Why Evaluate Software Through Software Testing and QA

Due to advancements in technology, businesses today have learned to rely on software to enhance staff efficiency and streamline work operations. Therefore, it is integral to build software that works smoothly and functions as it should. To guarantee this, software development companies evaluate software through various tests. In this article, let us learn the importance of software testing and quality assurance (QA) in building software.

What is Software Testing?

Software Testing is the process of determining and evaluating whether the developed software meets the particular needs set by the customer, which is usually a business or an enterprise. The process is also called the Software Testing Lifecycle (STLC), which works alongside the software development life cycle.

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In every phase of the STLC, software developers verify the functionalities of the software. They also validate its performance with the set requirements.

Moreover, software developers also evaluate software to make sure that it is free from bugs and vulnerabilities. Through this process, software developers can improve its functionalities and enhance its usability.

Why is Software Testing Important?

In general, software testing is essential because it ensures that you provide an excellent user experience. When you evaluate software, you make sure that it satisfies customers and its end users.

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The process is a never-ending cycle of verification and validation to produce functional software. In every stage of the process, software developers check the performance and efficiency of the software. They can check for errors and fix them to ensure that they do not happen again in the future.

Software developers do this to ensure that the software, program, or application they are building aligns with the customer’s technical and business requirements. Thus, when the software successfully passes through all of the levels of testing, customers are ensured that the final product meets – and may even go beyond – their set expectations.

Benefits of Quality Assurance in Software Development

Software testing works to improve the technical aspects of the software being built. In comparison, quality assurance (QA) deals with software specifications. Quality assurance is a comprehensive and systematic process that helps guarantee the quality of the software created. As such, quality assurance specialists evaluate software development and test cycles.

As such, a quality assurance specialist verifies the standard of software components with quality reviews. They work on crafting preventive measures instead of restorative methods. QA also involves the in-process collection of data and documentation of procedures.

Moreover, QA specialists follow and evaluate the entire software development cycle. They also write bug reports to help software developers improve the software. Therefore, they do their evaluation using a more user-centered approach, from coding to testing.

Software Testing Types, Methods, and Techniques

In this section, we will delve into the various types, methods, and techniques used to evaluate, verify, and validate software:

Types of Software Testing

1. Manual Testing

   For this type of testing, the tester will have to compile the software and perform the test from the user’s perspective. Through this type of test, testers will have to manually detect the errors and bugs using different levels of testing. They follow a plan, case, and scenario-based execution for them to finish the software test.

2. Automation Testing

   This type of test requires testers to write scripts. They also use external software to perform the tests. Thus, manually-tested products may go through automation to double-check the product’s quality.

Methods Used in Software Testing

1. White Box

   You can also call this structural testing because it uses the software’s internal source code structure. It is a unit-level test that helps ensure that the software’s internal performance aligns with the set specifications. Through this, internal boundaries and data domains are verified in detail.

2. Black Box

   An interface-level software test does not bother about the software’s internal code structure to measure the software’s functionality. It is a trial-and-error software test method which is also called the input-output test or data-driven test.

3. Grey Box

   It is a combination of the two previous methods. This technique helps discover software bugs or finding vulnerabilities. Also, it uses limited knowledge about the software, such as its database and design documents.

Techniques Used in Software Testing

• Unit Test

This test validates the unit-level components, where the tester checks each source code and matches it with the expected outcome.

• Integration Test

It tests the connectivity between the unit modules. It is a technique that helps figure out the bugs that affect the interaction between the integrated unit components.

• System Test

This technique is also called end-to-end testing because it verifies the entire software. Testers provide a comprehensive report on the software’s performance and compliance with the set business requirements.

• Acceptance Test

It is a pre-delivery test that testers do with the user. When using this technique, the software will go through performance and usability tests from the user’s perspective before the software is delivered to the customer.

Software Testing and QA Builds High-Quality Software

Software testing and quality assurance work hand in hand to produce high-quality software. These two processes both help in the improvement, enhancement, and innovation of software for business use. With custom software development, you can build software to address your specific business needs, goals, and objectives!

About Xenia Labis

Xenia loves to learn and share what she has learned. She gathers all her learnings through reading books, watching videos and deep conversations. Nevertheless, she believes that the greatest learnings she has gathered are through her experiences.

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