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Database Testing: All Info you need to know!

Posted on October 16, 2018 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

With the advancement of technologies, the complexity of computer application is going top-notch with a number of applications and Mobile operating systems.
On top of that, if the front end is developed in a complicated manner than you can only assume what will happen at the back end.
Hence, now is the time to drown in the knowledge of the database in order to come up with quality and secure databases.

What is Database Testing?

The database is becoming more and more complex over time owing to the humongous amount of data that’s been stored in a software system. Through Database basing process, we can evaluate the data integrity, data validity, database performance and functionalities wrapped around with it.
By performing the process maximum stability, efficiency, performance, and security of the database can be kept on a check from time to time to ensure that the software is stable once deployed in a competitive environment.

Types of Database Testing

Function and structure are what determines what type of testing has to be performed on a database system. On that basis of these factors, database testing can be further divided into

Structural database testing – Components of the database that are not visible to users have to be tested. For that, structural database testing can be used. Another benefit of this type of testing is that it can be used for the validation of the database.
Functional testing – There are a lot of functionalities associated with the database from a user perspective. White box and black box testing are the types of testing used for this purpose
Non-functional testing – Risk factor of the database, requirements, performance, etc. of the database has to put to test and that’s the non-functional factor of any database.

Database Testing Checklist

Database synchronization
Database performance
Data integrity
Data field validations
Functionality
Constraints
Data transactions
Database security
Redundant data deletion
Data consistency
To check whether data does not go outside the table
Data compatibility
Data duplication check
Data migration ability
Backup and recovery

How to Do Database Testing Manually

Open the SQL server and then the query analyzer, write the query and retrieve the data. Compare that with the expected result. Update or remove data and see how the software application performs
To run the test there are a specific process involved, which includes,

Set up the test environment
Run the test
validate the result with the expected one
Report the findings to the stakeholders

Why Database Testing is Important?

1. Data Integrity
This will include the – Create, Retrieve, Update and Delete – CRUD operations, recent update or status or any of the value in the data that is shared or must be visible on a screen or form.

However, it is essential to take note that the value is not updated on-screen and the old value is the only one visible. Hence, you can take on your Database Test case to ensure to meet this point. It will include data checking points that might be in different places to check that they are the same consistently.
2. Data Mapping
While mapping out the data in any software, you need to understand that data keeps on moving from user interface (UI) to database backend and then move out all the way back to UI. The main aspects to keep in mind are:

You need to check out all the field that are in the frontend and UI so that they can consistently map with the corresponding table in the database. All of the mapping information is mentioned in the document in details making it easy to understand.
When front end action is performed in an application then the parallel CRUD will be involved at the back end. It is essential to test that actions performed are giving out the right results or not.

3. Rule Conformity
This point is entirely dependent on the complexity of the project. When the database has complexity then components will also be complex such as triggers, relational constraints, and stored procedures and so on. In such a case, tested need to keep a number of things in mind, especially SQL Queries that can help you to run the complexity easily.
4. Validation of ACID Properties
There are mainly four properties on which the performance of Database depends on

Atomicity is for the passes and fails in a transaction. This rule is usually known as all-or-nothing.
Consistency is the validation result of the whole transaction as per the databases.
Isolation is the point in which you can run out multiple transactions at once. However, the result will be shown in a continuous manner one after another.
Durability is the factor that shows that once the data is stored then no crash or power loss can eradicate it.

Steps by Step Process for Database Testing

The easiest way to run a database for almost all the applications is to follow up with simple essential points. However, the points might differ as per an application.

Environment preparation
Running essential test cases
Checking out the final outcome
As per the results, you need to check on the validation process
Documentation of the whole results to give a report to stakeholders

When you are trying out to prepare the test cases, you will require a number of SQL Queries. In this context, the most used command for the DB table is “Select”. This is used for almost all the commands in a way –
Select * from <TABLENAME> where <CONDITION>
Other than this, DB uses mainly three commands to run a table.

Data Definition Language – DDL – This command contains a number of ways to handle a table such as TRUNCATE, DROP, RENAME, ALTER, CREATE and so on.
Data Manipulation Language – DML –This will have the statements that allow deletion, update, and addition in the record.
Data Control Language – DCL –This control helps in providing authorization to an individual. It will allow them to access and manipulation to the table(s) and can easily revoke the command statements.

Revoke Syntax:
Revokeselect/update
on <TABLENAME>
from<id1, id2…idn>;
Grant Syntax:
Grant select/update
on <TABLENAME>
to <id1, id2…idn>;
Test Database
The Database Testing workouts with the few essential points that helps in getting the changes. Here are the points that must be followed to do Database testing easily
1. Queries Creation
In order to easily test the database, you need to have deep SQL knowledge and that too Data Manipulation Language.
Then, the internal database structure understanding is a must to test it. Once, this is done, then comes the CRUD operations of an application.
This will help in the verification of SQL query results. It is even possible to use write queries with the help of SQL Query Analyzer in order to retrieve efficient results.

Also Read : Stress Testing : Why Is It Important For Your Software?

This is the most efficient way to do Database Testing , especially for the complex applications. However, these are the only criteria otherwise it won’t be possible to easily test DB.
On the other hand, in case of complex DB, it can be impossible to write the queries by a tester.
Hence, the developers help them up to ensure that the results do not tamper. This will not only increase the performance of testing but also help with SQL skills.
2. Observe Data
If you are a SQL tester then you know the importance of going through every single table to verify the result with the help of CRUD operations.
However, it can be a daunting process when a database consists of multiple tables.
This simple thing is enough to tell you that it is difficult to perform DB testing or verifying data in volumes. Hence, while performing a test on the table, ensure that you have proper knowledge regarding the structure of the table.
3. Developer Query
As mentioned above, when you are performing a test on DB, you will require a number of queries that will use CRUD operations.
However, in certain cases, when you are verifying the data, it is possible that the execution is not done in a certain manner.
Then, you can take help from your developer who has more depth knowledge regarding the subject.

It is certainly an ideal choice for a tester to avoid as many issues as possible. However, there can be few errors such as semantically wrong query, unsatisfied results, etc.
When such case arises, the client asks the developers or team to eliminate the problem or will simply exclude the whole project.
4. Testing Tools
Since the technology is at the peak, there is a number of tools that are available in the market that can be used by a tester. However, here the main challenge that will be faced by a tester is to come with the best possible tool available in the market.

Components Of Database Testing

1. Transactions
The most common use of the database is done for the transaction process. In such case, ACID properties are the friend in disguise of the user. The most common statements that are used in such case are –

BEGIN TRANSACTIONTRANSACTION#
END TRANSACTIONTRANSACTION#
ROLLBACK TRANSACTION#
SELECT * FROM TABLENAME <Transaction table>

The rollback statement helps in keeping a table consistent.

Also Read : Top 10 Game Testing Companies In India

2. Database Schema
You don’t have to be confused due to the term. It is just used to explain the working of data in a DB and its organization. Total of two ways are followed up to test such condition

Database operators– You will require:
Primary Key
Foreign Key
Field Name
Constraint Field Value
Tools Relevance – The tools will work as per the requirement.
SchemaCrawler
Validate the schema with a Query such as DESC<TABLENAME>
Regular expressions

3. Triggers
This trigger helps in the execution of a complete table independently in order to record the outcome. All you need to do at the end is to compare the complete result.
These type of tests are done in two ways such as:

Black-Box Testing
White-Box Testing

Both the testing have their own technique and sets of rules that help in getting to the accurate outcome.
4. Stored Procedure
If you are familiar with user-defined function then you won’t take much time to understand it. The whole system works in coming up with the most reliable and accurate outcome.
All the processes can be invoked with the execute procedure or call procedure to obtain the output. This system is used for a number of applications where data is stored in RDBMS.
5. Field Constraints
The whole system works on the unique value, default value and foreign key.
All you need to get a hang off is SQL query to validate output and performing an operation on the frontend to ensure that the object condition in the database is exercised.
This is almost everything that you must know before starting with Database testing. If you are well informed then you are good to go.

What are the Database Testing Challenges? What’s the solution?

Test data creation and re-usability of data again for testing

Solution: the only way to avoid such data issues is to plan well ahead and create all the required data for all the iterations at a stretch and then use this data judiciously.

Testing huge data and production replicated database

Solution: While it is good to test in a production-like environment, it can sometimes become very challenging as well as time-consuming to test on huge data. The best solution would thus be a scaled-down or optimized database that is as close as possible to the production data set.

Frequently changing the database structure

Solution: This is one of the most frequently faced challenges by the DB testers. They would have to create the test cases and the SQL queries based on the certain structure that gets changed at the time of execution or during any other retesting. The best approach here would be to anticipate the changes and the impact as early as possible, so we can avoid the last-minute delays.

Isolation of data and queries

Solution: All the queries need to be isolated from each other, such as the input data and results of one query do not alter the results of another query.

Unwanted data modification

Solution: Access control is the best way to avoid unwanted changes in the database. Only a limited number of people should be given access to make the changes. The edit/delete access should be restricted.

Cost and time taken to get the data from a huge database

Solution: Quality comes at a cost; hence it is important to strike a balance between the expected quality, project timelines, expected data load, and other factors. These need to be indicated in the test strategy as well.

How automation can help in Database Testing

Automation testing helps in reducing redundant and repetitive manual work. This helps the testers to concentrate more on business-critical functionalities. This is true even for database testing. Here are some cases where automation can be a real life-saver.

New or frequently changing applications

Agile is the new buzz word. You will have a new release to production at the end of every sprint. This also means a complete round of testing every 2-3 weeks. By automating functionalities that are completely stable and unchanged in the recent sprint, you will be able to concentrate your efforts on new feature changes.

Changes in the database schema

After every schema change, the database needs exhaustive testing to ensure things are in place. Based on the size of the database and the number of scenarios to be covered, this can be time-consuming if done manually.

Monitoring for data integrity issues

Due to human error or other issues, there can be a situation where a set of data gets corrupted during retrieval or other actions. If automated monitoring processes are in place it would be easier to identify such changes and fix them at the earliest.

6 Commonly used automation tools

In this section let us briefly discuss a few of the most commonly used automation tools for database testing.

Data Factory

This is one of the most popular tools available in the market today. It is mainly used for commercial applications and its USP is the simple UI. It is more suitable for big projects.

SQL Test

It is the most loved DB testing tool available in the market. Being an open-source tool it is has been used by every DB tester at least once. The best part is it freely available and can be easily used to run huge SQL tests. The only drawback is that it is slow compared to other tools in the market.

Oracle SQL Developer

This tool is preferred by testers because of the easy way in which it helps to create, modify, and handle stored procedures. It also supports cross-platform operations. But it is suitable only for large projects due to the cost factor.

MockupData

MockupData allows users to generate huge quantities of data for testing. The created data set is very realistic and helps in avoiding tedious manual effort in data entry. The only drawback is the UI which is not very user-friendly

MS SQL Server

This the most widely used tool for unit testing. It is suitable for VB and C# projects and the testers are expected to have an understanding of the project schema before starting the test. It offers a lot of versatile features and much loved by testers. The only drawback is the absence of a good UI.

SLOB

This stands for Silly Little Oracle Benchmark. It comes with an in-built test data generator and is thus preferred by testing professionals to use regularly. It can be used to test logical and physical memory with equal ease. And the only drawback is the absence of a user-friendly interface.

Myths Surrounding Database Testing

It’s so tedious
Database testing constricts the production bottleneck
It’s a costly process
It’s baggage when it comes to software development

Best Practices For an Effective Database Testing

Make sure that the test environment is solely dedicated to the process
Tests should be monitored for run time errors and test completion
Trigger tables and the write tables should be backed up
perform data validation using UNIX script, QTP script or excel sheet
Analyze the result to find out conversion was successful or not

Differences Between GUI Testing and Data Testing

GUI Testing	Database testing
Focus is on the visual part of the software	Focus will be on schema, triggers., tables etc.
Must have thorough knowledge about business requirements and usage of development tools	Strong database knowledge required
Can be used to check over all functionality	Can only be used to check data related activities.
Database information is not required	The process demands all the database information

What is Split Testing? Why is it important? – Testbytes

Imagine that you have launched or even revamped a website that has been your business forefront for a long time. Obviously there will be concern and anxiousness. But to make sure that the change works there is a process in existence. The name of the process is Split testing!

How to Integrate Selenium With Gecko Driver : Full Tutorial

Posted on September 7, 2018 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Mozilla Firefox browser’s versions greater than 47.0 were not compatible with Selenium WebDriver 2.53.0 or 2.53.1 that means Firefox browsers version after 47.0 can’t be used in Selenium without any drivers. As of version 3.0, the Selenium uses a driver to form a link with Firefox browser. This driver is known as Gecko Driver.

Before starting with the GeckoDriver you need to understand what is GeckoDriver, why it is required in Selenium WebDriver? Or how can it be used in Selenium? Let us start with the very basics.
What is a Web Browser Engine and What is Gecko Driver?
Web browser engine is a software program that is used to control and enter the content such as HTML, CSS, XML, images etc.
On the browser and therefore it is also known as layout engine or rendering engine. It is a component of browsers and helps in displaying web-content.
Gecko is a web browser engine which is developed by Mozilla Foundation and is written in C++. It is an open source engine which can be easily available for the user.
GeckoDriver is a proxy which is used to interact with the browsers (such as Firefox) that run the Gecko browser engine. GeckoDriver provides an HTTP API to communicate with Gecko browsers (like Firefox version 47 onwards).
Why Selenium Needs Gecko Driver?
Until Selenium version 2, it had Firefox driver which were used to interact with the Firefox browser (version till 47).
Now, Firefox (with Firefox browser version 48 onwards) has done some changes and due to some security reasons, it does not allow any third party driver to directly interact with the browser.
Also Read : How to Integrate Maven and Jenkins with Selenium
That means the user cannot use Firefox driver of selenium version 2 to interact with the browser version 48 onwards.
Thus, we need Selenium 3 which has marionette drivers and with this user can directly interact with the Firefox browsers using a proxy which is GeckoDriver. Marionette driver is an automation driver for Mozilla’s Gecko engine.
Getting Started with GeckoDriver
This section will help you to install Selenium 3 Jars and GeckoDriver for Firefox browser. Below are the steps which you need to follow:
Step 1: To Add Selenium 3 jars
If you are using Selenium 2 jars, you can easily upgrade it to Selenium 3 Jars by following this link.
www.seleniumhq.org
Click on download option and you will find “Version 3.0.1” to download. Click on the link to download Selenium 3 jar.
Now, copy this jar file by using ‘CTRL + C’ and go to your selenium tool. You will find ‘lib folder’ in test explorer.
Select ‘lib folder’ and right click to open options and select New > Folder and set folder name as ‘selenium3jars’ to make it easily accessible or whatever name you want to use.
You will see, the ‘selenium3jars’ folder is created as a children folder under ‘lib folder’. Use ‘CTRL + V’ to paste selenium 3 jar file that you copied earlier and paste inside ‘selenium3jars folder’.
You’ll see the jar file has been successfully copied to the folder. Next thing you need to do is to add this jar file into your project. You need to select Selenium 3 jar file and right click to open the options palette. Then left click on Build Path > Add to Build Path to add jar file into your project easily.
You’ll see that Selenium 3 jar has been added to Referenced libraries that mean your selenium is ready to execute the tests via the driver.
Step 2: Installing Gecko Driver
To download GeckoDriver for your WebDriver you need to follow this link.
https://github.com/mozilla/geckodriver/releases
If you are running 32bit or 64bit Windows, MACOS, or Linux you can easily download the file which is compatible with your operating system.
You’ll see many versions to download, but you can choose the latest version from the options. You can easily download this zip file to your computer by clicking on the appropriate link.
If you are using windows operating system, you can download either win32.zip or win64.zip and if you are using MAC operating system then you can choose macos.tar.zip.
After downloading the zip file you can simply extract it in your preferred location and then copy the GeckoDriver.exe file using ‘CTRL + C’.
Again, you have to follow the same procedure to copy this file in the ‘lib folder’.
Go to Selenium and select the lib directory from the test explorer. Again, right-click to open option palette then left click on New > Folder to create a new folder.

Then set the name as ‘geckodriver’ or any other name which is easier for you to recognize and click ‘Finish’. Then you have to add a GeckoDriver.exe file into the folder you have just created.
After adding a geckodriver.exe file to a folder, the next step is to use the following syntax to show the exact location of the executable file.
Syntax

System.setProperty(“webdriver.gecko.driver”, ”location of gecko driver executable”);

You need to enter the exact location of the executable file in the above syntax. To see the location of your file, you can select a geckodriver.exe file from the folder and right click to open the options palette. Then left click on the properties to open details.
Select the location and copy all. Use this location address to enter this address in the syntax. For instance:

System.setProperty(“webdriver gecko driver”, “C:/Users/raghav/Desktop/Tools/Eclipse/Selenium/SeleniumTest/lib/geckodriver/geckodriver.exe”);

If you find it difficult to add the location manually or showing any unwanted errors, you can also use an alternative method to add an executable file to your project.
Go to your computer and search the above location in the file explorer. Then copy the executable file from the downloaded folder to the current address location.
Left click and drag the executable file from the download folder to the location of the searched folder. The dialogue box will appear saying to replace it or not. Click on replace button and copy the .exe file to the folder.
Step 3: Adding Latest Version of Firefox Browser
Download the latest version of Firefox by following this link
https://filehippo.com/download_firefox/
In the next step, you need to add the syntax and also the location of this browser.
Syntax

System.setProperty(“webdriver.Firefox.bin”, “Location of Firefox exe”);

Again, you need to enter this syntax in your selenium tool and also the exact location of the Firefox.exe file.
To know the exact address of the .exe file you can select firefox.exe and right click to open option palette. Then left click on properties to know the location.
Copy the location and enter this address in the syntax. For instance:

System.setProperty(“webdriver.Firefox.bin”, “C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe”);

Use of Gecko Driver to Launch Firefox Browser

import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver;[]
public class FirstSeleniumTest {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.setProperty(“webdriver gecko driver”, “C:/Users/raghav/Desktop/Tools/Eclipse/Selenium/SeleniumTest/lib/geckodriver/geckodriver.exe”);
System.setProperty(“webdriver.Firefox.bin”, “C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe”);
WebDriver driver = new FirefoxDriver();
driver.get(Http://www.google.com/);

This code is used to generate a test for Firefox browser when executed. It will open the Firefox browser and go to the link which is specified in the code.
In this test, the Firefox will open selenium.org website and after successful loading of the file, the test will close the Firefox browser and execution will be completed.
You need to remember, if you want to move your project to a new location, the current address which you have specified in order to add Firefox.exe and geckodriver.exe will not run.
You need to specify their location again if you wish to move your project location.
Understanding the Code
1. Import org.openqa.selenium.WebDriver: This syntax is used to import every reference which is needed for the WebDriver This WebDriver is later needed to represent the new browser.
2. setProperty: This syntax is used to set the system property to have some value. The browser does not have its own inbuilt server which can run the automation code. Therefore, System.setProperty is needed for the browser to set a respective path.
3. WebDriver driver = new FirefoxDriver(): This syntax is generally an interface which contains methods defined by the user to perform on the Firefox browser.
4. get(http://www.google.com): This syntax will lead the browser to go to the specified link and open it.
Additional Tips:

Always run automation on a separate browser version
Use selenium 3 with latest (stable) version of Firefox
Have Java 8 or higher for Selenium 3

How to Write a Neat Bug Report? [Complete Guide]

Posted on August 17, 2018 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

If you are producing a good bug report, then the chances of getting the bug fixed eventually becomes higher.
A bug report is effective if you are following the pattern of creating a good bug report. Usually, the fixing of defect depends totally on the effectiveness of the bug report, if your report is producing rich effective information, the developers can easily work to fix them.
Producing an effective bug report is nothing but a skill which you can also learn via the help of our detailed description. We will discuss briefly every aspect through which you can acquire these skills and create a good bug report.
What is a Bug and Bug Report?
A software bug is generally an error or fault which produces an unexpected result.
An error which can cause a change in the behavior of the application and the application is not working as designed.
A bug can be produced by the developers while in the development phase of the software.
When the bug occurs in the software, thus the person finding the bug needs to deliver this report to the developers in order to resolve this issue. This is done via Bug Report.
A bug report is generally a defect report produced by a tester for a developer. The bug report consists of various steps and information on how the bug can be reproduced and other information related to the work environment.

Also Read : 5 Major Benefits of Using a Bug Tracking System

Difference between a Good Bug Report and Bad Bug Report
In order to write a good bug report, you need to learn what is good and what is bad in bug reports.
However, there are various things you need to keep in mind while writing a good bug report. You can always eliminate the information which is insufficient in the bug report.

Thus, we have given the difference between both the good and bad bug reports which will help you to avoid some common mistakes.

A good bug report is informative and contains adequate data about the bug which is needed to reproduce and fix the problem. While a bad bug report may contain insufficient data and lengthy information which creates more confusion.
A good report delivers an efficient way for the developer to understand easily. Whereas, a bad one report may cause several conflicts while making the developer understands the bug occurrence.
Via a good report, the problem or error is fixed as fast as possible as compared to a problem that takes time to resolve via a bad bug report.
A good report contains only specific information which is to the point. A bad report may not contain specific information and can be hard to interpret.
A good bug report follows a proper pattern in order to make information more effective as compared to a bad bug report which does not follow a pattern

Importance of a good bug report
A bug report helps the developer to identify the problem in the application. It is a very important document that is key to clear identification and eventual fixing of the issue. Let us see why it is important to have a neat bug report.

A good bug report is self-explanatory to the developer and does not need the tester to explain again.
Without a clear bug report, the developer will not be able to identify the issue.
Unclear bug reports reduce the reputation and credibility of the QA team.
If the bug is not reported clearly, the dev team may not understand its importance and defer it to the next release. If this is part of a critical feature, it may get rolled out to production creating customer issues and a bad reputation for the application.

Important Factors in writing a Good Bug Report
You can use this simple bug report format to make an effective bug report. If you are writing a bug report manually you can always add information that is necessary like assigning the bug number.
Reporter: Write your name and email in this field.
Product: Write the name of the application in which you found this bug.
Version: Write the version of the application if any.
Components: Contains the components of the application.
Platform: Mention the name of the platform in which you found this bug, such as PC or Mac.
Operating System: Mention the operating system in which you found this bug such as Windows, Mac OS, or Linux.
Priority: You need to set the priority of the bug to be fixed. You can set the priority from P1 to P5. P1 can reflect to fix the bugs that have got the highest priority and P5 as the lowest priority.

Severity: In this heading, you will describe the effect of the bug in the application. Whether the bug is restricting for further testing or crashing the application as soon as it runs. There are several types of severity through which you can brief the impact of the bug.

Blocker: Restricting for further testing
Critical: crashing of application
Major and Minor: loss of functions
Trivial: Needs UI improvement
Enhancement: Need a new or addition of a feature

Status: This will include the status of the bug whether it is in the process, verified, or fixed.
Assign To: You can specify the information about the developer who was responsible for that particular application. If you do not know the developer, leave it blank or you can else specify the email address of the manager, he will assign the bug to the developer.
URL: Specify the URL of the particular bug found in the application.
Summary: You need to make sure that this section includes the problem and where it can be found. Do no brief your summary in not more than 70 words. Write effective and specific information in the summary.
Description: Write down a brief description of the bug and where it was found. Also, include this information:

Reproduction Steps: Mention the steps precisely to reproduce the bug.
Expected Result: Write the expected result of the application.
Actual Result: Write the actual result which was obtained while testing.

Report Types: You can mention different types of the report such as coding error, design error, or documentation issue while writing a bug report.
Important Features to mention in your Bug Report
There also some important features which you can write to make a good bug report. These features are explained below.

Bug Number or Bug ID: To make it easier for yourself and the developer you can assign the unique identification number to your bug. It will become easier in reporting to a bug. This simple feature will ensure the smooth process of solving the bug issue and check whether the bug is still fixed or not.

Bug Title: Bug title should contain a specific word which can easily interpret by other team members or developers. The title should be enough to give clarity about what actually a bug is about. An informative bug title can be easily understood and the reader can easily check whether the bug has been reported earlier or not.

Priority: A bug can be of different types such as blocker, critical, or trivial. Specify the priority of the bug to make them fixed as soon as possible.

Environment: The environment in which the bug was found by the tester should be clearly mentioned in the bug report. It is mandatory because sometimes with little difference in a work environment the bug may not reproduce again. So, it is best to mention the exact platform in which the tester has found the bug.

Description: This section will help the developer to learn about the detection of the bug in the application. The description of the bug should be very precise and informative. With inadequate information or poor description, the developer might get confused. The description should contain appropriate information about the bug in the application. It is also a good practice to brief the problems separately instead of integrating them in one place.

Steps of Reproduction: This section should contain the steps to reproduce the bug which was detected by the tester. A good bug report always contains accurate information and steps to reproduce the bug. You need to mention every single step which raised the occurrence of the bug in the application. Every single step needs to be specified very precisely otherwise the developer may not get the same bug that the tester detected.

Expected and Actual Result: A good bug report is still incomplete if the report does not contain any result. It is mandatory for you to brief the expected and actual results. What should be the result that the user expects and what was the outcome of the test? Specify every piece of important information to make your bug report more effective.
Proof: Without any proof, the developer might think you are bluffing which might cause conflicts between a tester and a developer. Hence, to avoid this scenario you can always take a screenshot of the error which you can show it later.

Some Additional Tips and Tricks

If you found a bug while testing, don’t wait to write a bug report later and do it immediately. You might forget some steps if you chose to write the bug report later.

Try reproducing bugs at least three-four times. This will ensure the bug is actually there and later you can mention the steps to reproduce them.
Always try to write a good bug summary. It will ensure the efficiency of the developer to find and analyze the bug more quickly.
Try proofreading your bug report before submitting and remove unnecessary information if any.
If you found any errors, do not use the credit to criticize the developer.

Some Additional Tips and Tricks (Adding points to the existing section)
Here are some additional tips and tricks to make your bug report more effective.

Try to reproduce the bug on different systems to arrive at a pattern or uniformity. Like if it is a mobile app, test on different OS and devices of different make to see if there is a pattern. This will help the developer to better understand the problem.
Add crash logs, system configuration tested, screenshots, videos, or any other logs that will be helpful to the developer to understand and debug the issue easily
While writing the steps to reproduce, do not assume the developer will know “something” already. The steps should be written in a way that even a layman can reproduce the issue.
Before submitting a bug, search for similar defects that may have been submitted by other team members or other teams as well. This helps to reduce the redundancy and avoid the defects getting closed as “Duplicate”.

How a bug reporting tool helps to write a better bug report
Traditionally, bugs were shared through emails, excels, or even in SharePoint. But slowly most companies are investing in paid and even open-source bug reporting tools. Let us now see why it is important to have a good reporting tool.

A reporting tool helps in easy and formal tracking of the issue.
It ensures all the required and mandatory fields are updated while submitting the issue. While entering details in any other system the tester may forget or miss some important inputs. A tool ensures all the required information is present.
A tool allows mapping the issue to the test case and the requirement as well. Giving better visibility of the success and failure rate of the testing effort.
A tool helps in better connectivity within the team with respect to the bug communications and status updates. The tool will have provision for mail triggers each time there is an update in the bug.
It helps to analyze the bug trends and thus help the dev team to focus on problematic areas.
A tool helps to prioritize the issues for fixing and move to production. This can be very critical to the go/ no-go for the applications.

Also Read : 8 Instances Software Bugs Proved To be Too Costly

Need Help To Know About Software Testing? Follow This Complete Guide

Posted on May 28, 2018 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Testing, the most integral part of Software Development Life Cycle is a crucial process. It helps a product to be exactly the way you have intended It to be and will make sure that survives in the competitive market.

Benefits of the testing process are not just limited to making your software robust and powerful. Although they are the prime, there are other benefits too.

Bugs can prove to be costly and deadly. Testing can be a solution to both
Only if you have an error-free product you can devise a perfect marketing strategy
Can enhance User Experience
Can promote the goodwill of a company

Software Testing Help

Testing is not just a process. It is a huge branch comprised of a lot of testing procedures and methodologies which can be used in accordance with product specification, functionalities, requirement, and issues. It is also a vast industry with a lot of career opportunities, responsibilities, and branches.

So let’s have a detailed view of this amazing process which has managed to save billions by pointing out flaws.

Best Practices For Software Testing

Automated software testing is valuable for different reasons however to get most extreme advantages out of automated testing. One needs to remember certain prescribed points before starting the real testing process:

There are few tests that are better done manually. Before allowing for automated testing, watch that the test is reasonable for automated testing. A risk-based strategy can be utilized to distinguish the most essential business cases and situations.

Configuration Tests Before Automating

Great test configuration helps in the classification of the majority of the defects. Thus, designing of tests ought to be finished with most extreme care and attention.

Test Early And Consistently

Begin testing at the earliest opportunity. Early testing takes into consideration early distinguishing of bugs, which is both less demanding and savvier to settle over the long haul.

Further, keeping in mind the end goal to have best outcomes, testing should be repeated consistently.

Select The Suitable Automated Testing Tool

As there are various automated testing tools accessible in the market, thus it is vital to pick the suitable automated testing device that best satisfies your general prerequisites.

Make Great Quality Test Data

For powerful utilization of an automated testing tool, it is basic that the testing apparatus can translate and emphasize the substance of the data records. Making test data for automated tests is monotonous, however, one needs to put time and endeavor into making very much organized data. This will facilitate the method of writing automated tests.

Utilize Test Strategies

Testing strategies, for example, state transition testing, equivalence partitioning, decision-tables, pairwise testing, boundary value analysis can be utilized for robotized testing.

Automate Just Stable Functionality

If a component is liable to change or rendered inapplicable because of changing business choices, the attempt of executing test automation will go waste. It is best to mechanize the functionality once it has been balanced out.

Process Involved In Software Testing

Planning and Control

Test Planning

Test arranging includes delivering a file that portrays a general approach and test goals. It includes investigating the test premise, recognizing the test conditions as per the examination of test things, designing the test environment, and writing test cases.

Exit or Completion criteria must be defined so that testers and team would know when testing (at any stage) is finished.

Control

This is the action of looking at real progress against the planning and reporting the status, including deviations from the plan. It includes taking activities important to meet the mission and targets of the undertaking.

Analysis and Design

The principal test process portrays this action as designing the test cases utilizing the systems chosen while you’re at the planning stage. For each test case, determine its target, the underlying condition of the product, the input series and the required result.

The particular can be considered as three separate errands:

Distinguish test conditions.
Configuration test cases – decide ‘how’ the distinguished test conditions will be worked out.
Construct test cases – execution of the experiments (data, scripts, and so forth.).

Usage and Execution

The motivation behind this action is to execute the greater part of the test cases (however not really all at once). This should be possible either with the utilization of a test execution automation tool or manually.

The most vital test cases ought to be executed first. Normally, the most essential test cases are the ones that are well on the way to locate the most genuine errors yet may likewise be those that focus on the most critical parts of the framework.

In case that numerous errors are found during an initial couple of tests, we may conclude that it does not merit executing others (at any rate until the flaws discovered so far have been settled). For this situation, it is especially imperative to have organized the test cases to guarantee that at least the most critical ones are executed.

Assessing Exit Criteria and Reporting

Assessing exit criteria is a procedure describing when to quit testing. It relies upon the scope of code, functionality or hazard. Fundamentally, it additionally relies upon business risk, time, and cost and differs from one project to another. Exit criteria are considered, when –

Most of the test cases are executed with a specific pass rate.
Bug rate falls beneath a specific level.
When we accomplish the due dates.

Assessing Exit Criteria Has The Accompanying Real Duties:

To evaluate if more tests are required or if the exit criteria indicated ought to be changed.
To compose a test review report for partners.

Test Closure Activity

This activity has the goal of checking the records against the completion criteria determined in the test design. Test conclusion activities are performed when the product is prepared to be released. In case that these criteria are not met, it will be important to backpedal to the detail stage to define more test cases to reach the completion criteria.

Test Completion Activity Has The Accompanying Significant Duties –

To check which planned expectations are really conveyed and to guarantee that every occurrence report has been settled.
To finish and archive testware, for example, test environments, scripts etc. for reusing later.
To handover the testware to the support team. They will offer help to the product.
To assess how the testing went and learn lessons for future launches and ventures.

Role of Testing in SDLC (Software Testing Life Cycle)

Testing is a procedure as opposed to a single action. This procedure begins with test planning then designing test cases, getting ready for execution and assessing status till the test conclusion. Thus, we can divide the practices inside the key test process into the accompanying essential steps:

Prerequisite Analysis

The initial phase in the SDLC is the Prerequisite Analysis stage. In this stage, the Testing or Quality Assurance group chooses what should be tested. There are two fundamental sorts of testing – functional and non-functional.

Functional testing incorporates tests to assess how the product is working: for instance, if a button – ‘Add product to the Shopping Cart’ really adds the product to the cart, or if while looking for a thing, say a blue dress in Large size, every single blue dress in Large size is shown.

Non-functional testing incorporates characteristics that are off camera, for example, execution and security.

Planning The Test

After a settlement is made with respect to what parts of testing should be finished, the following stage is planning how the test will be led. This incorporates deciding the resources as far as the number of hours it would take, cost and number of team members that ought to be committed to the testing stage, and the due dates by which the outcomes ought to be conveyed.

Building Up The Test Case

One of the essential phases of the Software Development Life Cycle is building up the test case. This incorporates writing out a well-ordered strategy on how the test ought to be executed, the expected outcomes, the genuine outcomes, and if the test was a pass or a fail.

Setting Up The Test Environment

After planning the tests, the following stage is to legitimately set up the test environment. The test environment ought to dependably be as great a reproduction of the end users’ environment as it can be. The financial plan can frequently be a constraint in installing up a compelling test environment and this ought to dependably be contemplated by the design team members.

Performing The Test

Subsequent to establishing up the of the test environment, the following stage is completing the tests. The product ought to be tested comprehensively in the test environment and the outcomes acquired ought to be accurately recorded.

In the event that the product does well in the tests, at that point it certainly is an indication of the great things to come. However, in the event that it fails to perform then the product ought to be sent back to the planning stage to resolve any defects that may have been discovered amid the tests.

The planning, designing, and achievement of the tests is a genuinely simple process when you have the correct sort of training and skill with you.

Final Reporting

After the testing of the software, the last step is to prepare the appropriate reports for the tests and to present those reports to the different partners and potential stockholders.

All these are the fundamental steps for a software developing life cycle. These should be taken as an essential structure for completing a software developing lifecycle. Also, these steps or even a portion of these can be done in a specific order contingent upon the prerequisites of the administration.

Types of Software Testing Tools Used, Their Advantages and Disadvantages

Here’s a review of the various and best software testing automation tools that help most efficiently all the product testing people out there.
Selenium

It is the number one automation testing tool for all web application testing devices. Selenium can be executed in Operating Systems and various browsers. It is compatible with many programming languages and automation testing systems.

Advantages

Selenium can be coordinated with ANT or Maven sort of framework for source code collection.
It supports less RAM and CPU utilization for script execution.
Selenium can be combined with TestNG testing framework for creating reports and testing our applications.

Disadvantages

Selenium needs particularly mastery resources. The resources ought to likewise be extremely knowledgeable in framework architecture.
Selenium does not support built-in plug-ins.
Selenium does not give any built-in IDE to script production and it requires other IDE like Eclipse for script writing.

Testcomplete

Testcomplete is a robust and simple to-utilize functional test automation tool by SmartBear. It can mechanize tests across mobile, desktop, and web applications.

TestComplete supports numerous scripting languages like Python, VBScript, and JavaScript and in addition different testing methods, for example, data-driven testing, keyword-driven testing, distributing testing, and regression testing.

Advantages

With its record-and-replay trait and the powerful object recognizing engine, you can likewise make complex automated test scripts without writing a single code line.
Simple to sort out tests and group into functional tests that can be reutilized in Test cases.
Debugging the code by permitting breakpoint.

Disadvantages

The tool has to enhance the execution of its JavaScript code. This is presently a tremendous issue.
Certain times a recorded test can make the application crash when it is too large for the framework it’s running on.
Unfit to utilize variables inside Objects in Stores.

Apache JMeter

Apache JMeter is an open source Java desktop application intended for the load testing. It mostly centers around web applications. This device can likewise be utilized for limited functional testing and unit testing.

Advantages

JMeter is an open source software. This implies it can be downloaded free of charge. It is likewise a 100% pure Java application.
It comes prepared to use with default settings. It doesn’t expect you to have particular abilities or domain learning to utilize it.
JMeter supports diverse configurations for reporting like XML, text, HTML, and JSON.

Disadvantages

JMeter can assume heavy load and envision the test report. This may employ heaps of memory and can lead out of memory under substantial load.
It has constrained support for handling Ajax or JavaScript. This may influence the precision of the simulation.
It is not an appropriate tool for testing the desktop application.

TestRail

TestRail is a modern test administration tool with full a JIRA add-on incorporation.

Advantages

It is the only tool that incorporates with any JIRA edition and version, including JIRA Cloud.
This is a useful tool to oversee, track and organize testing endeavors.

Disadvantages

Manual test cases and automated tests are needed to keep in sync.
Automated test and manual test cases should be planned and performed.

Breeze

Breeze for JIRA provides a fully incorporated test management systems. In this, testing is incorporated into the project cycle which enables analyzer to track the product quality and take the go/no-go conclusions. The tool likewise permits rigorous procedure flow to be adaptable to roll out quicker improvements.

Advantages

Better traceability with the linkage between test cases, stories, and bugs in the test cycles.
Various test redundancies with numerous cycles can be made.
Conceivable to make customized filters.

Disadvantages

Not conceivable to send out all the test cases and results in a single file.
Reporting should be possible for just a single specific cycle of an iteration. A combined report can’t be created for all the test cycles of the iteration.
Test Case format is arranged and can’t be altered.

Robotium

Robotium is a famous automation testing tool for Android. It supports hybrid and native applications and lets writing automated black-box test cases simply. It additionally integrates flawlessly with Gradle, Maven, and Ant which runs test cases as persistent integration.

Advantages

You can build capable test cases, with the negligible learning of the application under test.
Least time required to write strong experiments.
It enables us to take screenshots anytime in the test (both for Device and Emulator) and save it to internal memory or SD Card of the device or Emulator.

Disadvantages

Attached to one application process.
It can’t run with various Applications on the test.
Tied to JUnit 3 Instrumentation on the gadget.

Telerik TestStudio

Telerik TestStudio is one answer for automating web, desktop, and mobile application testing including load, UI, and performance testing. It is a comprehensive test automation arrangement. It is appropriate for GUI, load, performance, and API testing.

Advantages

It doesn’t make you write code in many scenarios because of its good language support.
Testers can design, maintain and pass tests to developers via source control to help with more complicated, edge-case scenario.
It accompanies rich support with data-driven testing. All recorded test steps have information related features that enable you to tie them to a data source.

Disadvantages

It’s not free and also is a costly tool.
You can change all steps to code but can’t revert them.
You can’t utilize components of one venture to another. Hence, you have to make only one project and after a time it becomes heavy.

Katalon Studio

Katalon Studio is a capable test automation tool for Web, mobile and API testing. Also, it is totally free! It gives a thorough arrangement of traits for test automation, including making test cases, recording activities, producing test scripts, executing tests, reporting outcomes, and coordinating with numerous different tools in the product development lifecycle.

Katalon Studio operates on the Windows and MacOS both, supporting automated testing of Android and iOS applications, web applications on every modern browser, and API services.

Advantages

Katalon takes into account the need of non-programmers by giving record and playback benefit and scripting in manual mode for experiment creation.
It gives internal logging device and screenshot on failure trait.
The in-built frameworks, templates, coordination with Jira, Jenkins, Git and so on characteristics help in accelerating the test creation time.

Disadvantages

The script creation is constrained to only Java and Groovy.
There is no help for distributed testing.
It can’t mechanize desktop applications unlike to some authorized tools.

Appium

Appium test automation tool is basically expected for mobile applications. Fortunately, it is an open source tool. It is not at all difficult to install and utilize. It has developed tremendous reputation and resistance over a recent couple of years as compared to other mobile automation testing framework.

Advantages

Appium is Cross Platform.
It supports automation of native, hybrid, and mobile web applications.
Appium supports multiple languages like Ruby, Java, Python, JavaScript, C#, PHP.

Disadvantages

Appium does not give immediate support to android notification handling.
User can’t find pictures with Appium so as to find pictures user needed to work with screen coordinates.
It supports limited android versions.

Sikuli

Sikuli depends on image identification and has the ability of robotizing anything that we see on the screen. As of now, it underpins desktop applications which run on Mac, Windows, or Unix/Linux. This framework is great for recreating bugs rapidly and its users have revealed it to be exceptionally helpful when contrasted with different other tools when you will use an application that isn’t web-based.

Advantages

Sikuli is open source.
Sikuli IDE provides enough API’s to interface with desktop-based applications. Thus, we can utilize the greater part of the API’s of python scripting too.
We can without much of a stress perform Boundary values testing of an app, which relies upon the scripting.

Disadvantages

Sikuli IDE hangs frequently and some of the time doesn’t get opened until the point that we clear the registry.
Sikuli scripting is a platform reliant.
It is likewise dependent on the resolution.

Various Designation and Roles in Software Testing

All the software-based companies or IT companies have a different area of experts who have a certain role with the profile of software testing. Essentially, software testing is an examination which is directed to get some answers concerning the nature of the software or products being delivered or controlled by the organization. This lessens risks, enhance quality and subsequently prompt a more gainful state.

There are numerous job roles appointed for the procedure of software testing and the division takes a various hierarchical position approach. The accompanying is a detailed software testing work hierarchy:

Project Manager/Delivery Head:

The project manager or the delivery head has the highest position in the hierarchy of the product testing job profiles and is additionally in charge of the best possible running, arranging, usage and conveyance of testing results to the organization or different seniors. The project manager has numerous obligations, for example, supervision, resource management, automation framework development and automation architecture planning.

Key Responsibilities –

Administration of various portfolios, projects, and programs
Building and managing a substantial business unit of technically reliable individuals
Bringing solid innovative authority and raising quality criteria
Taking a shot at scope and cost of a delivery part of the task
Balancing desires of team and customers
Keeping himself/herself refreshed with most recent tools and technologies and settling on the best way to embrace the shift

Quality Head:

Quality Head is the second highest position in the software testing department. This job is a mixture of managerial and technical skills. This role is a consequence of years of practice along with proven track record of managing various teams and projects successfully.

Key Responsibilities –

Deals with various QA projects all the while with the detailed level of association
Heads the QA applications effectively by actualizing the greatest level of planning and coordination
Shows compelling initiative along with planning and management skills to accomplish designated objectives
Evaluates and shares the progress of venture through various measurements and procedures executed
Recommends changes in the venture, with applicable information, to partners
Profoundly skilled and have the capacity to control the team in following territories of testing, if necessary: test configuration, test execution, data analysis, defect administration, and reporting.
Has a noteworthy role in accomplishing and managing CMMi accreditation for the company, by keeping up quality benchmarks

Manager QA:

Manager QA is that person who is in charge of investigating the venture or testing methods and exhorting the task to prompt the adherence or the undertaking procedure and so forth.

Key Responsibilities –

Takes care of QA processes usage and execution in the company
Characterizes risks associated with particular tasks and aides in moving risks by QA activities
Takes interviews, recognizes and prepares relevant skilled individuals to be a part of the QA team
Assists in setting up the environment by adding fundamental tools and procedures to control the nature of the task
Reports partners on standard interim about the advancement of project and choices made or adjusted

Team Leader:

A team of software testers is utilized to bear on specific testing tasks and the experts who lead the team is known as the team leader who reports to the delivery head. He/she gives offshore and onshore coordination, assigns the tasks, executes test cases, reports results, and plays out various different obligations too.

Key Responsibilities –

Works with the team to evaluate testing assignments, the extent of each undertaking and important subtle elements
Settles on models which ought to be kept up with the goal that testing advancement can be successfully followed
Create a team of a variety of skilled individuals, who can make a beneficial team
Allocates tasks to colleagues and ensures that assignment pipeline for each colleague is sufficient enough
Audits automation system provided by senior testers and gives the review to make it successful

Senior Software Tester/Senior QA Engineer:

He/she is the master and experienced tester who does the vast majority of the technical work according to the financial plan and case necessities. He/she takes an interest in peer inspections and in addition lead surveys and furthermore develops the test design archives.

Key Responsibilities –

Inspecting quality particulars and technical design reports to give significant and timely input
Making comprehensive, detailed, and well-structured test designs and experiments
Assessing, organizing, planning and regulating quality testing exercises

Junior Software Tester/Junior QA Engineer:

The junior tester falls at the base of the hierarchy of the product testing work chain and might be the most unpracticed engineer out of the team. The junior software tester too is a member of the testing team and is in charge of manual testing of windows and web-based applications. He/she examines the useful particulars and writes manual experiments too.

He/she is a novice in this field who performs essential obligations yet is still in the learning stage and may take guidelines from seniors to complete testing related works.

Key Responsibilities –

The tester should comprehend the necessities and significant area of work, plan inquiry list and share it with Test lead
Additionally, he/she should think of evaluated endeavors required to finish the undertaking productively
In view of task characterized and modules relegated, the tester is anticipated to archive test cases for the same
A tester must know how particular tool operates and is assumed to report the detailed bug report.

Career Opportunity For Software Testing

Academic Qualification

The academic qualification for starting your profession in software testing ought to be in Computer Science.

A BTech/B.E., MCA, BSc-Computers, BCA, will find you a job immediately.

In case that you don’t hold any of these qualifications, at that point you should do a software testing certification like CSTE and ISTQB which enable you to learn Software Development/Test Life Cycle and other testing strategies.

Over the last decade, the career in software testing has endured huge changes. Testing has become a show-stopper for various application or software implementations. Companies have realized the value of structured testing of applications before launch.

Testing isn’t simple — there are frequently puzzles and issues to resolve. The job will probably bring something new consistently. In case that you incline toward an exhausting job where you don’t need to think excessively then don’t seek after a software testing profession. However, when you need an occupation that keeps you on your toes, anybody will reveal to you that software testing is an extremely awesome decision.

As mentioned job profiles above you can take many routes in software testing. Moreover, you can pick whether you need to go into automated testing, manual testing, performance testing, and so forth.

Manual testing is the most well-known part of the software testing. This can be a remunerating profession when you are detail oriented, have a characteristic interest and appreciate adapting new things.

In case that you consistently enhance your aptitudes, you can make a good career as a Manual Tester, and you can summon a premium when you have specific mastery in specific kinds of trending programs or top to bottom knowledge of certain industry verticals, similar to manufacturing, IT, or healthcare.

To climb in the QA manager following a couple of years of manual testing you can take after a technical way or a test management way.

In case that, you cherish testing and you have a skill for scripting and coding, think about learning automated, execution, mobile or potentially security testing. As you need to develop in a technical position, you should stay aware of the recent technologies in the field.

On the contrary, if you like driving a team and persuading individuals to put forth a valiant effort, consider being a Test Leader or Test Manager. Also, if you are a Talented QA Manager, you can climb to a Delivery Head or Senior Manager, Director or Senior Director. With the expanding ubiquity of software testing companies, more QA official positions are opening up at different levels. Senior-level positions regularly require advanced degrees like an MBA degree.

Thus, when you need a high growth, a lucrative career, software testing is the right path. As a product tester, you’ll generally be required and will discover no absence of leading organizations attempting their hardest to hire you, and there are continuous possibilities to develop in your profession to achieve to a managerial level.

Hence, as should be obvious, software testing gives great career development opportunities. While every role and designation accompany its own particular pattern of challenges, it is fundamentally the same as different vocations. Your obligation increments as your experience increments. One needs to update their insight and range of abilities as they desire to ascend the ladder of this career.

Salary of Various People Working in the Testing \Industry

As of now, the average Testing Technician salary is $51,239 per year, with a range usually between $44,095-$60,710. But, this can differ widely relying on various factors and different roles. Few of the salary range for different QA testing job profiles are as follows:

Average Junior Tester Salary – $48,960
Average Quality Assurance Tester Salary – $69,832 per year
Average Software Test Engineer Salary – $93,749
Average QA Project Manager/Delivery Head Salary – $82,426 per year
Average Team Leader Salary – $96,342 per year
Average Manager QA Salary – $105,237 per year
Average Senior QA Engineer Salary – $93,951
Average Quality Assurance Engineer Salary – $79,148 per year

Skills Required To Be a Software Tester

To Excel in any job or profession, one must have a noteworthy level of the passion for it. A product tester must have an enthusiasm for his/her field. But along with this, there are some other skills also important to become a software tester which are –

Non-Technical Skills

Eye For the Details

Having a decent eye for subtle elements is useful on the grounds that every scenario will be secured. This ability assists to abstain from additional expenses of mistakes that are discovered late in the cycle or after product discharge. Exhaustive comprehension of software from a business perspective and seeing how testing stage impacts a business is alluring.

Logical and Analytical Skills

A great QA ought to have sharp analytical aptitudes. Logical skills will help separate an unpredictable programming framework into smaller units to pick up a superior comprehension and make test cases.

Time Management and Organization Skills

Testing now and again could be a troublesome work particularly amid the release of code. A software inspector should productively control workload, have high efficiency, display ideal time management, and organization aptitudes.

Correspondence Ability

A good QA must have great verbal and written communication expertise. Testing procedures like test cases, plans, test systems, bug reports, etc. made by the software tester ought not to be difficult to read and understand. Managing with engineers (in case of bugs or some other issue) will require a shade of circumspection and strategy.

Extraordinary Attitude

To be a decent QA you should have a GREAT state of mind. An approach to detail orientation, eagerness to learn and propose process enhancements. In the software marketing, technologies advance with a mind-boggling speed, and a decent software tester should update his/her technical abilities with the evolving advances. Your attitude should mirror a specific level of freedom where you take responsibility for errand designated and finish it with the least direct supervision.

Technical Skills

Testing Tools and Techniques

It is essential for each software tester to know about various testing strategies and utilization of tools. Notwithstanding the domain and type of application, the information of various types of testing likes penetration testing, black box testing, security testing, unit testing, system testing, and so forth makes testers flexible, helping them chip away at any kind of venture.

Also, with the wide range of tools that have been accessible in the market such as bug tracking tools, GUI testing tools, test management tools, automation tools and much more, it is additionally vital for QA to get the skill of these devices to serve diverse complexities and prerequisites of the project.

Fundamental Learning of Database/SQL

Software Systems have a lot of information in the background. This information is saved in various sorts of databases like MySQL, Oracle, etc. in the backend. In this way, there will be circumstances when this data should be approved. All things considered, complex/simple SQL queries can be utilized to check whether appropriate data is put away in the backend databases.

Information of a Test Management Tool

Test Management is a critical part of Software testing. Test management is only dealing with your testing related irregularities. Without legitimate test management systems, product testing procedure will come up short.

Understanding of Linux commands

The majority of the product applications like Web-Services, Application Servers, Databases are disposed on Linux machines. So, it is pivotal for analyzers to know about Linux commands.

Test Planning and Documentation

Planning and documentation abilities for test cases are fundamental for each software tester as it helps in recognizing the correct prerequisites and make proper decisions. This expertise likewise helps track the variations in necessities, check test procedures and follow deviations and furthermore helps in revealing and logging of work.

A well-archived test process can help both individual software testers and in addition, companies to designate the correct budget plan and resources to a venture. This is the reason test planning and documentation expertise is one of the essential aptitudes that each QA must possess.

Future of Software Testing

The Domain of Software Testing is in a Condition of Outrageous Change.

Truth be told, the developments in progress presently are seemingly more impactful than any progressions the industry has ever observed. So, what’s behind these progressions? Also, more imperatively, what would testers be able to anticipate from software testing in future?

A Huge Surge in IOT Testing

As of now, the vast majority of the business tasks are receiving Internet of Things (IoT). IoT applications and devices are tested for performance, security, and ease of use. The majority of the clients depend on IoT testing before buying their items. All the IoT gadgets require Internet network subsequently defenseless against security deformities and dangers. This guarantees the requirement for IoT Testing.

The Ascent of Agile and DevOps

Agile and DevOps will overwhelm in the up and coming year. They administer the goal of quality and offer shorter delivery periods to everybody. Continuous Delivery and Continuous Integration are the principal parts of DevOps and these are in charge of the speedier delivery periods.

Digital Transformation is Digging in For the Long Haul

With a dominant part of the companies making a raid in the digital world, the requirement for digital change will require an immense move of focus towards digital testing. Vigorous systems for digital confirmation will be required for concentrating on the upgrading of useful testing all over the channels.

AI and Machine Learning Will Make a Major Shift

Numerous new innovations are flying up in the product testing world, especially AI and Machine Learning. These innovations will provide us an extra course of automation. They will wind up prescribed, they will develop testing and they will end up self-versatile.

Though these technologies have not yet completely developed, they are as of now affecting the product testing field by making it more complex, and that effect will just keep on growing.

Performance Engineering is Coming into The Limelight

Reliable execution all over different platforms, devices, and OSs characterizes the scope of a market a software can truly catch. The need to give the best experience to users is advancing companies to improve their technique. They are presently moving far from simply giving Performance tests to giving Performance engineering.

Testers Must Be Willing To Learn and Adjust to Change

The technological progressions in the software testing enterprise drive the software testers to enhance their aptitudes and quality altogether. It is a real test for the testers as well as for the whole team to address the technological and progression updates.

Since testing is continually advancing, in case you’re not developing with it, you’re presumably not benefitting as much as possible from what you could be doing. So, the testers should continually refresh their insight base to stay aware of what’s happening.

Automation Test For Your Software: Go Through This Ultimate Guide

Posted on April 30, 2018 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

“Fast, good, cheap: pick any two.”

Yes, three of them do not tag along most of the time. But in the case of automation they do and that too in the finest form.

The prime reason why the world is behind the technology

The story is exactly the same when it comes to software testing. The astounding factor about automation testing is that it can be a continuous process making the process as efficient and fast as it can get.

But, automation doesn’t mean that it all we have to do is turn on the switch. There are certain factors that need to be met and considered before performing it.

Let’s see

Length

The project is required to traverse over numerous months. For a two-month venture, the cost to put the time in automation testing isn’t supported. Putting resources into automation forthright can guarantee that as features are created, tested, and the team proceeds onward, new functionality can be completely relapsing tested.

Cost and Budget

A committed financial plan must be designated, which incorporates costs identified with the testing tool, improvement, deployment, source, and preparing. Furthermore, the cost of maintenance for automated tests and devices must be incorporated.

Also read: 6 Software Testing Certifications That Can Guarantee You a Job

Ascertaining the ROI of your automation testing project can be tricky. Here is a common calculation some people utilize to get a rough assessment of their automation testing costs.

Automation Cost = tools cost + labor costs + costs of the automated tests maintenance

This can also assist you to determine if a test case is still worth automating as compared to testing it manually.

Focus

Project teams who select to robotize break up tests into more edible pieces maintaining the attention on small combinations or individual functions. That way, when the code is updated, just the automation test with a related application should be updated.

When you realize that it is the right time to put your money and time in a suitable automation tool you can begin searching for the best automation tool that matches your necessities.

Choose What Test Cases to Automate

It is difficult to automate all testing. So, it is essential to figure out what test cases ought to be automated first.

The advantage of automated testing is connected to how often a particular test can be rehashed. Tests that are played out just a couple of times are better left for manual testing.

Successful test automation requires careful arranging and configuration work. Begin by making an automation design. This enables you to recognize the underlying arrangement of tests to automate and fill in as a guide for future tests.

In the first place, you ought to characterize your objective for automation testing and choose which kinds of tests to automize. There are various kinds of testing, and everyone has its position in the testing procedure.

You can get the most advantage out of your automated testing endeavors on automating following cases:

- Repeated tests that keep running for multiple forms.
- Often utilized application that presents high-risk conditions.
- Tests that need various data collections.
- Tests that tend to cause a human mistake.
- Tests that are difficult to operate manually.
- Tests that require a ton of exertion and time when manual testing.
- Tests that run on a few diverse software or hardware platforms and setups.

How to Select Automation Tool for Software Test?

Automation testing achievement to a great extent relies upon the determination of right testing tool. It requires a great deal of time to assess pertinent tools for automation accessible in the market. Yet, this is an unquestionable requirement that will profit your undertaking in a long run.

The criteria you have to consider before choosing any testing tool:

- What is your financial plan?
- Do you have the essential skilled asset to enforce with automation assignments?
- Does the automation tool fulfill your testing obligations?
- Is it appropriate for the undertaking environment and technology you are utilizing?
- Does it incorporate well with your other testing devices like test administration tools and project planning?

Automation Frameworks Are Important

The titans of IT industry like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon do programming at a quick pace to take care of the demand for their services and product. For these organizations—and the IT business everywhere—to receive the rewards of test automation, they depend on automation frameworks to manage their endeavors.

Test automation is a necessary component of Agile. Different center practices of Agile, for example, Test-Driven Development (TDD), Continuous Integration (CI), Continuous Delivery, and Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) depend on the effectiveness and dependability of test automation. The automation frameworks give the establishment that helps an assortment of the automated program tests.

Here is a speedy rundown of the standard kinds of test automation frameworks being used.

Linear Scripting Framework: Recording and repeating test scripts in successive (“linear”) design with practically least or no adjustment.
Keyword driven Framework: Tables on a spreadsheet decide the activity of a test script relied on a function library for a specified keyword.
Data-driven Framework: A steady source of test criteria (external or internal data) indicates the test scripts to command.
Modular Testing Framework: Modules of cases under test are broke down and tested with singular test scripts that can be consolidated to make bigger test scripts.
Hybrid Testing Framework: A blend of frameworks to use the features of each.

Thus, an automation framework is a typical arrangement of guidelines, tools, and standards for your tests. Having an automation framework limits test script management.

Elements of a good test automation framework

Remember that not all of the elements specified below might be present in all frameworks. The most basic elements of a test automation framework are:

Unit testing library

The unit testing libraries make up a basic element of any test automation system.

They can be utilized to:

Define test methods
Perform assertions
Run the tests

Libraries for conducting integration and end-to-end testing

When you’re hoping to make integration, end-to-end automated tests, or API-level it’s regularly a smart thought to make utilization of the features given by existing libraries.

These libraries make interfacing with your apps under test substantially simpler by abstracting endlessly all the coding required.

Libraries enabling the BDD- behavior-driven development

These don’t test tools themselves, nor do they cooperate with your application under test. Rather, they are particularly used to help the BDD procedure and are frequently mistreated to make living documentation in the range and expectation of automated tests.

Benefits of implementing test automation framework

Presently, one of the most well-known elements of an automation testing is automation framework.Having the rules set up to understand the advantages of automated tests is the fundamental target of a test automation system.

Reusable Tests:

Properly planned test automation frameworks convey routinely stable robotized tests that are simpler to reuse and keep up.

No Manual Invasion:

There are exemptions where the brief manual invasion is worthy. However, this ought not to be the standard when you have the suitable system set up. Continuously work towards unattended. Regardless of whether you’re just running your automated tests once per month, they ought to have the capacity to run unattended. Else, you’ll experience considerable difficulties later on when you endeavor to accelerate the improvement and delivery process and your automated tests don’t sustain Continuous Testing.

Direct Reporting:

Use the clearand focused reporting strategy towards the correct audience. This can be an automated build up device, chief, or an engineer, every one of which requires an alternate sort of reporting, with various data and level of detail.

Lower Cost of Support:

Reusable automated tests have a lower cost of support. More reusable and viable automated tests support to meet financial plan and accomplish the quick product launch time of modern programming advancement.

Break Your Automated Testing Efforts

Normally, the production of various tests depends on the QA designers’ ability levels. It is vital to distinguish the level of skills and involvement of your every member of the project team and break your automated testing endeavors in like manner. For example, writing automated test scripts requires master learning of scripting languages. Along these lines, to achieve these errands, you ought to have QA engineers that know the script language offered by the automated testing tool.

Some members may not be versed in writing these scripts. It is better meanwhile an automated testing device has an approach to make automated tests that don’t need a profound learning of scripting languages.

Keyword tests are regularly observed as an option to automated test scripts. Not at all like scripts, they can be effortlessly utilized by both technical and non-technical users and enable all levels of users to make intense and robust automated tests.

You ought to likewise team up on your automated testing venture with other QA engineers in the department. Testing performed by an association is more powerful to find bugs and the proper automated testing tool enables you to impart your ventures to many testers.

When you make a few simplistic automated tests, you can arrange your tests into one, bigger automated test. You can sort out automated tests by the minor or major division in the application, application’s utilitarian region, regular functions or a base collection of test data. In the event that an automated test alludes to different tests, you may need to make a test tree, where you can run tests in a particular manner.

Test Automation Process Has the Following Phases:

Atomic Test

An atomic test is a methodology for guaranteeing that each test is completely independent. That is, it ought not to rely upon the result of other tests to set up its state, and another test ought not to influence its error or success in any capacity.

Likewise, when a robotized test comes up short, you have to know why. Having a very prepared atomic test that tests just a single thing will help you rapidly distinguish what broke if your test crashes.

Moreover, you should try to get reviews from your engineers as fast as could be feasible, and an ideal approach to do that is with a quick, properly named test.

Test Sizing

Test size is important since tests need to run rapidly.

Now, numerous individuals imagine a customary test pyramid, which has unit tests as its base, integration tests in the center, and graphical UI tests at the top.

By test size, allude to tests that are speedier than others.

Readability

A brisk point on test code readability—did you realize that engineers invest more time perusing code than really writing it?

It is uncommon that the individual who composed code will likewise be the one that requires to alter it. Much more dreadful, how often have you written code just to return to it months after and have no clue what it is doing?

Since, as we said, automation code is program development, you ought to make your test code on account of the reader of the code—not the PC.

This will encourage to make your test more viable, as well as will help guarantee that you don’t copy code since you didn’t comprehend what a current portion of code was doing.

This may appear like a minor issue, yet disregard readability of your automation test at your risk.

Testability

Testability should be prepared into our applications relevantly from the beginning. As a standard piece of planning, engineers ought to consider how they can influence their application to code more testable. They can achieve this by giving things like unique component IDs for their application fields and APIs to help make guides into their application(s) that can be utilized as a part of their automated tests.

They ought to likewise be pondering how any code transforms they advance to the application will affect existing automated tests and plan as per the needs.

When you don’t do this, you’re not going to be victorious with automation for a longer time.

Keep in mind, you can’t automate that isn’t testable.

Stable Environment

This one is an extremely basic obstacle for some project teams with their automation endeavors.

Without a steady test condition that is dependable in a known state, it will be hard for your team members to advance their automation endeavors.

Tests failing because of environmental problems instead of real application problems will make your project team members lose trust in your test review rapidly.

When teams begin disregarding automation outcomes, your test efforts end up pointless.

Define test strategies, regularly through particular technique annotations, for example, [Test] (in .NET) and @Test (in Java).

Maximum unit testing libraries offer strategies that will play out the genuine assertions that decide the final product of your automated tests. So, you’d do properly to make utilization of these, rather than writing yourself.

By and large, unit testing libraries provide a test runner that makes running the tests you made extremely direct, regardless of whether you’re running them from inside your IDE, or through a build tool or continuous integration (CI) framework or from the command line.

Plan Data Input Store

Kinds of input data files approved by the tools should be distinguished. In view of the necessities, input files can be determined as:

Objects Identifier – Object identification syntax particular to the tool, mapped to the legitimate name of the object.

Workflows/Scenarios/Transactions based input -Complete arrangement of data for various workflows/scenarios/transactions. Every one of them means “n” number of experiments. This experiment-based user input serves the project team amid future upgrades, in a manner that different input information can be included utilizing the Test Case ID.

Custom Message – This can include custom messages to be shown for known and obscure mistakes.

Driver – File can consist a list of file/workflow/transaction ID’s to be alluded to, for a chosen batch performance.

Create framework

Framework constructions are encouraged utilizing a similar arrangement of recognized tools. Scripting language reinforced by the test automation tool is employed to make the elements. Tool extensibility or utility or element can be produced utilizing an alternate language.

Notwithstanding the re-usable segments, worker scripts and driver scripts should be made.

Populate Input Data Store

Information can be populated either in an automated design or manually from various data sources. Test data would be populated in view of parent-child hierarchy.

Design Schedulers

Scheduler prerequisite should be distinguished. Schedulers can be regulated to run a worker script on a particular schedule. This strategy profits in a form that even a business user can direct the scheduler and influence the test execution to proceed.

A reliable test data strategy

A standout amongst the most troublesome issues with regards to making automated tests is the manner by which to administer the issue of test data.

The higher you go in the test automation pyramid, the more troublesome it gets to guarantee that the test data needed to execute a given test is available or made when tests are running.

There is no single way to take care of all the test data issues. However, having a strong strategy concerning test data administration is basic to the accomplishment of your test automation attempts.

Test Automation Scripts

The real undertaking and the significant task begins from here.

A test is regarded as a solitary activity or a series of activities (written using a scripting/programming language), that characterizes whether a particular component meets functional necessities.It is implemented on a system under test to validate that the system works as expected.

The user needs the logical reasoning and writes a cryptic test or program scripts which will be executed.

We must be capable to instruct the tool to execute the test samples in a really simple way and the code should be clearly understandable to other users who see it.

Valid Data Test Sample –

public class ManageUsers{
{
@Test
public void Add_User_With_Valid_Data()
{
/* Pre conditions
*1 Check login
*2 Check logged in user has access to manage users
* */
/* Adding a user
*1. Navigate to Manage Users Grid
*2. Check for “Add Users” button. if exists,
*2.1 Click on Add user button in Manage users grid
*3. Check for Fields and Enter required fields if exists
*3. Click on Submit button
*4. Success message should be displayed
*5. Compare for the Success message
*5. 1 if message check is not enough to validate,
*6. Check for the record in Database and Validate
*/
}
}

In the above test sample of Add Users With Valid Data: To execute the test, you have to login to the application. You additionally need to check whether the user is signed in or not. Also, the other thing you have to check is whether the signed in user has access to “Add Users” or Not. In the event that those Two Conditions have passed then you ought to execute the rest otherwise you should restore the test as failed.

Invalid Data Test Sample –

@Test

public void Add_User_With_Invalid_Data()

{

/* Pre conditions

*1 Check login

*2 Check logged in user has access to manage users

* */

/* Adding a user

*1. Navigate to Manage Users Grid

*2. Check for “Add Users” button. if exists,

*2.1 Click on Add user button in Manage users grid

*3. Check for Fields and Enter required fields if exists

*3. Click on Submit button

*4. Error message should be displayed

*5. Compare for the Error message based on the input provided

* */

}

Pitfalls In Automation Testing

Project teams frequently insist that automation testing “doesn’t work.” Though this demeanor is normally caused by inadequately composed test automation more than whatever else.

In the event that you put the issues recorded in your mind as you make your test automation framework, you can bypass from a lot of these automation traps early.

Numerous issues are caused by inserting farfetched objectives, as, for instance, having an objective of achieving 100% UI automated testing scope. Project teams regularly trust that automation tests will discover all the new bugs, so they have an incorrect feeling that all is well with the automated world. Your automation is just in the same class as your tests.

Project teams likewise think that it takes little time to look after automation test. They’ll frequently make vast, end-to-end tests.However, tests ought to be minute with the goal that when they crash, you know why.

A few other regular issues that project team encounters are:

- Concentrating only on UI automation
- Not having a controlled test environment
- Not having a test data methodology set up
- Overlooking failing tests
- Not reusing automation code
- Not utilizing appropriate synchronization in your tests
- Not making readable automation tests
- Hard coding test data

Some Technical Aspects to Recognize

Object Recognition strategies

There ought to be a wide range of choosing a similar object with various strategies. A few objects are hard to perceive. So, the assortment of determination strategies is constantly useful.

Object Mapping Support

Likely, there ought to be an alternative to appropriately Map these objects in the object storehouse. This store ought to effectively be updatable and overseen.

Diverse Assertion Support

The test case is passed or aborted in view of assertions or checkpoints. In the event that the tool has an assortment of strategies to check your anticipated outcomes, it is useful.

Recovery Scenarios Approach

When experiment crashes and you need to proceed with the execution, what to do? In the event that recovery situations are not difficult to operate in a tool, it will enable you to perform test cases with no glitch. You can run the experiments during the evening and early in the day, you get the outcomes expressing which test cases have passed and which test cases have failed. This will happen just if recovery from crashed test cases can be effectively overseen by the tool.

Automation Testing Tools

Tool distinguishing process is a pivotal one, as it includes basic variables to be considered. Make a standard tool assessment agenda which should be done by considering teams included, sorts of testing, licensing price of the tool, upkeep cost, support and training, device’s extensibility, device’s execution and resistance and so on. Recognized testing types and prerequisites, serve as a base rule for test automation tool assessment.

Here are a few best automation tools available. This isn’t a thorough list, but instead a snappy outline of a portion of the more popular test tools.

Web automation tools

Selenium IDE

This Firefox module gives the capacity to record test cases. Best utilized for testing web applications, functionality is restricted and unacceptable for complex web apps. The device does not enable team members to write tests for music, flash computer games, file uploads or UI/UX tests.

Sikuli

What’s great about SikuliX is that it enables you to automate anything you see on your monitor utilizing picture-based testing.

Mobile automation tools

Robotium

This free tool enables users to record hybrid and local Android tests. It is backed by Google, can be written in Java and coordinated with Cucumber.

Appium

Appium is automation for applications. It is by all accounts the champ in the mobile testing space until now. The open source tool supportsAndroid and iOS applications, alongside hybrid and native apps. The experiments can be written in a wide assortment of software languages including (Java, C#, Python, Ruby and so forth.).

Appium is a cross-platform that implies tests can be written on different platforms utilizing similar API.

Desktop automation tools

Cucumber

An automation code tool created to help the behavior-driven development process. Cucumber is an open source tool which consolidates documentation and test specification within a sole source.

SpecFlow

SpecFlow is a free tool that gives behavior-driven testing functionalities to languages in the .NET family.

TestStack.White

TestStack.White is a free tool used to help Win32, WPF, WinForms, Silverlight, and SWT (Java) applications. Experiments are written in C# and can be incorporated with SpecFlow/Cucumber.

Service automation tools

SoapUI

This is the leading in a world as an open-source functional testing instrument for API testing. It supports different protocols, for example, SOAP, HTTP, REST, AMF, and JMS.

HttpWebRequest

The HttpWebRequest can be integrated with Cucumber and SpecFlow. It is a .NET library which influences the REST API to request specifically.

Few tips for successful testing

Here are some essential tips which you must follow to make your tests maximally valuable and negligibly excruciating.

Don’t Race to automation

While beginning with product automation process or tool, companies should delay and do more planning in advance before hopping into the profound end. Companies select an automation tool according to an extremely constrained engineer group, yet at last, the appraisal wasn’t sufficiently wide to perceive how it affected their regular exercises or how it helped their agile activities.

Many project team members get into obstacles with their testing techniques since they hasten into utilizing an automation tool to rapidly take care of one issue, which implies they do not have the “master plan,” or what program automation can do meanwhile for their organization.

Organizations are not testing sufficiently. They race to market their product with blinders trusting they won’t become involved with an awful deformity. The danger of not testing can be as hindering as harming the organization’s brand or market notoriety.

When the activities back off and they get direction from individuals who have mastery in agile advancement and Continuous Testing. And also, have studied the tool extensively to perceive how it supports the developers, the managers, the testers, and the officials, a majority of the people will know there is a benefit in preparing a solution that satisfies all of those multiple roles and purposes.

Make it simple to include new tests

It ought to be evident to someone altering your code how to test their changes. Make assistant functions in your test file to create set up and cut down basic. Most testing systems give “before each” and “after each” helpers. When including another test case is amazingly simple then you can be surer that your library will have high test scope after some time.

However, in case that the creator needs to invest a considerable amount of time examining precisely how to make the fitting data sources, etc., then in case they’re in a period crunch they may choose to ignore a test altogether. You ought to dependably make it simple for individuals to make the best decision.

Code or tests first?

The Test-Driven Development that manages writing tests before a feature code. This can be difficult to do as you truly don’t know precisely what your interface should seem like until the point that you begin writing it and understand some of your opinions should be changed.

On the contrary, in case you’re not centered around testing amid development, it’s obvious to wind up with code that is difficult to utilize and difficult to test.

The solution is to write code and test in parallel. It’s an imperative procedure. Hopping forward and backward between your point of view and an outsider’s in a test helps ensure your code’s interface is useful.

Test the interface

If you’re testing, it may appear to be simplest to dive into your interface and test that private variables have the correct value at the perfect time. While this appears to be advantageous, it has a few issues.

A tree ought to have a similar conduct whether it’s executed with pointers or as a flat array. Your tests should be revised if the inside execution is changed.

Likewise, altering with the internals of the interface removes the concentration from what truly matters.

It’s smarter to concentrate on your time on the rightness of genuine use-cases.

Know whether devices reinforce innovations and outsider controls

You must know first that what approaches are being utilized as a part of your application. Counsel your engineers and developers.

For instance, if they are utilizing SilverLight or HTML 5 in web applications, be careful, there are very few automation devices to help them. In case that the tool commands support for these advances, download the trial version of it and endeavor to distinguish diverse objects in yourproject. When the tool neglects to distinguish them, thus, their claim is false. This action will spare you from a later despair.

Next, you ought to assess the cost, comprising maintenance. In the event that you anticipate having your entire project team assist with the automation exertion, make a point to utilize a tool that uses similar languages and tools your developers utilize.

Stopping new bugs after some time

For vast codebases avoiding bugs after some time is extremely a crucial element of tests. In codebases with numerous developers, testers, engineers contributing, you don’t really have control over changes to your code and particularly changes to the code that your code relies upon.

Automation is only one of the several sorts of test practices that can be utilized by testers.

In case that you haven’t written tests, at that point there’s no steadfast path for different coders to realize that their dedication has affected yours. When your code is still in the codebase a year or so after you’ve submitted it and there are no tests for it, bugs will sneak in and no one will see them for quite a while.

Tests are your best weapon against the many-sided quality of vast codebases. In spite of the fact that you endeavor to keep your code perfect and clear, something will dependably break.

Learn the guideline: If it makes a difference that the code works, you ought to write a test for it.

Attempt it yourself

Regardless of all the tips and learning, you’ll have to manufacture your own instinct and discern from your own particular oversights. As you develop as an engineer, you understand increasingly that testing is an extraordinary instrument, not an irritating overhead. It’s a method for helping you write your code quicker, commit fewer errors, and keep away from bug crawl.

You’ll see that writing the tests as you go improves your interfaces and prompt your code to be more testable.

Conclusion

Manual testing demands vital resources, comprising time, and system support such as servers, network bandwidth, and database storage. In fast-paced evolving environments, there may really not enough time possible for full manual testing, giving teams with the choice of launching the product without enough testing. Automated testing gives inherent solutions to the disadvantages of manual testing.

An automation testing is perfect for the test cases which will be running multiple times, such as tests that require being repeated for multiple mobile devices or web browsers.

Quality isapplied into the product via automation from the earliest starting point, not sometime later. The best way to do this is to have everybody moving in the direction of making the application under evolution as testable. This takes the entire team cooperating to produce a quality product.

Also, numerous disappointments with automation are not due to the technical issues, but instead of an organization’s issues.

Keep in mind—automation is a tedious test venture. You need to utilize it just when it bodes well. When you have the entire project team energetic about automation, and your supervisor’s desires have been accurately set, it’s an ideal opportunity to write your automation tests.

A Quick Guide To Load Testing: Why is it Crucial For Your Mobile App?

Posted on April 25, 2018 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

The app that you are about to launch lately is not just a product. It holds the beacon of your company.

It has been estimated that 26% of the app that has been download from various app stores are uninstalled within an hour itself.

So how do you ensure, that your app does not suffer the same fate?

Performance!

What better way to test it than performing a load test on your app.

Let’s have a look at it in detail.

Load Testing – What is it?

Load testing process involves artificially creating various load environments for your app, so that the performance of your app will be monitored closely to determine it is stable or not.

How is it Performed?

Check the Parameters and Creating a Work Load Model

First of all there are certain parameters that need to considered before the test begins. They are,

Response Time:

The time in which your app responds to certain inputs

Communication Rate:

Rate at which the software can send and receive requests

Resource Utilization:

While performing the test it has to be closely monitored that how much load the system is taking while interacting with the app.

User Load:

Concurrent user load the app can withstand

The Work Load Model

A work load model will make sure that the app is being injected with correct load parameters at different point of time.

For better understanding here is the detailed video regarding how to construct a work load model.

The test is basically done in definite intervals,

Exactly like that of the diagram below

Creating The Test Cases

While creating test cases it has to be kept in mind that expected result should have a fail or pass section for marking as it would be useful later.

While creating test cases make sure that,

Actions and scenarios of the testing procedure
Customise the test case for various inputs
Replay test cases for verifying the simulation

Execution of Test

When you run the test make sure that the load is increased slowly against the user profile. Between tests make sure that the system has enough breathing time so that it can stabilize. Last but not least, while incrementing make sure that the output of the app is being monitored and recorded.

Slow increase of the load will make sure that the threshold point of the app is marked well.

It is important that the load test is performed in cycles so that each cycle should have a load increment. After each analysis results should be verified and analysed.

Report Analysis:

Indentifying the hindrance for the good performance of any app application is an art. For effective analysis a well experienced testing engineer or the help of

an established software testing company is required as it requires chart analysis and various other forms of mathematical data interpretation.

The result obtained should be compared to that of respective industrial standard benchmark.

Benefits of Performing Load Test on Mobile Apps

All the functions of the app can be validated
Speed accuracy and stability of a app can be measured
User experience can be guaranteed once the app is deployed
Issues can be rectified before the deployment
Load capability can be improved

Factors That Need To Be Checked While Performing Load Test On Apps

First of all performance of the app should be impeccable and for that to happen these factors has to be perfect.

App Loading time
Power consumption
Memory consumption
Hardware /software integration
Integration with other apps
How app behaves if its retrieved from background

API/ Server Interaction

While an app interacts with Server via API these factors needs to be checked

Data transfer between app and the server
Number of app calls generated to the server
Server switch time

Network Performance

Delay time in receiving information from network
In case of packet loss, the request to the server should be resend
Network speed

Challenges That Can Come Up in Performing Load Test

Since Mobile phone comes in various size, shape and OS it’s hard to organize them
Device fragmentation
Different app types such as native, web app and hybrid app
Security of cloud server which performs testing

Reliable Tools Used For Load Testing Apps

Jmeter:

An open source modular GUI oriented tool that’s out to use the most now

Gatling:

Written in Scala based DSL the tool has been download over million times

Locust:

Written in Python the tool is developer friendly tool renowned for its user friendliness

Penetration Testing Tutorial: Stages, Types, Methods & Tools

Posted on December 20, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Penetration testing or also known as pen testing is the process of simulating real attacks on systems or networks to access the risks associated with potential security breaches. During pen test, testers not only discover vulnerabilities but also exploit them.

Pen testing is mainly attempting to breach any application systems, protocol interface etc. to uncover vulnerabilities, such as codes that are susceptible to attacks. Penetration testing which is generally ethical hacking is a necessary in-demand skill for testing an organization’s defense systems.
Why do we need to perform Pen Testing:

To uncover the critical vulnerabilities within your network systems
It can provide an overview of an organization’s exploitable vulnerabilities and include recommendations on how you can optimize the protection levels
Reveal problems that were not known
Prevent business interruptions, loss and protect brand image
Find both known and unknown hardware/software flaws which can be identified and fixed using automated tools
Assess and validate the efficacy of an organization’s defensive mechanisms

Stages of Penetration Testing:
As penetration testing is very much technical and complicated, it needs to be split into different stages. Lets take a brief look:
1) Planning & Setting your Goal: In this phase, you define the scope and goal of the test to be carried out including, addressing the system on which the test is performed and finalising the steps for the test. You need to also understand and gain knowledge about the network, domains and the server to identify how the target works on potential vulnerabilities.

2) Scanning Phase: During this phase, it becomes clear to the tester that how the target app will respond to the intrusion attempts. This is basically done in 2 ways:

Static Analysis: Inspect an app’s code to see how it performs in a running state
Dynamic Analysis: Provides a real-time view of how an app performs

3) Selection of Proper Pen-testing tools: Choosing the right tool, requires mere intelligence, a little bit of luck and lot of patience. Rather than just going for quality and checking whether it fits to your job, its essential to note that it doesn’t contain any sort of malware or codes that could in-turn hack the tester.
There are plenty of tools available online for free but note to double check as most of them may contain malware and mostly undocumented back doors. But the best pen testers always go for their own written codes and tools as they don’t trust on free sources.
Eg: Nmap, Aircrack-ng, Wifiphisher, Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP etc.
4) Gaining Access: This stage is basically about using web apps like SQL injections, cross-site scripting, back doors etc. to uncover the target vulnerabilities. Once the vulnerabilities are found, testers try to solve them by intercepting traffic, escalating privileges or by stealing data.
5) Maintaining the Access: In this stage, the pen tester tests whether the vulnerability can be used to achieve a persistent presence in the exploited system. This is done to imitate the advanced persistent threats that remain for months or even years in a system to steal the most sensitive data from an organization.
6) Analysing the System: The results like the number of vulnerabilities exploited, the intensity of the sensitive data that could have been accessed and the total time the pen tester could spend within a network system without being detected is checked and documented.
Types of Penetration Testing
The type of penetration testing generally depends upon the scope of the goal to be attained or the testing is simulated against the employee, internal resources or external sources. On the basis of this, penetration testing is mainly of 3 types:

Black Box Testing: In this case, the tester needs to collect all information regarding the system before he/she starts working
White Box Testing: Here, the pen tester is provided with almost all details regarding the system such as IP addresses, source codes, OS details etc.
Grey Box Testing: In this, the tester is provided with partial knowledge about the system

Penetration Testing Methods
By analysing different methods of attacks that might affect an organization, there might be different methods of penetration testing:
1) External Testing: This targets the assets of an organization that is visible on the internet. So the main aim is to gain access and also extra valuable data.
2) Internal Testing: Here, the tester with the access to an app behind its firewall is simulated by an attack by the malicious insider.
3) Blind Testing: In this case, the pen tester is only given the name of the organization, so that the system security personal gets a real-time look at how actual app assault happens.
4) Double Blind Testing: In this type of attack, the security personal within the organization would have no idea regarding the assault same as like it happens in real attempted breaches.
5) Targeted Testing: In this testing, the pen tester and the security personal both work together regarding the vulnerabilities. This is quite a valuable method as it offers instant suggestions from the hackers point of view.
Penetration Testing Tools
Penetration testing is the process which is undertaken by testers to find vulnerabilities in your systems before the attackers intrude in. The different pen test tools can be broken down into major categories like:
1) Port Scanners: Tools in this category typically gather information and personal data about a specific target from a remote environment.
2) Vulnerability Scanner: These tools are used to find if there is any known vulnerabilities in the targeted system. This is again subdivided to:

Host-based
Network based

3) Application Scanner: These type of tools checks in for any type of weakness within the web-application (eg: Ecommerce apps)
Below we have listed a few tools that can be used for simple assessments or even complex tasks in which some are got for free and some require licence payments.
1) Aircrack-ng: This is a full suite of wireless assessment tool that covers attacking(cracking WAP & WEP) and packet capture.
2) SQLmap: This is an automated SQL injection and database tool common and widely used in platforms -MSSQL, MySQL, Access, PostgreSQL, SQLite etc.
3) THC-Hydra: It is generally known to be a network login cracker that supports several services and it isn’t very complex to handle.
4) Metaspoilt: One of the most popular and advanced framework that is based on the concept of ‘exploit’ that is you pass on a code that cause breaches and enter the system.
5) Nessus vulnerability scanner: This is one of the most commonly used pen tool worldwide to identify vulnerabilities, malware that attackers use against your system and even policy violating configurations.
6) WireShark: Also known as Ethereal, this is a network analysis tool that captures packet in real time and displays the results in human readable format codes.

Conclusion
As high-profile data breaches continue to dominate the headlines, the attitude of enterprises towards cyber security have also started shifting. As a result, there is an increased focus on detection and remediation strategies today. But, sophisticated security strategies only work out if the process, technology and people put in their inputs together to test and identify whether there is any weaknesses left open.

A Guide on Game Testing Methodology

Posted on November 22, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Game testing is one of the most crucial steps that help in ensuring optimum quality and performance in the final product. A subset of game development, game testing helps in maintaining quality control of the desktop and mobile games. Game testing methodology aims at identifying the bugs and maintaining documentation of the software products. It can be performed in 9 different ways that include:

1) Combinatorial testing
Used as a method for commercial software testing, this type of testing is used to generate test cases and is also beneficial to improve the efficiency of test execution, quality, cost and phase containment.
2) Clean room testing
This helps to ensure the reliability of the gaming software. Working on the basis of mathematical reasoning, design refinement and statistical reasoning, the aim of conducting this type of testing is to generate a product with minimal errors.
3) Functionality testing
This is done to confirm whether the product developed works in accordance with the specifications. Aimed at identifying errors that affect user experience, this type of testing is time taking as it looks for issues related to game play, graphics, audio and visual.
4) Compatibility testing
This testing aims to identify any errors in the product’s functionality in terms of its hardware, software and graphics. Conducting this test helps in validating whether the games user interface is optimized for different screen sizes.
5) Tree testing
Similar to the usability testing, tree testing is a game testing methodology of testing that helps organize the test cases as well as make the right choice of tests that are most suitable for a given set of code changes. It is not necessary to conduct tree testing after designing the page layout as the same can be conducted in advance as well. The best part of this type of testing is that there is no need to prepare any sort of content for testing as the same can be done using a tree (menu) and tasks (instructions).

6) Regression testing
Regression testing is used to check the functionality of those features of the app using test cases that have not been changed. It is also used to check and verify whether introducing any changes has not led to any new errors. Allowing the testers to conduct previously conducted tests, this is important to maintain the product’s quality control as well as detect bugs at the beginning stages of product development.
7) Ad hoc testing
An unplanned testing method that does not follow any flow of operation, ad hoc testing is used to conduct random testing of the app without creating any specific test cases or documents. This type of testing works on the method called “error guessing” and sometimes, even makes it difficult to reproduce the defects as the same are not mapped to test cases.
8) Load testing
This type of testing is used to test a system’s performance under real-time scenario and load. It helps in determining the way in which an app performs when there are multiple users using it simultaneously. Conducting this type of testing helps in ensuring whether the existing infrastructure can ensure smooth running of the game and the extent to which it is scalable.
9) Play testing
Play testing is done by having a practical exposure to the game. Using this method helps in analyzing whether the game’s non-functional features such as difficulty levels, balance and fun are optimum in quality. Developers generally rely on play testing for PC games and character-playing games that help ensure that the particular game performs in a structured manner.
All these types of testing are suitable for different environments and situations. Therefore, it is important to gain a clear understanding about the game being developed so that the right choice of the game testing methodology is done to ensure optimum quality and performance in the final product.
Process of Game Testing
Game testing is one of the rapidly growing industries as per the current market scenario. Growing exponentially due to increased use of applications on mobile and tablets, it is quite difficult to specify a standard testing process. While it is obvious that the process tests a game on various aspects such as performance, usability and endurance, the typical phases of game testing align with the basic SDLC.
The process of game testing can be explained in few simple steps as mentioned below:
1. Requirement elicitation
The process of game testing begins with the detailed understanding of various aspects of the game. This includes its storyboard, architecture, characters involved in game, the concept behind the game, rules that would be applicable and stages. Having this understanding makes it easier for the testers to design an effective game testing strategy.

2. Preparing game testing strategy
This stage involves preparation of a particular form of document that includes the complete details of the game test strategy. The document includes details and sections such as time line, number of testing cycles involved, types of testing that would be conducted, process to record errors/defects, etc.
3. Designing test cases
Testers prepare the test cases that would be used by them to carry out the process of testing. This would include creating of both positive as well as negative test cases. Some common and effective techniques to design effective test cases are critical path test, exception path test, equivalence partitioning, etc.
4. Executing game test cases
This step is extremely crucial as this involves testing of a product in different setting, which, in turn, helps in identifying more errors and bugs in the product. Some of the common testing techniques used are alpha, beta testing, content testing, etc.
5. Recording test results
This is an extremely important step as it helps in ensuring that the product delivered to the client is error-free. Once the tests are conducted, its results are, then, recorded in the form of movie or as screenshots. This, in turn, allows the developers to analyze the products behavior easily and in a refined manner.
6. Maintaining defect log
All the defects/bugs identified during the process are then kept as record. This is done to ensure that the defects that were found are logged, prioritized, categorized and tracked in an effective way. Doing so makes it easier for the developers to choose their next title work.
Once this process is complete, the game is sent to the required censor board for approval. And, if approved, it is released in the market for commercial purposes.
Game Testing Tips
Here are some simple yet effective tips to conduct game testing easily:
• Perform game testing on the entire screen and not its part.
• Testing the game against the rules specified when developing the game.
• Do remember to carry out the test for clipping such as two or more polygon objects overlapping each other.
• Test for inappropriate collision
• Closely monitor the character’s behavior on moving through available objects and all other things.
• Test the loading of the game from another device such as hard drives and verifying if the correct messages are being displayed on screen.
• Verify it the game loading shows an appropriate game loading message to the users.
• Testing if the game leads to memory overload in case the game is left turn on for several days.
Conclusion
Conducting an effective game testing requires one to have a well-defined and well-structured game testing methodology. Since each game’s development process is different, it is important that one has a clear understanding of the same so that it gets easier to conduct testing the way one wants. One must essentially realize the need to conduct these tests as that is what can help fix errors and make one’s life simpler.