A comprehensive collection of software testing terms and definitions to help you understand the essential concepts and terminology used in quality assurance processes.
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A/B testing involves comparing two (or more) different UI options and finding which one is best for a user. "Best" may be defined in many ways, e.g., the button layout that generates the most interactions, the wording that best engages a user's interest, etc. The key to good A/B testing is to have good instrumentation of your application. This will allow you to properly record and analyze user interactions.
Acceptance testing is the final phase of the software testing process where the system is tested for acceptability. The purpose is to evaluate the system's compliance with business requirements and assess if it's ready for delivery. This testing is performed by the client or end-user to determine whether to accept the system. It focuses on replicating real-world usage conditions to validate overall system functionality and readiness.
Accessibility testing is crucial for ensuring that websites and applications are usable by individuals with disabilities. It involves evaluating various aspects, such as keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, color contrast, and text alternatives for images. By conducting thorough accessibility testing, developers can identify and address barriers, creating inclusive digital experiences that cater to the needs of all users, regardless of their abilities.
Ad hoc testing is informal testing done without any formal plan or documentation. It's based on the tester's knowledge, experience, and intuition rather than following structured test cases. While it might seem random, skilled testers often find important bugs this way because they're exploring the software from different angles and unexpected scenarios.
Agile testing happens throughout the development cycle, not just at the end. Testing tasks run parallel to development work, with testers and developers working closely together. This approach means bugs are caught early, and features are tested as soon as they're built rather than waiting for everything to be finished.
Alpha testing is the first major testing phase where the software is tested internally before going to external users. This usually happens at the developer's site with internal teams using the software as if they were end users. It helps catch obvious problems before the software goes to beta testing.
Automated testing replaces manual work with scripts that run predefined tests automatically. This approach saves time and reduces human error, especially for repetitive tests that need to be run frequently. Automated tests can be scheduled to run at any time, making continuous testing possible during development.
API testing checks how well different parts of the software communicate with each other through defined interfaces. It involves sending various types of requests and verifying if the responses meet expectations. The focus is on checking data accuracy, response times, and error handling. This helps ensure that different software components can work together reliably.
Backend testing focuses on checking the server side of an application where all the data processing happens. It involves testing databases, API’s and server logic to ensure data is stored correctly, business rules are applied properly, and the system can handle multiple users. Think of it as checking the kitchen operations in a restaurant while someone else tests the dining room.
Beta testing happens when a nearly finished version of the software is given to a group of users to try out in real-world conditions. These users work with the software normally and report any problems they find. It helps catch issues that might have been missed during earlier testing phases.
Benchmark testing measures how well your software performs compared to a standard set of criteria or similar applications. It helps establish performance baselines and identifies whether changes make things better or worse. This type of testing looks at things like speed, response time, and resource usage to determine if the software meets expected performance levels.
Black box testing checks software functionality without looking at the internal code. Testers focus only on inputs and outputs - what goes in and what comes out - without knowing how the software processes things internally. It's like testing a TV remote by pressing buttons and seeing if the TV responds correctly, without knowing the electronics inside.
Boundary value analysis checks how software behaves at the edges of acceptable input ranges. It involves testing the upper and lower limits of data values, along with values just inside and outside these limits. This helps catch problems that occur when users enter data that's right at the edge of what's allowed.
A bug or defect is any flaw in the software that causes it to behave differently than expected. This could be anything from a button that doesn't work, to incorrect calculations, to complete system crashes. Bugs can range from minor cosmetic issues to serious problems that prevent the software from working properly.
Build verification testing or Smoke Testing checks if a new software build is stable enough for further testing. It's like a quick health check that runs as soon as developers create a new version. BVT ensures basic functionality works before more detailed testing begins, saving time by catching major problems early.
Bug bash testing is when a group of people test the software simultaneously for a set period, trying to find as many bugs as possible. It's like a coordinated hunt for problems, with different people trying different things. This often reveals issues that might be missed during regular testing because of the variety of approaches people take.
Code coverage measures how much of your software's code is actually tested by your test suite. It helps identify which parts of your code are executed during testing and which parts aren't touched at all. While 100% coverage doesn't guarantee perfect code, low coverage might mean you're missing important test scenarios. Most teams aim for a balanced coverage level that focuses on critical code paths while accepting that some rarely-used code might need less testing.
Compatibility testing verifies that your software works correctly across different environments, systems, and devices. This includes checking performance on various operating systems, different hardware configurations, and with other software that might be running simultaneously. The goal is to ensure users have a consistent experience regardless of their setup, catching any conflicts or issues that might affect specific combinations of software and hardware.
Configuration testing examines how software behaves with different settings and setup options. It involves testing various combinations of hardware and software settings, including different installation options, user preferences, and system configurations. The aim is to verify that the software works correctly across all supported configurations and gracefully handles configuration changes without breaking or losing data.
Cross-browser testing ensures your web application works consistently across different web browsers and their versions. This includes checking functionality, appearance, and performance in browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. You need to verify that features work the same way, layouts appear correct, and users get a consistent experience regardless of their chosen browser.
Cross-platform testing verifies software functionality across different operating systems and devices. This ensures users get the same reliable experience whether they're on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, or Android. The focus is on maintaining consistent features and performance while accounting for platform-specific differences in things like file systems, user interfaces, and hardware capabilities.
Continuous Integration testing happens automatically whenever code changes are merged into the main codebase. This process runs a suite of tests to catch problems early before they affect other developers or users. The system automatically builds the software, runs tests, and reports results, helping teams catch integration issues quickly and maintain code quality throughout development.
Data-driven testing uses different sets of data to test the same functionality multiple times. Instead of writing separate test cases, you create one test that runs with many different input values. This approach is particularly useful for testing features that need to handle various data combinations. The test data is usually stored in external files or databases, making it easy to add new test scenarios without changing the test code.
Database testing ensures that the data in your application is stored and managed correctly. It checks if the data is accurate, consistent, and reliable. This includes testing how the system handles multiple users, saving and retrieving data properly, and verifying that database operations like procedures, triggers, and transactions work as expected, even in error situations.
The Defect Life Cycle, also known as the Bug Life Cycle, is a systematic process that tracks a software defect from its initial discovery through resolution. It encompasses stages like identification, reporting, analysis, fixing, retesting, and closure, ensuring proper documentation and handling of bugs to maintain software quality and reliability.
Defect Root Cause Analysis is a systematic investigative process that identifies the fundamental origin of software defects. It goes beyond symptom treatment, digging deep to understand why a problem occurred. Testers and developers analyze underlying factors, examine process failures, and develop preventive strategies to eliminate recurring issues and improve overall software quality and development practices.
Documentation testing checks if software documentation is accurate, complete, and helpful. This includes reviewing user manuals, help files, installation guides, and technical specifications. The goal is to ensure that documentation matches how the software actually works and provides users with the information they need to use the software effectively.
Dynamic testing examines software behavior while it's running. Unlike static testing that looks at code without executing it, dynamic testing involves actually using the software to see how it behaves. This helps find problems that only appear when the software is in use, like memory leaks, performance issues, or unexpected behavior when multiple users are active.
End-to-end testing checks if your software works correctly from start to finish. It involves testing complete scenarios like a user signing up, buying products, and receiving confirmation emails. This type of testing verifies that all system components work together properly in real-world situations. The goal is to ensure the entire workflow functions as expected, just as actual users would experience it.
Equivalence partitioning divides test inputs into groups that should be handled similarly by the software. Instead of testing every possible input, you test one value from each group, assuming other values in that group will work the same way. For example, if your software accepts ages between 18 and 65, you might test one value in that range rather than all possible ages.
Error handling testing verifies how your software deals with problems and unexpected situations. This includes checking how it responds to invalid inputs, network failures, or system resource shortages. Good error handling ensures the software fails gracefully, provides helpful error messages to users, and protects data integrity even when things go wrong.
Exploratory testing combines learning, test design, and test execution all at once. Instead of following pre-written test cases, testers actively explore the software, making decisions about what to test next based on what they learn. This approach often finds important bugs that might be missed by scripted testing because it allows testers to investigate interesting behavior as they discover it.
Environment testing verifies that software works correctly in all the different settings where it needs to run. This includes testing on different operating systems, with various configuration settings, and under different conditions like low memory or slow network connections. It helps ensure the software performs reliably regardless of where and how it's deployed.
ETL Software Testing validates the process of extracting data from source systems, transforming it to meet business requirements, and loading it into target databases. Testers verify data integrity, accuracy, completeness, and performance during each stage. This comprehensive testing ensures data quality, identifies transformation errors, validates business rules, and confirms the reliability of data warehouse and business intelligence processes.
Functional testing checks if your software features work according to requirements. It involves verifying each function of the software application by providing appropriate input, checking the output, and comparing actual results with expected results. The focus is on testing each business function by simulating actual system usage. Think of it as making sure every button, form, and feature does exactly what it's supposed to do.
Fuzz testing bombards your software with random, unexpected, or invalid data to see how it handles it. This testing method tries to break the application by feeding it unusual inputs, like extremely long text strings or random combinations of data. The goal is to find vulnerabilities or crashes that might not be discovered through normal testing approaches.
Frontend testing focuses on the parts of software that users directly interact with. This includes checking the user interface elements, forms, layouts, and client-side functionality. It verifies that the visual elements display correctly, user interactions work smoothly, and the interface behaves consistently across different screens and situations.
A failure occurs when software doesn't perform its required functions correctly or as expected. This could be anything from a button not responding, to incorrect calculations, to complete system crashes. While a defect is a flaw in the code, a failure is what users actually experience when they encounter that defect during software use.
Feature testing verifies specific functionality or characteristics of your software. It focuses on making sure individual features work correctly both in isolation and as part of the whole system. This includes testing new features as they're added and checking that existing features still work correctly when changes are made to the software.
Grey box testing combines elements of both black box and white box testing approaches. Testers have partial knowledge of the internal workings of the software but still focus mainly on testing from a user's perspective. This middle-ground approach helps testers design more effective tests because they understand some of the system structure while still maintaining an external testing viewpoint.
GUI testing checks the graphical interface of your software to ensure users can interact with it properly. This involves testing all visual elements like menus, buttons, text fields, and images to verify they appear correctly and respond appropriately to user actions. The goal is to ensure the interface is both functional and user-friendly, working consistently across different screens and devices.
Game testing focuses on finding issues in video games or interactive applications. This goes beyond just finding bugs – it includes testing gameplay mechanics, user experience, performance under different conditions, and whether the game is actually fun to play. Testers check everything from basic functionality to complex game scenarios, including how the game handles different player choices and actions.
Hybrid testing combines different testing approaches or tests multiple aspects of a system simultaneously. This might mean mixing manual and automated testing methods, or testing both web and mobile versions of an application together. The approach recognizes that different types of testing have different strengths, and combining them often provides better overall test coverage.
Heuristic testing is a method used to find issues in an application by relying on experience-based techniques and guidelines. Testers use predefined principles, or heuristics, to explore the system and identify problems. This approach helps uncover usability issues, inconsistencies, and unexpected behaviours by testing the application in a flexible and creative way, rather than following strict test cases.
Happy path testing checks if the software works correctly when everything goes as expected. It follows the ideal user journey through a feature or system, using perfect inputs and normal conditions. While it might seem basic, it's crucial because it verifies that the core functionality works properly before testing more complex or unusual scenarios.
Integration testing checks how different parts of your software work together. It verifies that separate components can communicate and share data correctly when connected. This testing is crucial because individual components might work fine on their own but fail when they interact with other parts. It helps catch interface issues, data flow problems, and communication failures between integrated components.
Installation testing verifies that software can be installed and uninstalled correctly under different conditions. This includes checking different installation options, upgrade paths, and system requirements. It ensures users can successfully install the software, upgrade from previous versions, and remove it completely if needed. The goal is to prevent installation-related problems that could frustrate users.
Interface testing examines how different software components communicate with each other. It focuses on checking the data exchange between various parts of the system, including APIs, web services, and user interfaces. This testing ensures that all interfaces handle data correctly, maintain proper connections, and manage errors appropriately when things go wrong.
Internationalization testing verifies that software can work correctly in different languages and regions. It checks if the application can handle various character sets, date formats, currencies, and cultural preferences. This testing ensures the software can be easily adapted for users in different countries without requiring major changes to the code.
Issue tracking monitors and manages problems found during testing or reported by users. It involves recording bug details, assigning priority levels, tracking fix progress, and verifying solutions. Good issue tracking ensures no problems get lost or forgotten, helps teams prioritize fixes, and maintains a history of software issues and their resolutions.
Jenkins is a popular automation server used in software testing. It helps teams automate parts of software development like building, testing, and deployment. The tool continuously monitors changes in your code repository and automatically runs tests whenever changes are detected. This automation helps catch problems early and ensures that new code changes don't break existing functionality.
JavaScript testing verifies that code written in JavaScript works correctly. This involves checking both simple functions and complex client-side behavior in web applications. Testers use various frameworks and tools to write and run tests that ensure JavaScript code behaves as expected, handles errors properly, and maintains performance under different conditions.
JMeter is a tool for testing how well your application performs under heavy use. It can simulate many users accessing your software at once to see how it handles the load. The tool measures response times, throughput, and reliability under different conditions, helping teams identify performance bottlenecks before they affect real users.
JUnit is a widely-used testing framework for Java applications. It provides tools for writing and running automated tests that check if Java code works correctly. Developers use it to write unit tests that verify individual pieces of code, helping catch bugs early in development when they're easier and cheaper to fix.
Jest is a testing framework primarily used for testing JavaScript code, especially in React applications. It's designed to ensure that JavaScript applications work as expected with minimal configuration required. The framework provides tools for writing tests, checking code coverage, and mocking dependencies to isolate the code being tested.
Keyword-driven testing uses keywords to represent common actions in test cases. Instead of writing detailed test scripts, testers create sequences of keywords that represent different actions or checks. Each keyword corresponds to a specific operation, like "login" or "verify_text". This approach makes tests easier to maintain and allows non-technical team members to understand and create test cases.
A known issue is a problem in the software that has been identified but not yet fixed. These issues are usually documented and tracked, with teams deciding when and if they need to be addressed based on their impact and priority. Some known issues might be left unfixed if they're minor or have acceptable workarounds, while others get scheduled for future updates.
Key Performance Indicators measure how well your testing efforts are working. These metrics help track important aspects of testing like the number of bugs found, test coverage, or time spent testing. KPIs help teams understand if their testing is effective, where they need to improve, and how changes to the testing process affect overall quality.
Load testing checks how your software performs under expected real-world conditions. It involves testing the system with a specific amount of simulated user activity or data processing to see how it behaves. The goal is to verify that the software maintains good performance and reliability when multiple users are active or when processing typical amounts of data.
Localization testing verifies that software works correctly for a specific region or locale. This goes beyond just checking translations – it includes testing date formats, currency symbols, sorting orders, and cultural preferences. The goal is to ensure the software feels natural and works properly for users in a specific geographic region or cultural context.
Legacy system testing checks older software that's still in use but may be outdated. This testing is tricky because older systems often lack documentation, use obsolete technologies, or have complex dependencies. The focus is on ensuring critical business functions still work correctly while managing the risks of making changes to aging software.
Logger is a tool that records what happens in your software as it runs. It creates detailed records of events, errors, and system behavior that help developers understand what's happening when problems occur. Good logging is crucial for troubleshooting issues, especially in production environments where direct observation isn't possible.
Level of testing refers to the different stages or phases where testing occurs in software development. Each level has its own focus, from testing individual code components to checking the entire system. These levels typically include unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and acceptance testing, each serving different testing goals.
Manual testing is when human testers check software by using it like a real user would. They follow test plans, try different scenarios, and document any problems they find. Unlike automated testing, manual testing relies on human observation and judgment to spot issues that might affect real users. This approach is especially valuable for testing usability and finding problems that automated tests might miss.
Mobile testing checks if your software works properly on mobile devices. This includes testing on different screen sizes, operating systems, and hardware capabilities. Testers check things like touch interactions, device rotation, offline functionality, and battery usage. The goal is to ensure a good user experience regardless of the device being used.
Migration testing verifies that data and functionality move correctly when upgrading systems or moving to new platforms. It involves checking that all information transfers accurately, old features still work, and nothing is lost in the process. This testing is crucial when organizations upgrade software versions or move to new systems entirely.
Monkey testing involves testing software by inputting random data or performing random actions. It's like letting a monkey loose on your keyboard – clicking randomly, entering random data, and generally trying to break things through unpredictable behavior. This can find unusual bugs that might not be discovered through more structured testing approaches.
Mock testing uses simulated components to test parts of your software in isolation. When testing one component, you create fake versions of other components it depends on. These mocks behave like the real components but are simpler and more controllable. This helps isolate problems and test components that might be difficult to test otherwise.
Module testing checks individual software modules or components separately before they're integrated. It focuses on verifying that each module works correctly on its own, following its design and requirements. This helps catch problems early when they're easier to fix, before modules are combined into larger systems.
Negative testing tries to break your software by doing things users shouldn't do. It involves entering invalid data, performing incorrect actions, or creating error conditions to see how the software handles them. The goal is to make sure the software responds appropriately to mistakes and invalid inputs, preventing crashes and data corruption when users do unexpected things.
Non-functional testing examines aspects of your software beyond basic functionality. Instead of checking what the software does, it focuses on how well it does it. This includes testing performance, security, usability, and reliability under different conditions. The goal is to ensure the software not only works correctly but also performs well and is easy to use.
Network testing checks how your software behaves under different network conditions. This includes testing with varying connection speeds, poor connectivity, and network interruptions. It verifies that the software handles network problems gracefully, maintains data integrity during transmission, and recovers properly when connections are restored.
Node testing verifies applications built using Node.js work correctly. It involves testing server-side JavaScript code, checking how the application handles requests, manages data, and interacts with other services. This testing ensures the Node.js application performs reliably and maintains good performance under different conditions.
Object-oriented testing checks software built using object-oriented programming principles. It involves testing how different classes and objects work together, verifying inheritance relationships, and ensuring objects behave correctly. This testing focuses on both individual objects and their interactions, making sure the object-oriented design works as intended and maintains proper encapsulation.
Operational testing also called the Operational Readiness Testing (ORT) is a specialized testing methodology that analyzes the software's operational robustness prior moving to the production.It verifies if the software and its different units are working fine in the usual operating environment. It takes place after the completion of the user acceptance testing, and is carried on a particular environment at the time of the SDLC.
Output validation checks if your software produces correct results for given inputs. It involves comparing actual outputs against expected results, verifying calculations are accurate, and ensuring data transformations work correctly. This testing is crucial for maintaining data quality and ensuring users can trust the software's results
Outsourced testing happens when an external team or company handles your testing needs. This approach involves transferring testing responsibilities to specialized testing providers who bring their own expertise and tools. Organizations often choose this to access specialized testing skills, reduce costs, or handle temporary increases in testing needs.
Performance testing measures how well your software performs under different conditions. It looks at things like speed, responsiveness, and stability when the system is under various levels of stress. This testing helps identify bottlenecks, resource usage issues, and performance problems that might affect users. The goal is to ensure the software remains fast and reliable even when heavily used.
Penetration testing actively tries to find security weaknesses in your software by simulating real attacks. It involves attempting to breach application systems, networks, or APIs to uncover vulnerabilities that attackers might exploit. This type of testing goes beyond basic security checks by thinking like a hacker and trying to find creative ways to compromise the system.
Path testing examines different routes through your software's code. It involves testing various possible sequences of program execution to ensure each path works correctly. The goal is to verify that all possible ways through the code produce correct results, helping catch problems that might only occur when specific sequences of actions are performed.
Production testing checks software in its live environment after deployment. It involves monitoring and testing the system while it's being used by real users with real data. This testing is particularly delicate because it happens on live systems, so any problems could directly affect users. The goal is to catch issues that might not appear in test environments.
Progressive testing builds up test coverage gradually, starting with basic functionality and moving to more complex features. It's like layering tests, beginning with critical operations and progressively adding more detailed tests for advanced features. This approach helps manage testing complexity by ensuring core features work before testing more sophisticated functionality.
Pilot testing involves releasing software to a small group of real users before full deployment. It's like a dress rehearsal with actual users trying the software in real conditions. This testing helps identify problems that might not be visible in controlled test environments and gives users a chance to provide feedback before wider release.
Quality Assurance focuses on preventing defects by ensuring proper processes are followed throughout software development. It's not just about finding bugs – it's about stopping them from happening in the first place. QA teams work on improving development processes, setting standards, and creating procedures that help teams build better software consistently
Quality Control involves checking if software meets specified requirements through testing and reviews. Unlike QA which prevents defects, QC finds them after they occur. It focuses on identifying problems in the software through various testing methods, ensuring the final product meets quality standards before it reaches users.
Quick Test Professional, now known as UFT (Unified Functional Testing), is a tool for automating testing processes. It helps testers create automated scripts that can check application behavior without manual intervention. The tool can record user actions, replay them later, and verify if the software still behaves correctly when changes are made.
Regression testing checks if recent changes have broken previously working features. It involves re-running tests to ensure that new code hasn't introduced problems in existing functionality. This testing is crucial after making changes or adding features because it helps catch unintended side effects that might affect parts of the system that weren't directly modified.
Risk-based testing prioritizes testing efforts based on potential risks to the business. It focuses more attention on features that could cause the biggest problems if they fail. This approach helps teams make the best use of limited testing time by concentrating on areas where failures would have the most serious consequences.
Random testing checks software by providing random inputs and actions without following a structured plan. It can find unexpected problems that might be missed by more systematic approaches. While it might seem chaotic, random testing can be effective at discovering unusual bugs that occur in edge cases or unusual combinations of actions.
Recovery testing verifies that software can recover properly from crashes, hardware failures, or other problems. It involves deliberately causing failures to see if the system can restore itself to a working state. The goal is to ensure that when things go wrong, data isn't lost and normal operation can resume without manual intervention.
Requirements testing verifies that software meets its specified requirements. It involves checking each requirement to ensure it's implemented correctly and completely. This testing helps ensure that the final product actually delivers what was promised and meets user needs as defined in the requirements documentation.
Release testing is the final check before software goes live. It verifies that the complete system is ready for release to users. This includes checking all features work together, confirming documentation is complete, and ensuring the software can be deployed successfully. It's the last chance to catch problems before users see them.
Sanity testing quickly checks if new software builds are stable enough for detailed testing. It's a subset of regression testing that focuses on core functionality rather than deep testing. When developers deliver a new version, sanity testing helps decide if it's worth spending time on more thorough testing or if it needs to go back for fixes.
Security testing looks for vulnerabilities that could compromise your software. It checks if the system can protect data and resist unauthorized access attempts. This includes testing for common security issues like data leaks, authentication problems, and injection attacks. The goal is to find and fix security weaknesses before attackers can exploit them.
Shadow Testing is a software testing approach where a new version of a system runs in parallel with the production version, receiving the same real-world inputs but without affecting the actual output. This method allows teams to evaluate performance, functionality, and reliability of updates under genuine conditions before full deployment.
Shift Left Testing is a proactive software quality approach that moves testing activities earlier in the development lifecycle. By integrating testing from the initial stages of requirement gathering and design, teams can detect and resolve defects sooner. This method reduces overall development costs, improves product quality, and enables more collaborative, continuous testing throughout the software development process.
Smoke testing does a quick check of the most important software functions to ensure basic operations work. It's like checking if a car starts and moves before doing a complete inspection. This helps catch major problems early, saving time by identifying builds that are too broken for detailed testing.
Stress testing pushes software beyond normal operating conditions to see how it handles extreme situations. It involves overwhelming the system with data, users, or processing demands to find breaking points. This helps understand system limits and ensures it fails gracefully when pushed too far.
System testing examines the complete, integrated software system. It verifies that all parts work together correctly in real-world scenarios. This testing ensures the entire system meets its requirements and works reliably when all components are combined, including any external interfaces or dependencies.
System Integration Testing verifies the interaction and compatibility between different software and hardware components within a complex system. Testers validate that separate modules or subsystems work together seamlessly, ensuring proper data flow, communication, and functionality. This comprehensive testing approach identifies interface conflicts, integration issues, and potential performance bottlenecks across interconnected system components.
Static testing reviews software without actually running it. It includes code reviews, document inspections, and automated code analysis. This testing can find problems early by examining code structure, documentation, and design before the software is even executed, helping prevent bugs rather than just finding them.
Selenium is a popular tool for automating web browser testing. It can control web browsers to simulate user actions like clicking buttons, filling forms, and navigating pages. This tool helps testers create automated tests that check web applications thoroughly and consistently, reducing the need for manual testing of repetitive tasks.
Test automation uses software tools to run pre-scripted tests on your application. Instead of having humans perform repetitive tests manually, automated tests can run quickly and repeatedly. This approach helps save time, reduces human error, and allows testers to focus on more complex testing scenarios that require human judgment and creativity.
A test case is a set of conditions or steps used to determine if a software feature works correctly. It includes specific inputs, actions to perform, and expected results. Each test case checks one aspect of the software, making it clear what's being tested and how to know if the test passes or fails.
Test Coverage is a software testing metric that measures the extent to which source code is tested. It quantifies the percentage of code lines, branches, or paths exercised by test cases. This metric helps developers identify untested parts of the software, improve testing strategies, and ensure more comprehensive validation of the application's functionality and potential error scenarios.
A test plan outlines the entire testing approach for a project. It describes what will be tested, how it will be tested, when testing happens, and who's responsible. The plan acts as a blueprint for testing activities, helping teams coordinate their efforts and ensure nothing important gets missed.
A test script is a detailed set of instructions for testing a specific aspect of your software. Unlike test cases that describe what to test, scripts specify exactly how to perform the test. These can be written instructions for manual testing or code for automated testing.
A test scenario describes a possible way users might interact with your software. It's broader than a test case, often combining multiple test cases to check complete features or workflows. Test scenarios help ensure the software works correctly in real-world situations.
A test suite is a collection of related test cases grouped together. These tests usually check related features or aspects of the software. Organizing tests into suites helps manage large numbers of tests and allows running related tests together efficiently.
Test strategy defines the overall approach to testing a system. It's a high-level document that outlines testing objectives, methods, and resources needed. The strategy guides all testing activities, ensuring they align with project goals and quality requirements.
Test data is the information used to perform tests. This includes inputs, expected outputs, and any other data needed to run tests properly. Good test data covers both normal cases and edge cases, helping find problems that might occur with different types of input.
Test environment is the setup where testing takes place. It includes hardware, software, networks, and data configurations needed to run tests. A good test environment matches the production environment as closely as possible to ensure testing results are reliable.
Test Execution is the systematic process of running a predefined set of test cases against software to verify its behavior and functionality. It involves following test procedures, documenting actual results, comparing them with expected outcomes, and recording any deviations or defects to ensure product quality and requirements compliance.
Unit testing checks individual pieces of code in isolation to ensure they work correctly. Developers write these tests to verify specific functions or methods perform exactly as intended, independent of other system parts. While unit tests are typically small and focused, they form the foundation of testing by catching problems early in development when they're easiest to fix. These tests often run automatically whenever code changes.
Usability Testing is a testing technique that evaluates a software product's user-friendliness by observing real users as they interact with the application. It focuses on measuring ease of use, user satisfaction, efficiency, and accessibility while identifying potential navigation issues and areas for interface improvement.
User acceptance testing is the final check before software goes live, where actual end users verify whether the software meets their needs or not. Unlike technical testing, UAT focuses on real-world usage scenarios and business requirements. Users perform their daily tasks with the new software to confirm it works in practical situations and supports their business processes properly.
UI testing verifies that your software's user interface works correctly and looks right. This includes checking that buttons respond properly, forms validate input correctly, and screens display appropriately across different devices and browsers. It ensures users can interact with every element of the interface and that the visual design remains consistent throughout the application.
Upgrade testing verifies that software updates or upgrades work correctly without breaking existing functionality. It checks that user data and settings transfer properly to the new version, existing features still work, and new features integrate smoothly. This testing is crucial for ensuring users can safely upgrade without losing work or functionality.
Use Case Testing is a black-box testing technique that verifies whether a system can successfully execute complete end-to-end scenarios of user interactions. It validates that the software meets user requirements by testing both main and alternative flows of typical user actions, ensuring functionality aligns with real-world usage patterns.
Validation testing confirms that software meets user needs and functions as intended in the real world. It goes beyond checking technical requirements to ensure the software actually solves the problems it was designed to address. This testing answers the question "Are we building the right product?" by verifying that the software fulfils its intended purpose and provides value to users.
Verification testing checks if the software meets its specified requirements and technical standards. It focuses on confirming that the software is built according to design specifications and coding standards. Unlike validation which asks if we built the right thing, verification asks "Did we build it right?" by checking compliance with technical requirements.
Visual testing checks the appearance of your software to ensure it looks right and maintains consistent design. It verifies layout, colors, fonts, images, and other visual elements appear correctly across different devices and screen sizes. This testing helps catch visual bugs that automated functional tests might miss.
Vulnerability testing searches for security weaknesses in your software that attackers might exploit. It involves scanning for known security issues, attempting to break security measures, and identifying potential entry points for attacks. The goal is to find and fix security problems before malicious users can take advantage of them.
Volume testing checks how your software handles large amounts of data. It verifies that the system can process and store large volumes of information without slowing down or breaking. This testing ensures the software maintains performance and reliability when dealing with substantial amounts of data in real-world situations.
White Box Testing is a software testing method that examines the internal code structure and implementation details. Testers design test cases based on the program's internal logic, focusing on code paths, branch coverage, and statement execution. This approach ensures comprehensive software quality by thoroughly analyzing the internal workings of the application.
A Walkthrough is an informal software review process where an author presents their work to peers for detailed examination. Participants collaboratively discuss the material, providing immediate feedback and insights. It serves as a knowledge-sharing technique to identify potential issues, improve understanding, and gather constructive suggestions for the project's development.
Waterfall Testing is a sequential software testing approach following a linear development model. Each development phase must be completed and approved before progressing to the next. Testing occurs in distinct stages after the entire development process, with a structured approach that emphasizes comprehensive validation at each predetermined milestone.
Web Services Testing validates the functionality, performance, and security of web-based service interfaces. It examines communication protocols, data exchange formats, and API interactions. Testers verify service endpoints, validate data transmission, check error handling, and ensure seamless integration between different software applications across various platforms.
Wireframe Testing is an early-stage user interface evaluation method. Testers and stakeholders review simplified visual representations to validate user flow and design functionality. By examining basic layout and interaction design, this approach identifies potential usability issues and user experience challenges before full development begins.
Workflow Testing is a testing method that verifies the complete flow of business processes within a software application. It focuses on validating that all sequential steps, decision points, and interconnected operations function correctly, ensuring data moves accurately through various stages and business rules are properly enforced.
XML Testing validates the structure, syntax, and content of XML documents. Testers verify schema compliance, data integrity, and parsing capabilities. This specialized testing ensures XML files meet defined standards, can be correctly processed by different systems, and maintain accurate information exchange across various applications and platforms.
XPath is a query language for navigating and selecting nodes in XML documents. It provides a precise syntax for traversing document structures, allowing detailed location and manipulation of elements. Essential in XML processing, XPath serves as a critical tool in web scraping and XML-related technologies.
XSS (Cross-site Scripting) Testing identifies vulnerabilities that allow malicious script injection in web applications. Testers systematically probe input fields and application endpoints to detect potential script injection points. The goal is to prevent unauthorized script execution that could compromise user data or manipulate web page content.
XUnit is a popular open-source unit testing framework primarily used in .NET development. It provides a modern and flexible architecture for writing unit tests, featuring attributes like [Fact] and [Theory], dependency injection support, parallel test execution, and rich assertions. It's designed to be more lightweight and maintainable than older frameworks like MSTest and NUnit.
Zero-defect Testing is a quality assurance approach aiming to eliminate all potential defects in software before release. It involves rigorous testing methodologies, comprehensive test cases, and meticulous review processes. The goal is to achieve a perfect software product with no known bugs, focusing on prevention rather than detection of errors through extensive validation and verification techniques.
Zero-day Testing focuses on identifying and addressing previously unknown security vulnerabilities immediately upon software release. Testers proactively search for potential exploits that hackers might discover before the software vendor. This critical security testing approach aims to detect and patch critical vulnerabilities before they can be maliciously exploited, protecting the software from potential cyber attacks.