Software Testing: Objectives, Basis & Environments

• Each test level identifies specific test objectives, the test basis, the test object, typical defects and failures, approaches, and responsibilities.
• Test environment definition is essential for each level.

Test Definitions

• Test objective: Testing's purpose.
• Test basis: Knowledge for test design.
• Test case: Preconditions, inputs, actions, expected results.
• Test object: The work product to be tested.
• Test environment: Hardware, software, and tools for testing.

Component Testing

• Component testing focuses on separately testable items.
• Component testing aims to reduce risks, verify behaviors, build confidence in quality, find defects, and prevent defects from escaping to later testing.
• Objectives include reducing risk, verifying behaviors, building confidence in quality, finding defects, and preventing defects from escaping to later testing.

Component Testing Isolation

• Stub: Provides predefined responses.
• Driver: Controls a test item in isolation.

Component Testing Basis and Objects

• Test basis is derived from detailed design, code, data model, and component specifications.
• Test objects include components, units, modules, code, data structures, classes, and database models.

Component Testing Defects and Failures

• Defects include incorrect functionality, data flow problems, and incorrect code or logic.

Integration Testing

• Integration testing focuses on component or system interactions.
• Types include component integration testing and system integration testing.

System

• Problems include inconsistent message structures, incorrect data, interface mismatches, communication failures, and security regulation failures.

Integration Testing - Key Points

• Testers focus on the communication between components.
• Both functional and structural testing is used.
• Integration can be done by developers or specialist integration testers.

System Testing

• System testing verifies that a system meets requirements.
• In practice, system testing also validates the system.
• Objectives include reducing risk, and verifying functional and non-functional aspects.
• Ensuring that the system builds confidence in the system, finding defects, and preventing defects from escaping.

System Testing - Objects, Defects, and Failures

• Objects include applications, hardware/software systems, operating systems, system under test (SUT), and configuration data.
• Defects and failures include incorrect calculations, system behavior, data flows, end-to-end tasks not properly carried out, and system manual errors.

System Specifics

• Purpose: ensure if system meets expectations and identify defects.
• Specialist testers, third-party teams, and business analysts can perform testing.
• Scope includes functional and non-functional testing, and handling incomplete requirements.
• Black-box and white-box techniques are applied.

System Early Involvement Benefits

• Prevents misunderstandings, reduces false positives and negatives, and improves efficiency through early reviews.

Acceptance Testing

• This test determines whether to accept the system.
• Objectives include validating completeness, functionality, and ensuring functional and non-functional behaviors are as specified.

User Acceptance Testing

• Determines if users accept the system.
• Main question: Does the system enable users to efficiently perform tasks?

Operational Acceptance Testing

• Determines if operations/systems administration staff accept a system.
• Usually includes testing backups, installation, disaster recovery, user management, maintenance, data tasks, security, and performance.

Contractual and Regulatory Acceptance Testing

• Contractual acceptance testing focuses on meeting specified criteria.
• Regulatory acceptance testing ensures compliance.

Alpha and Beta Testing

• Commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) may undergo alpha and beta testing.
• Feedback is needed from potential users.
• Alpha testing: done in developer's test environment by external roles.
• Beta testing: Done externally to the developer's test environment.

Acceptance Testing - Objects, Defects, and Failures

• Objects include the system under test (SUT), configuration data, business processes, recovery systems, operational processes, forms, reports, and converted production data.
• Defects: Include unmet user requirements, incorrect business rules, failure to meet contractual requirements and non-functional failures.

Understanding test levels, objectives, and the test environment is essential in software testing. Component testing focuses on individual testable items to reduce risks, verify behavior and build confidence in quality. Stubs and drivers are used for component testing in isolation.