which leads more need of software testing professionals and there are certification are introduced like ISEM, ISTQB and etc for software testing professionals. It is good news. However, it has to be noted that, software testing can ensure quality but it cannot ensure BUG-FREE.

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