Top 20 Programming Languages For Mobile App Development

Mobile App has to be stable, secure and easy to use to survive the competition. To make sure that all the mentioned factors are perfect, you need a robust programming language for development. Which are the currently used programming languages for mobile app development?
Have a look.
1. JAVA
JAVA
In the last 2 decades, Java has been one of the strongest programming languages in the world. Java initially started as a project in Sun Microsystems called GreenTalk.
During the initial days, Sun Microsystems wanted to have some applications developed for embedded systems such as microwave ovens, washing machines, coffee machines and so on.
Initial Idea was to use C++.
In 1995, James Gosling suggested the name to change to Java and in the same year, Java 1.0 Alpha was released for download. Java SE 5 was released in 2004 and is the 2nd largest benchmark on Java versions.
This brought some new and useful features like annotations, a loop to iterate over collections, etc.
It is largely favored by app developers in companies because it is flexible and easy to use which minimizes the scope of error during development.
Java is backed by a community that makes fixing technical glitches very easy and efficient.
2. PYTHON

Guido van Russom created Python language in 1980.
Over the course of time, it has evolved and become such a huge application development language.
A large majority of individual users and business enterprises have started using Python in recent years mainly because it is developer friendly, easy to learn and use.
Debugging is very easy in Python because each line of code is interpreted one by one which makes it the choice of app development language of beginners.
It can be easily integrated with Java, C++, and C and has a large set of functionalities that come pretty handy for quick application development.
It is a portable language which means that it can be run on a variety of operating systems like Windows, Linux, Mac OS, etc.
And the best part is that it is open source and freely available.
3. PHP

In 1995, Zend Technologies came up with a server-side scripting language called PHP.
It is used for all purposes including application development but initially, the main objective for developing this language was to create websites.
Those who know PHP are capable of building dynamic websites, various kinds of mobile apps, and web applications as well.
Recently, PHP 7 was launched and it showed drastic improvement over its previous versions.

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Especially the speed. Some other improvements are as follows; type declarations, error handling, new operators, easy user-land Cryptographically Secure PseudoRandom number generator (CSPRNG).
Unicode support for emoji and international characters has also been introduced in PHP PHP is most commonly used in creating GUIs, content management systems, code project management tools, Facebook apps, etc.
4. BUILDFIRE
BUILDFIRE
Buildfire.js helps you create robust applications using Build fire SDK and JavaScript.
Buildfire is commonly used by a lot of businesses which eliminates the need for the developer to create an application from scratch.
The developer only needs to create a specific process for the business. This results in rapid application development.
The Buildfire marketplace has a bunch of plugins that you can add to Buildfire.
5. C++
C++
It began as an expanded version of C and was created by Bjarne Stroustrup in 1979 at Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey.
People came to the realization in 1983 that C++ offers much more than C. It is a mid-level programming language which means that you can use C++ to develop high-level applications and also the low-level libraries which work very close to the hardware.
It is object-oriented which means that it uses concepts like inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, and abstraction and so on.
C++ allows the creation of a function inside a function which is why it is called a block-structured programming language.
The speed of execution in C++ is very high which makes it the choice of application development language of many developers.
It is used in operating systems, device drivers, web servers, cloud-based applications, search engines, etc.
Also, it can be used to create some other programming languages meaning there is a high possibility of an existing programming language being derived from C++.
6. JAVASCRIPT
programming languages for mobile app development
It is the hardest language to master but the easiest to begin with. JavaScript is a really old programming language and some of its features have become useless.
JS is the short form of JavaScript and is a largely used technology in the World Wide Web alongside CSS and HTML.
Interactive web pages can be created using JavaScript and a large majority of websites use it.
Popular web browsers use JavaScript engine for its execution. It was developed 23 years ago by Brendan Eich at Netscape Communications. Syntax, standard libraries, etc. in Java and JavaScript are the same but there are tons of differences as well.
7. C#
c#
Also known as C sharp, it as object-oriented which means that it uses concepts like inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, and abstraction and so on just like C++.
This programming language can be used for all languages and is developed by Microsoft. Games, mobile applications, web services, server applications, etc. can be created easily using C#. Anders Heijlsberg is created C# in the year 2000.
The stable release 7.3 was launched in May 2018. C# applications are low on memory and power consumption and can compete directly with C or C++.

8. HTML5
programming languages for mobile app development
HTML5 is greatly useful in web-based mobile application development.
The latest version of HTML5 features multimedia support, multi-platform functionality for different gadgets and programs, and quick market deployment.
Android and IOS application developers find HTML5 particularly useful because of its flexibility and rapid application development capability.
9. RUBY
ruby
Ruby is most commonly used by designers for web development and serves as the base for Ruby on Rails.
It is somewhat similar to PHP.
Ruby is indeed the friendliest programming language when it comes to Android and IOS application development.
It is backed by a community that will help you in case you face any issues. Bloomberg, Airbnb, Twitter, etc. use Ruby on Rails to power their online platforms.
10. KOTLIN

Kotlin is a fairly new programming language as compared to those mentioned above.
It first appeared in 2011 and is designed by JetBrains and open-source contributors.
Stable release 1.3.31 was released just a few days ago in April 2019.
Its main features are; conciseness, compactness, compatibility with JAVA, and easily understandable.
Its main focus is mobile application development for which it uses a simple syntax.
11. SWIFT
programming languages for mobile app development
Swift was developed by Chris Lattner and Apple in 2014.
This programming language is mostly used in the development of IOS applications since it is developed by Apple. It is capable of executing both Cocoa Touch and Cocoa platforms.
Swift takes inspiration from several other programming languages such as Haskell, Python, C#, Ruby, and CLU and so on.
It is a very simple language and requires fewer lines of coding to develop an application.
The applications produced using Swift are scalable because they have the capability to sustain new features.
The memory consumption of Swift applications is on the lower side which has a direct positive impact on speed and performance.
However, Swift is a fairly new language and programmers are skeptical about its functionality and stability.
12. OBJECTIVE-C
programming languages for mobile app development
Application development through Objective-C takes a long time because the programmer has to write long lines of code.
However, learning this language is fairly easy because a large majority of features are taken from C language.
This programming language is mostly used by Apple for the development of IOS and Mac OS apps. Brad Cox and Tom Love developed this language in 1985.
Since it is an old language, it is a bit mature and has improved a lot.
13. J-QUERY
jquery
It has a learning curve attached to it. J-QUERY was developed in 2007 by The JQuery Team and aimed to facilitate client-side HTML scripting.
Sizzle is the selector engine of J-Query and does a pretty good job at traversal and manipulation.
The creation of a new programming style becomes a possibility courtesy of Sizzle.
It eliminated most of the JavaScript drawbacks. J-Query simplified the operations which took more than a while on JavaScript.
It is preferred by programmers because it has effect libraries and a personalized UI.
14. SQL
programming languages for mobile app development
It is one of the oldest programming languages. SQL (structured query language) was developed in 1974 by Donald D. Chamberlin and Raymond F. Boyce.
Relational algebra and tuple relational calculus form the foundation of SQL.
It is particularly useful in retrieving data for a database in a quick and reliable manner.
Data access control, data manipulation, data definition, and data query is possible in SQL.
The standard of SQL database is pretty high (ANSI and ISO standards) which eliminates the need for heavy coding.
15. BOO
programming languages for mobile app development
Developed in 2003 by Rodrigo B. De Oliveira, Boo is a free programming language.
It is considered an all-rounder and is pretty useful in general for application development.
It works well with Mono frameworks as well as with Microsoft.NET.
Since it is a new language, programmers don’t use it quite often and neither it is as powerful as some of the older programming languages like Java, Python, and C++.
However, its unique features include First class functions, list comprehension, and closures.
16. SCRATCH
programming languages for mobile app development
Scratch was developed by MIT Media Lab Lifelong Kindergarten Group in 2002 to allow programmers to culminate in games, animations, and storytelling.
This programming language was targeted at students but users of all ages can learn and use it easily.
17. QML
programming languages for mobile app development
Qt Modeling language, QML for short is a good programming language for creating mobile applications.
QML was developed in 2009 by QT Project and is somewhat similar to JSON and CSS. QML is less preferred by programmers because an app developed with QML will not work without Qt quick compiler which is only available with the commercial QML version.
18. SCHEME
programming languages for mobile app development
This programming language comes with imperative and functional programming capabilities.
The learning curve attached to this programming language is easy and short as compared to other programming languages.
It was developed by Guy L. Steele and Gerald Jay Sussman in 1970.
19. RUST
programming languages for mobile app development
It is sponsored by Mozilla and is similar to C++.
This programming language comes with imperative and functional programming capabilities.
Some advantages of Rust are; ability to identify errors during compilation and inbuilt concurrency support.
Rust is a young programming language developed by Graydon in 2010.
Some disadvantages of Rust are; complicated installation process, difficult to understand and apply advanced functions, and irrelevant tools.
20. ACTION SCRIPT
programming languages for mobile app development
Gary Grossman developed Action Script in 1998 for creating websites and software.
It can also be used to develop mobile applications. Version 1 and 2 of Action Script can run on the same hardware.

These were the top 20 programming languages for application development. Hope you find it useful.

Selenium 4: New Features and Updates

There are a lot of new features that are being promised as part of the new Selenium 4 package.

For those who are still wondering what the new features and capabilities are that are being brought and how it will impact and improve your day to day work, then please read on.

  1. Webdriver will be W3C protocol compatible

If you are an automation professional you would already know that usage of the webdriver is not restricted to Selenium.
selenium 4
It is also widely used in appium and iOS drivers.
The latest version of Selenium thus comes with W3C standard which would make it compatible with the implementation of the webdriver across multiple platforms.
More details regarding the bindings and the protocols are available in the GitHub if you wish to dive deeper.

  1. Selenium IDE TNG

One major drawback which Selenium suffered all these years is that it does not support parallel execution.
Well, not anymore. With Selenium 4, they have plugged that gap. The new IDE supports a lot of new features and much-improved browser support.
This is apart from the robust record and plays options that have been built into the new version.
The new and improved IDE is completed dependent on the webdriver, which as mentioned above is also W3C compatible.

  1. Improved Selenium Grid

For those of you who have actually worked with the Selenium grid, you know how difficult it is to get the setup up and running.
There are so many challenges involved.
Hurray, the makers heard you. So now you have a much-improved grid which also allows you to run your tests in multiple devices at the same.
What is more is that in Selenium 4, the grid acts as both the hub and the node, thereby avoiding the issues arising out of connecting these together.

  1. Improved Analysis

Another important update in Selenium 4 is with respect to the logging, debugging, observations, hooks, etc.
The latest version of Selenium promises to offer details of hooks, request tracing, etc, which help in better analysis of the problems and help in fixing them at a much faster rate.
It will also give the testers a better of the requests that are initiated, the hooks to which it is latched and much more.
With the new and improved analysis feature, the tester would be equipped with much more data to share with the development team for fixing an issue.

  1. Detailed Documentation

Documentation is a very important part of any tool.
It really helps in self-learning the tool as well as fixing some very common and basic things that we may have missed.
The latest offering of Selenium comes with very detailed documentation which is easy to understand, follow and implement.
You will not need external help again if you go step by step with the documentation available.
With more and more companies switching to automation using free tools, Selenium is the forerunner.
Though primary java it supports python as well…

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The new features will definitely add more value to this product which now widely used not only by testers but also by developers.
Now with the alpha build out, it is very likely that we will get the official confirmation for release of Selenium 4 very soon. Waiting with the abetted breadth

What is BDD (Behavior Driven Development)? Why is it important?

TDD is very useful to guarantee a quality code, but it is always possible to go a step further, and that is why the  BDD Behavior Driven Development was born.
Driven development behavior (Behavior Driven Development) uses concepts of DDD (Domain Driven Design) to improve the focus of TDD.
BDD is the answer that Dan North gave to the difficulties presented by TDD. One of the reasons for blocking documented in his article Introducing BDD was the fact of calling the tests “test”.
This leads to the erroneous consideration that the mere fact of conducting tests means that the application is well done.
North introduced the concept of “behavior” to replace the “test”, and the change solved many of the doubts that arose when applying TDD. Soon after, in 2003, it would launch JBehave, the first BDD framework, based on JUnit.

How does BDD work?

The BDD tests are written in an almost natural language, where the keywords that define the process that gives value to the user prevail. A BDD test looks similar to the following:
Scenario:   Add a product to the shopping basket
Given I am viewing the article page
When I click the “add to cart” button
Then   the shopping cart counter increases
And    the item appears in the shopping cart
The keywords in orange are the ones that BDD tools like JBehave, Cucumber or behave interpret.
The test cases are scenarios (Scenario), which have an initial status (Given), one or more actions of our own test (When) and consequences to prove (Then).
If there are more actions of a specific type, we will connect them with an And.

The scenarios are defined in flat text files (features), which are easily readable by all parties.
The concrete implementation of the steps that are defined in these scenarios is done in the steps files, where the programmers are responsible for scheduling the actions that they want to try to perform.

Why BDD?

BDD makes it easier for the developer to determine the scope of their tests; it is no longer about testing methods or classes, but about ensuring that functionality behaves as the user expects.
Another of the main advantages of BDD is the use of language that all the interested parties can understand with minimum training, without having previous knowledge of programming.
Thanks to this, all parties involved in the development of a product can understand what is being worked on and what is the functionality involved.

When a BDD test fails, the entire team is able to identify the component that is failing and can contribute ideas to the conversation, where they all add up.
The BDD also allows designing the product tests around the domain and performing tests that effectively add value to the end user.
The BDD tests know the application the same as the user, and therefore force all the teams to work by functionalities and behaviors of the application, without forcing a concrete organization of the code internally.
Finally, another advantage of BDD is that it allows reusing a large part of the test code, since the common steps of the tests (login, click on a button …) can be standardized and re-used several times.

Why you must use BDD?

Behavior-driven development gets hold of uncertain user stories and acceptance criteria and converts them into a proper set of options as well as examples that may be wont to generate documentation, automatic tests, and a living specification.
In alternative words, it gets everybody on a constant page and ensures that there’s no miscommunication concerning however the software system behaves or what price it provides to the business.
At very least, BDD is value vie nearly any software system project that needs input from stakeholders and business folks.

It’s an excellent thanks to dramatically curtail on the waste that’s generally seen in software system comes whereas guaranteeing that they’re delivered on time and on a budget instead of changing into a data point.
The tests that you simply write also will be loads of additional intelligible and purposeful to everybody on the team.
Deliberate Discovery
Imagine a long software system project that your team recently completed.
However long did it take from origin to delivery? Currently, imagine that you simply may do a constant project over with everything unbroken the same—except your team would grasp everything they learned throughout the initial project.

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However long would the second project desire complete? The distinction between these 2 eventualities tells you that learning is that the constraint in software system development.
Deliberate discovery is that the initiative in behavior-driven development: Learning as quickly as potential to get rid of the constraints on a project to deliver on time and on budget.
What is Deliberate Discovery?
Most software system development groups’ are acquainted with user stories and acceptance criteria.
As an example, a user story for Twitter could state that a user will reply to a different user’s tweet.
Acceptances criteria facilitate outline the specifics of however that practicality is going to be enforced, like the presence of a reply button on the primary user’s profile.
The matter is that these 2 tools—user stories and acceptance criteria—never explore any unknowns.
The deliberate discovery means having conversations regarding user stories and acceptance criteria victimization concrete examples—and presumptuous content.

As an example, a user would possibly ask: can my reply seem in my Twitter feed for anyone to see? The initial user story and acceptance criteria might not have such the solution thereto question, however, it might clearly have an enormous impact on the design of the general application.
Rather than building software system and golf shot it before of users to induce feedback, the goal of deliberate discovery is to undertake and learn the maximum amount as potential before writing any code to reduce waste and maximize productivity.
Who ought to be involved?
Deliberate discovery processes ought to involve as many alternative team members as you would like to supply insights into their specific areas of experience.
Developers might imagine of options on a really technical level, whereas domain specialists could have insights into what actual customers square measure searching for in terms of practicality.
All of those insights square measure crucial for reducing the uncertainty around options and ultimately meeting the software’s business goals.
Some samples of team members to incorporate are:

  • Domain specialists
  • Business analysts
  • UX designers
  • Users
  • Developers
  • Testers
  • OPS engineers
  • Product house owners

Getting in the correct mental attitude
Team exercises square measure an excellent thanks to getting everybody within the right mental attitude for future deliberate discovery conferences.
Liz Keogh suggests one common exercise that works best in little teams of 3 or four folks in an exceedingly dedicated meeting space with a whiteboard.
The exercise will commence by drawing four columns on a whiteboard:

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Story Column: all and sundry ought to tell a story a couple of drawbacks they need to be encountered and a discovery they created to resolve the matter.
Commitment Column: What choices were created that solid the problem as an example, choices concerning deadlines or writing the incorrect code?
Deliberate Discovery: may you have got discovered data earlier that may have LED to a unique decision as an example, speech customers or emotional early.
Real choices Column: however may you have got unbroken your choices open longer as an example, creating a commitment later once additional data was on the market?

After finishing the exercise, the team ought to discuss however adding the invention method may facilitate them to establish and avoid the issues.
The takeaway ought to be that creating the invention early usually prevents the matter from happening within the 1st place.
Conclusion
BDD is a powerful tool capable of generating real value for the user by focusing the tests on the final product as a whole and not on the code.
If you decide to take the step and try it, you will see how BDD can be your best ally in software development.

Why Testers Should Focus on Adaptability?

Apart from your technical knowledge, a lot of soft skills also play an important role in paving a way to your successful software testing career. Adaptability is one of those.
What is adaptability?
Adaptability refers to the skill to change your action plan according to changing conditions.
Adaptability is not only adjusting or changing as per some situation, it includes the ability to bring changes keeping the process running smoothly, and without any key obstacles and delays.

An adaptable person is also defined as:

  • Empathetic
  • Resilient
  • Team player
  • Creative problem solver
  • Open minded
  • Good listener

With the highly dynamic and ever-evolving business, it becomes very important for employees to adapt to the changing demands of this business.
You can have new requirements coming in, or there could be a requirement change or change in the deadlines or an unexpected bug that might require further investigation; all these situations demands you to be very flexible to adapt to new changes.
This adaptability becomes even more important for the testers.
Why is adaptability even more important for testers?
Business scenarios have become very dynamic in the past few decades. Technology, methodology and business environment keeps evolving every now and then. The software field is even more dynamic and evolving, hence it becomes very important for the software testers to be very adaptable to have a stable career.
Here are a few reasons that focus on the importance of adaptability for the testers.
Changing software business models: software business is very dynamic and keeps changing every now and then.
For the past few decades, we have gradually witnessed the software business model changing for products to services. Not only this, there are many other changes that software business has witnessed in the near past.
All these changes ultimately bring a vast change in the working mode of the testers. And hence makes it very important for the testers to be adaptable to these changing business models to let the work progress smoothly without any delays and obstacles.
Changing requirements: Software industry is very prone to changing requirements by the stakeholders.
With every change in their business model, a change in corresponding software is made and this sometimes it becomes an on-going process with multiple requirement changes showing up for the same piece of code.
A tester has to be ready to accept these changes and adapt them to this dynamic requirement changes for delivering his best potential.
Changing technology: Technology these days seems to be changing with a blink of an eye. What was dominant yesterday might not even be an option., the testers need to learn to adapt to new technologies.
There was a time when manual testing was the only option, then came in automatic testing, which became the need of the time and now the automatic testing is gradually being replaced by codeless automatic testing.
To stay in the testing field, the testers have to learn to adapt to these changing technologies.
Varied timelines: The timeliness could be very different for you for the same piece of work. In your last project, you might have completed the same task in 2 days, but for some other project, you might have to complete the same task within a day.
Not even that, in the same project you might have quite lavishly completed the first round of testing, but because of some defect, you might have to rush for the second round. You need to be very adaptable as per the timeliness are concerned.
Dealing with different peers and clients: When in a team, you might have to deal with various different types of peers and your clients might also vary.
Their way of thinking and acting might be very different from one and another. But for you as a good tester, you are required to deal with them equally keeping in mind their nature and knowledge.
You have to adapt to different kind of people you come across in your work.
What are the characteristics of adaptable Testers?
Your characteristics that define that you are adaptable:

  • Intellectual flexibility: you should be capable of assimilating new information to draw a conclusion from it.
  • Being Receptive: you should have a positive attitude towards learning new things to achieve your targets.
  • Creativity: you should always be in a state of experimenting with new things and finding out new ways to deal with challenges.
  • Adapting behavior: you should always be ready to adopt new methods and processes to get better results.


What are the qualities of an adaptable tester?

  • Have to be ready with an alternate solution in case the prior doesn’t seem profitable.
  • should not be scared to take up the responsibility of urgent projects
  • should be ready to explore new roles and responsibilities
  • Must remain poised and calm in difficult situations
  • Have to look out for better options to get maximum profits and best results
  • Should be able to easily to adapt to new ways of working
  • Ought to be flexible when it comes to reallocating their priorities
  • Must possess a positive attitude always.

How to evaluate adaptability of a tester in an interview?
you can test a tester’s adaptability by presenting a question like, how they handled some past situations like how they responded when a long-time process was changed or how they dealt with a difficult peer or a client.
An adaptable tester will not say withering things about others, and will constructively describe both perspectives.
Now, when you know how important it is for a tester to be adaptable, it is time to inculcate adaptability in yourself.
All you need is an open mind and a positive attitude and you will be soon able to adapt to different working scenarios with ease.  Good Luck!

What is Waterfall Model? Pros and Cons

Waterfall model is a sequential one which divides software testing and development into sequential phases in which each phase is designed to perform certain acts.
It’s simple and idealistic and serves as the base for many models that are being put to practice at present. A classic waterfall model divides any project into a set of phases. One phase can only start when the previous phase ends.
Let’s have a look at the different sequential phases in a waterfall model

 
Requirement Analysis:
The capture of all the requirement from customer, deep-rooted analysis, incomplete requirement omission, brainstorming, feasibility test, etc. are carried through in this phase.
After analysis, the requirements will be documented in a software requirement specification (SRS) document which serves as a contract between customer and testing company.
System Design:
Design specification document will be created in this phase to outline the technical design required for commencing the project. For instance, frameworks, tools and programming languages, etc.
Implementation:
As per the design programs or code will be written for various purposes. And the codes will be integrated to the next phase.
Testing:
Unit tests will be conducted to make sure that the system is working as per the requirement. All functional and non-functional testing will be conducted in this phase.
During testing, if any anomalies are found it will be reported. Progress of the testing will be tracked using tools. Proper documentation of defects will be reported.
Deployment:
Product will go under the final test to ensure that the application is fully functional and can perform according to the requirement in a live environment
Maintenance:
Corrective, adaptive and predictive maintenance will be carried out in this phase. This maintenance can also be used for updating or enhancing the product.
Before moving to another stage there will be review and sign off process to make sure that goals that have been defined in the requirement phase have been met.
Waterfall model is specifically used for projects that have defined documentation, definite requirement, ample resources, specific timeline, etc.

When to use waterfall model in software testing

• When there is no change in requirement of project
• Application that needs testing is smaller in size
• When there is a stable environment
• When the resources is limited
• When there is required expertise available

Advantages and disadvantages of waterfall model

Advantages of waterfall model

  • Clear documentation and planning will ensure that large or shifting team to move towards a common goal.
  • Works well for small projects
  • Phases are easy to maintain since they are rigid and well-constructed
  • Disciplined and organized
  • Reinforces good testing habit
  • Specification change can be made easily
  • Milestones and deadlines can be defined clearly
Disadvantages of waterfall model
  • If there is any flaw the entire process has to be started again
  • Lack of adaptability
  • Ignores Mid-Process User/Client Feedback
  • Many testing models incorporate testing to the process on the other hand waterfall model movies away from testing

Conclusion
Nowadays projects are moving on to Agile and prototype models. But, for small projects waterfall model is effective if the requirement can be clearly defined.
 

What’s Spiral Model? Advantages and Disadvantages

Spiral model is the combination of both sequential model and prototype model. The spiral model is specifically designed for projects which are huge in size and requires regular enhancements. The spiral model is somewhat similar to the incremental model but more emphasis on risk analysis, engineering, and evaluation.
To understand better have a look at the sequential diagram about the model!
spiral model diagram

Phases involved in Spiral Model

Planning phase: All the required information about the project will be gathered in this phase. Requirements such as BRS (business requirement specification and SRS (system requirement specifications), design alteration, etc. will be done in this phase. Cost estimation, scheduling the resources for iteration, etc. also happens in this phase.
Risk Analysis: Requirements of the project is studied and brainstorm sessions are conducted to figure out potential risks involved. Once the risk has been identified proper strategies and risk mitigation methodologies will be planned.
Testing phase: Testing alongside developmental changes will be done in this phase. Coding, test case development, test execution, test summary report, defect report generation, etc. happens in this phase.
Evaluation phase: Customer can evaluate the tests and can give feedback before the project goes to the next level
1st iteration – Activities such as panning, initial risk analysis, engineering evaluation, requirement gathering happens.
2nd iteration – Higher level planning, detailed risk analysis, evaluation happens in this phase
3rd iteration – Testing related activities such as coding, tool selection, resource allocation, which test to choose? Etc. happens in this phase.
4th iteration – In this customer is the key where they can evaluate the entire process and express their option regarding it.

When to use the spiral model?

  • When cost and risk is high
  • Medium to high-risk project
  • Frequent release requirement
  • Complex project
  • Projects that require constant change
  • Not feasible long term projects owing to the change in economic priorities

Advantages and disadvantages of spiral model

Advantages

  • Risk management is easy in this type of model. When you are handling expensive and complex projects, risk management is a must. Moreover, Spiral model has the ability to make any software testing project transparent.
  • Customer can see and review the test and different stages
  • Projects can be separated into various parts to ease the management difficulty
  • Documentation control is strong in this type of methodology
  • Project estimate will tend to be more realistic as it progresses.

Disadvantages

  • Cannot be used for small projects as it can be expensive
  • A vast amount of documentation owing to several intermediate stages
  • The end date of the project cannot be calculated at the early stages of the project
  • Complex process
  • High expertise is required to run the model


Conclusion
Each spiral that can be seen in the diagram above acts as a loop for a separate process in testing. the four main activities, planning risk analysis, testing, coding and project evaluation will be repeated again for the required amount of phases for any project.
Implementation of the model requires personnel who are highly experienced in it since the Spiral model is exclusively meant for larger products and risk analysis the most important feature.

What is V Model in Software Testing?

Among the many available testing models, the V model in software testing is the most widely used applied and accepted one. This model allows for a better quality analysis with less discretionary errors.
To overcome the cost and time issue of other software testing systems, v model has been developed. In the current scenario, the V model has become famously omnipresent with the software testing and development industry.
The Developmental History of the V model
v model in software testing
V model emerged into the existence probably in mid ninety were many research papers have documented about its usage. In 1979 Bart W.
Boehm published a paper where he emphasized on the usage of verification and validation and talk about an appropriate model to manage the drawbacks of the waterfall model.

What is V Model in Software Testing?

V model is also known as verification and validation software model is an SDLC (system development life cycle) and STLC (software testing life cycle) based where main execution process takes place in a sequential manner of v shape.
V model is nothing but the extension of the waterfall model which is based on the association of the development phase and each of the corresponding testing phases.
That means there is a direct link between the testing cycle and the development cycle. V model in software testing is highly specific model and movement to next only occur after completion of the first cycle.

Now let’s have a deeper insight into V model
In the V model, the testing phase and development phase are designed in such a way that they are planned parallel to each other.
So if we take alphabet V there is validation on one end and verification on the other end and the joining point of the both is the coding phase.
In this, the software testing starts at the beginner level right after writing of requirements.
Let us have a look at what is verification and validation.
Validation:  It has static analysis or the review technique used without executing code usage. In this stage, the whole thing is about evaluating the product development to find out whether specified requirements of the client are met.
Verification: It involves the dynamic analysis of functional as well as non-functional software, testing is done with the help of executing code. It evaluates the software prepared in the developmental stage to check whether they meet the customer expectation or not.
The testing phase of the V model may include:

  1. Unit testing:

It is developed in the model designing phase, to eliminate any bug if present.

  1. Integration testing:

It is performed after completion of unit testing and in this modules are integrated into the system to be tested. This verifies the communication aspect.

  1. System testing:

It looks after the functional and non-functional requirements.

  1. User acceptance testing(UAT):

It is performed in the user environment that simply resembles the production unit, in this step it is made sure that the software is ready to be used in the real world.

Advantages of the V model

  1. Easy to understand and apply, with its flexibility it is easier to manage.
  2. It is a highly discipline-based model and can be used in specific industries like health.
  3. As each step is designed in a very rigid and fixed manner so it is much easier to do the review process.
  4. It is useful in smaller projects where requirements are less and well known.
  5. Useful in projects where documentation is fixed and no ambiguous technological changes are required.

Significance of the V model
As we all know that the V model is a direct extension of the waterfall model, waterfall model has many drawbacks like

  1. Testing only starts after implementation is already done.
  2. It is difficult to work on large projects as key details are subject to being missed out.
  3. If you make any mistake at any point you must design the whole software to combat the error.
  4. Architectural defect in the designing and defect introduction.
  5. Cost of fixing a defect is way too high.

To combat all these point V model of software testing came into existence so that for every development phase there is the testing phase this allows the error to be caught as early as possible.
The left side is the software development cycle and the right side is a software test cycle.

Feature of V model in Software Testing

  1. Information gathering stage

Have a word with the client and gather as much information as possible. Try to figure out the specifications and details of the software desired to be tested.

  1. Design

Work on the language script like java or.net and database like Oracle. Try to choose high-level functions which will be the technicality of the project and suits the corresponding software testing well.

  1. Build stage

After design selections build the coding of the software to be tested, this step is also known as the coding.

  1. Test stage

Now next test the software to verify that all the requirements are fulfilled.

  1. Deployment stage

Place the application within the respective environment

  1. Maintenance

Change the code as per the customer.
Why prefer V model

  1. Proactive tracking of the defect

The defect can be found in very early stage hence cost is reduced in this model of software testing.

  1. Have specific deliverables

This makes it easy to review and manage.

  1. High success rate

When compared with the waterfall model as a developmental test plan are used early in the life cycle of the software chances of success are high.

  1. Time consumption

In comparison with other models, time consumption is less.

  1. Manage the resources

It utilities every details aspect of resources available.

  1. Accommodate changes

As the V model has an incremental approach this permits the prediction of changes required. So changes can be made where it is required.

  1. Verification planning

Consistent configuration allows early verification, on the other and optimization of the verification can be achieved easily.

  1. Prevent defect

V model can very well display where validation should be performed, so it makes each artifact to be tested convenient and ensure problem solution. So it perfectly avoids the defect occurs in the operation phase itself.

When to use the V model

  1. V model is used when a lot of technical support is present also expertise specific are present.
  2. The requirement of the tester is clearly known and specified.
  3. When there is time as well as money constraint.

Conclusion
To finish off we can say that there are numerous developmental life cycle models present in the software testing. Selection of the most appropriate model is purely based on the requirement goal and vision of the project.

Also one must remember that testing is no a single entity but it has several layers within it, that has to adapt with each project cycle chosen according to the requirement. Also in any model one should perform testing at all the levels right from the requirement to maintenance.
 
 

21 Best Network Scanning Tools for Network Security

Network scanning tools are designed with only one intention. To prevent and monitor threats like misuse and unauthorized manipulation of a network.
Network scanning tools, a covenant of Network Security, identify loopholes and vulnerabilities of the network to safeguard it from unprecedented and abnormal behavior that poses a threat to the system spoiling any confidential and personal information.
What is network scanning?
For proper maintenance and assessment of the network security system, the following processes are carried out:

  • Detection of two active hosts on a network and identification of filtering systems between them
  • Scanning of frequently used TCP and UDP network services
  • Detection of TCP Sequence Number of both the hosts
  • Scanning and transfer of data packets to a specified port number

There are various Network Scanning Tools (IP and Network Scanner) intended for the maintenance and assessment of a Network Security System.
How-does-a-scan-work
The top 15 has been mentioned here:
1. Acunetix
2. OpenVas
3. Wireshark
4. Nikto
5. Angry IP Scanner
6. Advanced IP Scanner
7. Qualys Freescan
8. SoftPerfect
9. Retina Network Scanner
10. Nmap
11. Nessus
12. Metasploit Framework
13. Snort
14. OpenSSH
15. Nexpose
16. SolarWinds Network Device Scanner
17.ManageEngine
18.Intruder
19.Syxsense
20. PRTG Network Monitor
21.Fiddler
1) Acunetix

Acunetix Online is a fully automated versatile scanning tool which is able to identify and report on a plethora of known network threats and misconfigurations.
Key features:

  • Running services and open ports are discovered
  • Security of routers, firewalls, switches, and load balancers is assessed
  • DNS zone relocation, weak passwords, weak SNMP community strings, and TLS/SSL ciphers, poorly configured Proxy Servers, are tested.
  • A comprehensive audit of network security over the audit of Acunetix web application is carried out by incorporating this tool with Acunetix online.

Website:  https://www.acunetix.com/
2) OpenVAS

Key Features:

  • The Open Vulnerability Assessment System (OpenVAS) tool is a free and reliable tool for scanning network security.
  • Lots of OpenVAS components are licensed under the General Public License or GNU.
  • The Security Scanner that comprises the key component of OpenVAS operates in a Linux environment only.
  • OpenVAS can be incorporated with Open Vulnerability Assessment Language (OVAL) to note down vulnerability tests.
  • Scanning alternatives offered by OpenVAS are:
  • Full scanning of the entire network.
  • Scanning of the web server and web applications.
  • Scanning for WordPress vulnerability and WordPress web server issues.
  • Demonstrated ability to perform as a robust network vulnerability scanning tool with a smart customized approach.

Website: http://www.openvas.org/
3) Wireshark

Key Features:

  • Being an open-source tool, Wireshark has marked its utility as a network protocol analyzer capable of performing on various platforms.
  • Data vulnerabilities cropping up between the active client and server on a live network are scanned with this tool.
  • Network traffic can be viewed and the network stream can be pursued.
  • The Wireshark tool operates on Linux, Windows, as well as on OSX.
  • It demonstrates the stream development of TCP session and comprises tshark, a tcpdump support rendition (tcpdump is a packet analyzer operating on a command line).
  • Experience of Remote Security Exploitation is the lone issue with Wireshark tool.

Website: https://www.wireshark.org/
4) Nikto

Key Features:

  • Nikto functions as an open-source web server scanner.
  • It performs fast testing to identify suspicious activities on the network along with other network programs capable of exploiting network traffic.
  • The most excellent highlights of Nikto are:
  • Full HTTP substitute support.
  • Reporting in HTML, XML, and CSV formats tailored as per requirement.
  • The scanning qualities of Nikto will refresh automatically.
  • Web server options, HTTP servers, and server configurations are checked for.

Website: https://cirt.net/Nikto2
5) Angry IP Scanner

Key Features:

  • It is a free and open-source network scanning tool that scans IP addresses and also executes port scans successfully and swiftly
  • The scan report comprises information like computer name, hostname, MAC address, NetBIOS (Network Basic Input/Output System), workgroup information, etc
  • The report can be generated in Txt, CSV, and/or XML format
  • It operates with a Multi-threaded Scanning approach where a different scanning thread for every individual IP address improves the scanning procedure

Website: https://angryip.org/download/#windows
6) Advanced IP Scanner

Key Features:

  • It is an open-source and free network scanning tool that runs on the Windows platform.
  • It has the capability to identify and scan any device on a network including remote gadgets.
  • It lets RDP, FTP and HTTPS services to run on the remote machine.
  • It carries out several actions like remote access, remote wake-on-LAN, and a speedier shutdown.

Website: https://www.advanced-ip-scanner.com/
7) Qualys Freescan

Key Features:

  • Qualys Freescan is an open-source and free network scanning tool that offers scans for local servers, Internet Protocols, and URLs to identify safety ambiguities.
  • Qualys Freescan supports three types of checks:
  • Vulnerability tests for SSL-related issues and malware.
  • Tests network configuration against Security Contents i.e.; SCAP.
  • Qualys Freescan is capable of performing only 10 free scans. And therefore cannot be used for regular network scans.
  • It helps to differentiate network issues and security patches to dispose of it.

Website: https://freescan.qualys.com/freescan-front/
8)SoftPerfect

Key Features:

  • It is a free network scanning tool with a set of advanced Multi-thread IPv4/IPv6 scanning features.
  • It offers information like hostname and MAC address that is associated with LAN network derived from HTTP, SNMP, and NetBIOS.
  • It gathers information on local and external IP addresses, secluded wake-on-LAN, and shut down.
  • It assists in improving the performance of the network and recognizes the working condition of devices on a network to check network availability.
  • This tool has a demonstrated utility for the multi-protocol environment.

Website: https://www.softperfect.com/
9) Retina Network Scanner

Key Features:

  • RN Scanner provides a security patch for Adobe, Microsoft, and Firefox applications.
  • It is an unconnected network vulnerability tool capable of supporting the assessment of threats derived from the Operating System, finest network performance, and applications.
  • It is a free tool that runs on a Windows server with the provision of security fixes up to 256 IPs.
  • This tool performs user-customized scanning simultaneously allowing the user to select the type of report delivery.

Website: https://www.beyondtrust.com/resources/datasheets/retina-network-security-scanner
10) Nmap

Key Features

  • Also known as a Port scanning tool, Nmap maps the network and its ports numerically.
  • Nmap is associated with NSE (Nmap Scripting Engine) scripts to spot network security issues and misconfiguration.
  • It is a free tool that finds out host availability by verifying the IP packets.

Website: https://nmap.org/
11) Nessus

Key Features:

  • It is an extensively applied network security scanner that runs in a UNIX system.
  • The tool which was earlier an open-source and free software is now commercial software.
  • The free edition of Nessus is obtainable with limited security features.
  • The chief security highlights of Nessus consist of:
  • Web-based interface
  • Client-Server architecture
  • Remote and local security checks
  • Built-in plug-ins
  • Nessus tool is obtainable with 70,000+ plug-ins and services or functionalities like detection of malware, scanning of web application scanning, and checking of system configuration, etc.
  • Among the advanced features are multi-network scanning, automated scanning, and asset discovery.
  • Nessus is obtainable with 3 versions namely Nessus Professional, Nessus Home, and Nessus Manager/Nessus Cloud.

Website: https://www.tenable.com/lp/campaigns/19/try-nessus/
12) Metasploit Framework
Metasploit Framework web page
Key Features:

  • This Network Scanning Tool detects network exploit.
  • Although earlier it was an open-source tool, it is now a commercial tool.
  • An open-source and free edition known as Community Edition is also available but that comes with limited security features.
  • The advance edition is obtainable as Express Edition while the full-featured edition is obtainable as Pro Edition.
  • GUI for Metasploit Framework is Java-based whereas GUI for Community Edition, express, and Pro Edition is web-based.

Website: https://www.metasploit.com/
13) Snort

Key Features:

  • Short is a free and open-source tool that detects network intrusion and prevents systems.
  • Snort analyses network traffic with an ongoing IP address.
  • It is able to spot port scan, worm, and other networks exploit by means of content searching and protocol analysis.

14) OpenSSH
OpenSSH web page
Key Features:

  • SSH (Secure Shell) assists in setting up safe and encrypted contact over an insecure network link between unreliable hosts.
  • OpenSSH is an open-source tool and runs in a UNIX environment.
  • The Internal network can be accessed using single point access through SSH.
  • As a Premier Connectivity Tool, it encrypts the network traffic and eradicates network issues like eavesdropping, unreliable connection and connection usurping between two hosts.
  • The tool provides server authentication, SSH tunneling, and secure network configuration.

Website: https://www.openssh.com/
15) Nexpose

Key Features:

  • Nexpose is a commercial network scanning tool while its Community Edition is available free.
  • It is capable of scanning network capabilities, operating systems, application databases, etc.
  • The tool offers a web-based GUI that can be set up on Linux and Windows operating systems, including virtual machines as well.
  • Community Edition of Nexpose comprises all robust features for network analysis.

Website: https://www.rapid7.com/products/nexpose/
16. SolarWinds
solar winds web page
Network Device Scanner is one of the widely used network Scanners in 2021.  With its Network Device Scanner and Network Performance Monitor, it discovers, monitors, scans, and maps the other network devices. It allows you to run the discovery tool at scheduled intervals or to run it once. Some if its important features are:

  1. It automatically locates and inspects the network devices.
  2. It maps network topology.
  3. It assesses availability, fault, and performance metrics for network devices
  4. The network performance monitor displays all this information and gives network alerts.
  5. It analyzes on-premises and cloud services and applications.

Website: https://www.solarwinds.com/ip-address-manager/use-cases/network-scanner
17) ManageEngine
Manage engine web page
ManageEngine is a prominent network scanning tool in the year 2021, it is best suited for small, private, enterprise-scale, and government IT systems
Whereas, ManageEngine OpUtils provides network scanning for small to enterprise-scale networks.
It uses various network protocols such as ICMP and SNMP for network scanning. It provides analysis of connected devices, servers, and switch ports. Some of the important features of this network scanning tools are:

  1. It is a web-based tool
  2. It is a cross-platform tool.
  3. It can execute on both Linux and Windows servers.
  4. It includes 30 built-in network scanning tools.
  5. It provides scanning across various servers, subnets, etc across a centralized console.
  6. It supports grouping resources on the basis of IT admins, locations, etc.
  7. It allows you to run the discovery tool at scheduled intervals or to run it once.
  8. It provides real-time analysis results.

Website: https://www.manageengine.com/
18) Intruder
intruder web page
Intruder is an enterprise-grade network scanning tool that is suitable for companies of all sizes. It helps in discovering missing patches, misconfigurations, and common issues in web apps. It focuses on vulnerability management. It is very time-saving as it prioritizes its results and also automatically keeps scanning your system for any vulnerability.
Website: https://www.intruder.io/
19) Syxsense
syxsense web page
It is a time-saving, economic, and easy-to-use network scanning tool. It provides easy to repeat automatic scans.

  • The determination of the TCP/UDP that is open can be traced.
  • SNMP ports that are open and vulnerable to OS bugs can be traced out
  • A global network map that can be used to confirm compliance or alert security threats
  • The entire live environment can be visualized in a jiffy. Hovering over the devices reveals the vulnerabilities.
  • Monitoring device health,  vulnerabilities, and deploying patches can be done directly through the network map

Website: https://www.syxsense.com/vulnerability-scanner/
20) PRTG Network Monitor
PRTG Network Monitor Web Page
PRTG Network Monitor is another prominent network scanning tool. It analyses your entire infrastructure including systems, traffic, devices, and applications. It is a complete package with to need for additional plugins. Some of its features are:

  1. easy to use
  2. suitable for any business size.
  3. The monitor’s network infrastructure of your organization
  4. Specific datasets from your database can be monitored and individually configured through PRTG sensors and SQL queries.
  5. The local network can be easily tracked
  6. protocol-based usage such as SNMP can be traced
  7. Offers web-based interface.
  8. Special features like detailed reporting, comprehensive network monitoring, flexible alert system.

Website: https://www.paessler.com/prtg
21) Fiddler
Fiddler tool web page
Fiddler is a widely used network scanning tool by Telerik for analyzing HTTP traffic. Some of the important features of Fiddler are:

  1. It analyzes traffic between the selected systems in the network.
  2. It also analyzes sent and received data packets
  3. It also helps in security testing and analyzing the system performance of web applications.
  4. It automatically captures the HTTP traffic

Website: https://www.telerik.com/fiddler
Conclusion
Network Scanning Tools can convert the crucial tasks of prevention of network intrusion into a much easier one.  Moreover, Swift and incessant scanning of networks issues help us to arrange a prevention plan to get rid of them.
Today, all major software industries functioning on an online viewpoint make use of Network Scanning Tools to prevent network attacks.

What is Volume Testing? Why is it essential in Software Testing? (Tutorial)

Volume testing allows one to put the system under the stress of thousands and millions of data files and check them further to working in a perfect working position.

It increases the data load drastically and checks for the efficient work points or the areas that require utmost attention or improvement.
Volume testing le the developer aims to have a tough, efficient, and cost elective software which makes volume testing in the field of software development and maintenance so important.
Typical performance test or the load testing cycle usually is the combination of both volume testing and the performance tuning that ensure in turn that the system is working the international benchmark system of the working.
 volume testing example

What is Volume Testing?

Volume testing is a type of testing which is software based where the software is subject to the stress of huge volume of data, this type of testing is also known as flood testing.
This is basically done to do an analysis of the system performance by increasing data in the given database volume.
This is used for the study of response time impact and the system behavior that can be studied when it is exposed to a high volume of data.
Let us take an example of testing the music site behavior it gives access to millions of users to download songs from the library of thousands of available songs.

What are the benefits of Volume Testing?
  1. Through the help of volume testing, we can identify the load issue, which ultimately can save a lot of money which will be spent on application maintenance.
  2. It helps to have quicker decisions with the better scalability plans and executions
  3. It helps in identifying the challenges and acquires the bottleneck present in different areas.
  4. By doing volume testing you have the assurance that your system is working fully in its competency and capability in the real-time world usage.
What does Volume Testing include?
  1. Test whether there is any data which is lost during the procedure
  2. Check out for the system response time
  3. See if data is stored in the current location.
  4. Countercheck if the data is overwritten without any warning or notification
  5. Now, look at whether the high volumes of the data affect the speed of the processing system or the application.
  6. See if the system application have the desired memory resource r not
  7. Perform the volume test on the whole system.
  8. Check for any of the data volume greater than the specified given requirement
  9. Check for the requirement in the agreement.
  10. See that no larger volume data should appear more than specified.
Procedural steps of Volume Testing

Testing software volume offers the in-depth testing of the performance let us see what are the procedural steps involved in the volume testing.
 what is volume testing

  1. Test management that may include checking for the test environment
  2. Volumetric analysis
  3. Test tool comparison and procurement
  4. Implementation of the system
  5. Building test labs
  6. Building automated test systems and framework
  7. Script development of the system
  8. Test scenario development
  9. Test implementation development
  10. Execution of the test
  11. At the end, producing the test outcomes.
Why should Volume Testing require to be conducted?

Flood testing or volume testing as described is aimed to validate and counter check some of the parameters as well as provide the personified benefits for the software usage.

Let us see some of the benefits of conducting the flood test.

  1. The volume of the software

As the name suggests volume testing is focused on the testing and identifying the basic capacity of the system or the given application in use.
It also provides the required information on whether the given software or the program is normal or of very high volume.

  1. For testing and analyzing the volume of the data

Storage requirement and capabilities of the system or a given application needs to be tested hence volume testing comes in the picture.
It works n the basis of identifying the tuning issues that are present in the software to prevent a system from reaching requires service level agreement.
This is known as volume targets. So we can say that volume testing provide the right in-depth tuning solution and the services.

  1. Detect and minimize the errors

Volume testing minimizes the risk which is associated along with the degradation of the performance, also the possibilities of the breakdowns or failures of under loads which are secondary due to increased pressure n the database.
It looks after the system operations and performance and discovers the bottleneck issues and provides the solutions and recommendations to resolve the outcome in the form of error.

  1. Get the desired information also the deliverables

Along with the given information about the changes in the system application and its performance is the valuable parameter in the IT industry to check for the efficacy under stress of high data volume.
This also helps in the improvement of the structural component and the infrastructural architect which can be provided through the result of volume testing.
This provides detailed explained information for the best possible results.

  1. System response time when verifies

System response time is the important parameter to keep a check upon in the software development and working of its applications.
System response time is known as the time lag between the time taken for the system to display the results and the system receiving the data.
For the successful outcome, this has to be on the minimum side o the scale.
For this volume testing provide best and efficient service in ni time. This is also useful in conditions in which the data input are usually very large.

  1. Check for the loss of the data

Along with the above-described points, another important purpose of volume testing is to ensure that all the given data infused for the purpose of the test to be considered is not lost.
This also allows a correct finding of system efficiency without causing any of the harm to the data.

  1. Storage of the data

Volume testing also ensures that the given data is stored in the correct location in the appropriate manner.
This point becomes important because if the data will be stored properly then only the stored data can provide reliable and accurate data result.

Key features of the Volume Testing
  1. Data that is used in increments

During the process of the inception of software development, the data is usually small and compact in respective sizes in comparison to their successive stage of the development of particular software application on the system.
As soon as the development of the software or its application go on the floor along with this the volume of the data is also increased, this is also done to ensure that the mature application among all can handle the influx of huge amount of data

  1. Auto-generation of the data

As in the software the data requirement is generally in huge amount which is sometimes self-generated or by manual.
When the data is auto-generated this allows the prevention of excessive expenditure which in turn makes the software development more cost-efficient.

  1. No logo can interference of the data is required

As we all know that the main aim of the testing is to check for the performance irregularities and even illogical data among all can provide inputs and the best part of it is that it will not interfere with the testing and can be used for increasing the volume also.

  1. Software performance

As the influx increases, the quality of the software decreases with time.
This makes the application to decline in its function and deteriorates in functionality.
This can be prevented by performing volume testing on time.
Volume testing belongs to non-functional tests related to volume stress and the load that is usually performed to analyze the performance of the system by in turn increasing the data volume.
This volume can be anything ranging from the size of the data at various locations or it could be just a simple file that is needed to be tested.
If someone wishes to test the application or the system with a given specific limit size of the database then testing also requires having that type of setting to check for the performance.

Know More: Adhoc Testing: A Brief Note with Examples

Moreover, volume testing is also used to test the behavior at the site when there are more than thousands of objects which are available under one category.

What are the objectives of volume testing?

There two basic objective of the volume testing which is explained as below-

  1. To check for the load of the volume on the given data representation on the which the whole stability of the system is based and if not cumulated properly than the quality can be compromised.
  2. To identify issues which can prevent the system failure before it reaches above the desired volume targets given in the service level agreement.

Keeping these objectives in mind let the developer or tester have a system that can meet the required expectation.

Characteristics of volume testing

Let us see some of the basic important characteristics of the volume testing

  1. Small quality of data is usually taken during the testing stage of software development.
  2. As far as the volume of the data is concerned if it increases then the performance is nosedive.
  3. The crude base of the generation of test data is the design document,
  4. As the insight of the data is not much required hence the importance of data is not so much driven.
  5. When we are through in the software testing the tester will log and track the results further, this finishes off the final step toward the completing of the test.
Let us see some of the examples of the volume testing

To really understand the example of volume testing let us look at some of its examples-

  • When a developer is working on the application or the system development that has to be used in more than thousands of the laptop or computers then one should stimulate the functions that seem to have the same number of the computers that will be in the use in real time.

We have to understand all the activities to be performed are in real time and should be ultimately focused on the activities which are performance-based.
This may including all things like file opening, creation of the file, and finally, the processing of the data.
If a developer wants to test the application with the database of a given determined size then the corresponding database should be increased in volume by adding more data in the database until the targets are reached.

What are the best practices to perform volume testing?
  1. All servers should be stopped and all logs should be checked.
  2. Properly execute the scenario of the applications manually before loading the test.
  3. Developer should stay out the number of users if a useful result is desired
  4. Balance of think time is must if there is essence contained.
  5. Once the baseline has been established the scope of improvement should be a check upon.
  6. One must be cautious about the new build.


Volume testing and Load testing

  1. Volume testing does the testing of applications on the basis of a large number of files in the database as much as possible whereas in load testing the applications are subjected to a particular level of load to further analyze the behavior pattern of the application.
  2. Volume testing tries verifying if the system response to an expected volume, which may include the time for the increment in the size of the given file. On the other hand, load testing is for checking the performance system whenever a user load is increased, this may further involve the increment in the number of the file.

What are the challenges that are faced by the developers during volume testing

  1. Difficulty in generating memory fragmentation
  2. A key generation is dynamic in nature.
  3. Generated data’s rational integration

Know More: Database Testing: A Quick Guide

Emulator Vs Simulator : What is the Difference?

In the current scenario of increasing mobile technology exploration of various aspect of artificial intelligence and machine learning is going hand in hand, use of the simulator and real device for the perfect running of the mobile when in the hand of the customer is not new.
As a basic practice, it is preferred that a developer should use an emulator for fast development and management of the applications whereas the testing team who needs to have all the quality checks made on time should use a real test device to be best assured.

What is Simulator?

  • Sometimes to save on the cost factor companies introduce using a simulator or consider a virtual tool which can test as close to real, this allows the developers to have exploration of a wide base of applications which can work on the different geographical location across the globe. They are very cost efficient as they save the money of buying the real device.

What companies prefer currently

  • However simulators and emulators are considered good for the initial stage development of the application but large companies which release finances and business related applications need to have perfect running applications without any defects, so they prefer working on the real-time devices before it goes to the production unit.
  • For proper functioning, a balanced organization prefers to make strategies and plan their activities well in advance to determine the final outcome. This also allows them to choose the stage at which they have to introduce the real devices at their testing house.
  • The best practice in the current technological drift is to use emulators for speeding up the debugging process and the better application coding while other features like smoke testing, network and performance should be done on the real devices.

For a clear picture of their difference, let us take a brief about what this testing device means.

What is the Real Testing Device?

  • It is used for testing the functionality of your mobile applications in real device mode; they ensure that the working of the device application is smooth and convenient when in the hand of the consumer.

What is Emulator?

  • These are basically the software programs which allow the mobile devices to initiate basic feature of another device like a computer or mobile software which you want to imitate on your own device by installing them.

What is the exact difference between the Emulator and Simulator testing?

  • Both emulator and simulator are devices which are virtual in term of their usage. A device which is not real like a phone, but has software which gives similar functionality as that of a real phone is a simulator, except for few features like camera.

Let us see the key differences between Emulator and Simulator.

  1. Simulator-based testing has the main objective to simulate the internal state of the device as close as the internal state whereas emulators aim at the mimicking the outer behavior as similar as possible.
  2. The simulator is more referred where the team requires testing of the external behavior and pattern of the device for example calculations, whereas emulators are used where testing is on the internal behaviors’ and patterns like hardware.
  3. Simulators are based on the level of the high language and emulators are basically on machine level assembly.
  4. It is difficult to use a simulator for debugging on the other hand emulators is best at it.
  5. The simulator is nothing but just the original software re-implementation; emulator has it already in its complete form.

Emulator Testing differentiated against Real Device Testing

1. In terms of Application which are situation based

  • Emulator testing is used for the specific situation which has a deadline of short duration and results have to be produced along with execution in a given time period. Sometimes it is necessary to use the emulator in circumstances which are relevant to a mobile application which is to be tested.
  • In the real device, the tester has to test everything in all real-time scenarios for mobile applications. These devices operate by using fingers and simulate real-time usage. This allows the working of application in situations like bright sunlight or rainy day.

2. As close as Real handheld devices

  • When the tester is not sure about the mobile devices which have to be used and how to invest in testing it creates the problem, so for people who have budgeted limit can go with emulator or simulator.
  • A real device allows testers to use the look and feel of particular application both in night and day condition.

3. Ease of using

  • Emulators or simulators are working on the cases which have free software backup and can be downloaded very easily through the web and are ready to be tested in a short period of the time.
  • Real-time allows the tough testing options like working for continuous 10 to 15 hours which cannot be in the case of the emulator.

4. Using in term of Web Application and its opening through URL

  • It is much easier for the user or tester as they have to do copy paste and the application is ready to be used.
  • In real time devices testing requires fulfillment of more terms of reliabilities.

5. Ease of taking Snapshots and Screenshots in case of Defect Appearance

  • Taking capture of various issues related to screenshots is easy in simulators as we have to use Microsoft office only.
  • It is useful in cases of testing operating system which is more internal.

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6. Batteries

  • They are not helpful in simulating battery issues.
  • Real devices can easily do it

7. Incoming Interrupts Validation

  • Simulators are not made to interpret the incoming calls and SMS services.
  • Real-time devices can do that conveniently.

8. Performance

  • For the purpose of performance, simulators are proved to be much slower than the original mobile devices whereas the original devices are super fast.

9. Color Display

  • Simulator fails to have the exact color display in terms of high configuration and in bright sunlight whereas original devices tend to perform much better when it comes to color display.

10. Memory

  • The memory on the simulator or emulator is enormous and far large when compared to the real devices whereas in the real devices they are much lesser.

In terms of disadvantages real device and simulator both have their own drawbacks, in simulator tester cannot test the long term efficiency of the application, not suitable for certain type of test functions and executions, also tester team need to use software patches on the other hand real devices are hefty and costly, have timeline constraints and are harder to connect with the IDE which causes problem in the debugging.
Conclusion
A careful watch of pros and cons of using such a testing device system lead to a better conclusion which provides the optimal mobile solution related to testing which is necessary for strict, stringent and strong quality assurance.

So the basic idea goes with the optimal usage for both. The ultimate goal is to understand and study the market needs and develop a business-oriented use of these technologies.