Improving Software Test Automation Using Different Algorithms

In order to deliver a flawless product to customers, software testing is a technique performed by software development organisations to assess the quality of the programme. To design the product, the needs of the customers and their recommendations are explored. The items must be supplied to the clients after adequate validation and verification, which lessens the burden on the firms after the products are released.

Introduction to Current Trends

The current trend in software testing that better meets industry demands is the growth of dependability models. Since verification and validation are carried out by distinct people in a typical testing procedure, efficient automation offers a stronger link between the two than does that approach. These automated processes are necessary for real-time applications since they form the core of unified testing, which also includes manual testing.

The technique of manual testing is used to examine the system design and find problems based on test cases. It takes a testing developer with the necessary understanding to complete this repetitious procedure. An automated testing environment is created with multiple levels of abstraction under various domains and a wide variety of diversity rules in order to eliminate the problems with manual testing. Industry-wide automated testing’s overarching goal is to speed up computations and cut costs.

Mobile app test cost calculator

Concept required to grow the Business

Many businesses still use outdated test automation techniques that have negative effects, such as the inability to automate useful tests, produce and maintain automated tests at the lowest possible cost, or promptly identify errors. Such unfavourable consequences prevent businesses from gaining the benefits of test automation they anticipate, use up resources for software development, and potentially jeopardise software quality. “Increasing immature test automation processes with poor effects” is referred to as “improving test automation maturity” in the software industry and research community.

Although there have been more initiatives in the software industry to promote test automation maturity, not all of these efforts have been successful. According to a recent poll on software testing practises, around 65% of the almost 2000 software businesses worldwide sought to increase test automation maturity, but only about half said their efforts were successful. To develop test automation maturity effectively, the industry requires the guidelines.

Software testing, which is based on standard verification over static and dynamic environments, aids in improving product design. In a static environment, verification is carried out using formal processes and methods, but in a dynamic environment, verification is carried out at any level using test cases. Dynamic analysis is more effective than static analysis and can spot mistakes in product design.

Early-stage testing decreases product problems by discovering defects and reducing product failure after implementation. Software testing makes use of straightforward tests and code procedures to cut down on mistakes at every level of the programme. When it comes to the verification and validation processes, the selection of the best product is examined in the former, whilst the product’s qualities are examined in the latter. It enables the client or user to examine the programme that has been created and make necessary corrections to meet their demands.

Read Also: How AI will Change the Software Testing

Data on the item or service being evaluated is gathered during the software testing process. Running programmes or apps while testing allows you to find and repair bugs. The process of developing test cases is crucial for getting the most out of the system and spotting as many errors as possible early. Throughout the whole software development process, this is the most economical use of time and resources. Automated testing is unable to carry out comprehensive testing.

Recent work on a novel application using the Intelligent Security and Automation System (ISAS) architecture has revealed that robotic testing dramatically cuts the price and time required for trials, which is crucial for monitoring a project’s development. It is critical to adhere to the evaluation approach in order to construct the best test suites.

Aspects and Objective

The most important stage of any product development is testing. The testing stage serves as the last checkpoint for any rejections or commission errors. Testing computer programmes is a little more challenging than practising a framework to make sure it functions as intended. When in doubt, it is critical to keep in mind that each inquiry, audit, survey, or walkabout is a test. If there have been more successful static testing attempts, there will be less problems with dynamic testing. IT has frequently demonstrated that the incremental cost of resolving an issue decreases with the speed with which it is identified and fixed. The process of testing starts with the representation of an item. All evolutionary algorithms yield results that are close to those of the Genetic Algorithm. When exposed to a certain set of environmental circumstances, tests are done to make sure that a product or service satisfies specified requirements.

There are two aspects to this objective. The main objective of this fragment is to confirm the accuracy of the requirements point of interest for the item. The settings and code are excellent fits for every criterion, as shown in the second part. For a job to be deemed exact, all affirmation requirements must be satisfied.

Read Also: What is Cloud Testing? Why is Cloud Testing Important

Problems in software test automation

The following actions are mainly responsible for problems in software test automation:

Unfounded hopes for automated testing

It goes without saying that test automation has several advantages. Most significantly, it saves time, energy, and resources for the QA team. Does this not imply that increasing the number of procedures that are automated would increase efficiency? Not exactly. People’s unrealistic test automation expectations can ruin the entire testing process.

Manual testing is important. Manual testing should never be disregarded. In certain cases, manual testing of an application is far superior to developing automated test scripts.

Manual testing is appropriate for:

  • Usability testing for UI
  • Quick compatibility testing using, say, one or two devices
  • One-off tests
  • Ad-hoc analysis
  • Testing for both localization (L10N) and internationalisation (I18N).

There are still manual testing components. Those who support automated test scripts are necessary. Therefore, even if you insist on automating as much of your testing as possible, there will still be manual tasks to complete.

  • Solution: A well-defined testing plan.

Using inappropriate tools

If the proper tools are not used, test automation will not be efficient. With so many testing options available, it is simple to become misled. The poor tool selection might lead to scalability issues in addition to the failure to achieve your initial test automation goals.

  • Solution: Make judicious tool selections.

Automate pointless tests while ignoring crucial test cases

Unfortunately, QA teams frequently begin the automation process by arbitrarily automating test cases. They now have an excessive number of pointless tests and little test coverage. Additionally, by using this method, you run the danger of not include all pertinent cases and having poor software quality.

  • Solution: Determine what is worth automating.

Incorrect testing window

Many teams still consider testing to be something that happens after development. QAs begin their work only when the entire build has been completed. This antiquated method cannot ensure excellent software quality. It does not allow QAs to adequately test all levels, and there is typically not much time left for testing.

  • Solution: Run automated tests concurrently with development.

Inadequate testing

This is the most difficult of the test automation difficulties. A lack of appropriate testing arises when QAs depend too heavily on automation and focus on passing tests rather than detecting issues. The problem is that automation creates a false sense of security. It is tempting to limit human interaction and accountability for the outcomes when automated tests run regularly. Such an approach has disastrous consequences, such as poor test design and inconsistent and inefficient testing.

  • Solution: Training for the QA staff.

Improving test automation using genetic algorithm

Software should be tested once it has been created. A study by NIST indicates that software flaws have a significant negative impact. As a result, the test stage of software development is one of the most delicate stages and accounts for around 50% of the total cost. The cost of software testing has been greatly reduced by the introduction of automated software testing tools since it uses a lot of resources but does not offer any new functionality to the product. Various techniques for automatic software testing have been developed over the past ten years with the goal of maximising error detection while generating the fewest amount of test input data possible.

One of the algorithms that has been extensively employed in the area of test data creation automation is the genetic algorithm. Traditional genetic algorithms are effective at producing useful test sets, but they take a long time. Applying prior knowledge to the issue or including a local search phase in the evolutionary cycle can help to some extent. Chromosomes do not attempt to enhance themselves; instead, they only wait for a mutation or recombination to haphazardly improve them. This is a notable flaw in the genetic algorithm. Additionally, the genetic algorithm treats each segment of a chromosome as a whole and does not distinguish between its many sub-sections. Due of this, a genetic search is extremely comparable to a blind search.

The advantages of genetic algorithms are as follows:

  • They exhibit an unpredictable pattern that can be statistically assessed but cannot be precisely predicted (i.e., stochastic).
  • Another area where it thrives is big data. It works well with probabilistic and non-deterministic rules.
  • It’s an excellent tool for simultaneously optimising several objectives. This method has certain shortcomings.
  • It can take a lot of time, use a lot of computer resources, and be difficult to create objective functions.
Improving test automation using AI

Automation of the testing procedure and quality control results in considerable time and resource savings. However, there are a few things to think about when using AI and machine learning for test automation. We go through the six factors to take into account when using artificial intelligence and machine learning for test automation.

1. Visual evaluation testing (UI)

Software engineers do visual testing as part of their quality control procedures. They assess if the application functions and appears as intended for the user. Understanding the sorts of patterns that machine learning can detect is crucial. Manual inspectors are better able to spot imperfections, whether they are noticeable, aesthetic, or functional.

While analysing complicated surface textures and picture quality, a typical machine vision system may need a thorough review. Therefore, visual assessment of online or mobile apps is better suited for a deep learning tool or system.

Read Also: A Study Towards Regression Testing Techniques and Tools

It delivers quick and precise outcomes. Developers can rely on this technology in situations when human intervention might be deemed dangerous. Developers may eliminate manual testing and immediately find visual issues by implementing a quick machine learning test.

2. API Testing

Software testing of the Application Programming Interface (API) allows data flow and communication between two software systems. The benefit of API testing is that it is more accurate than UI testing at identifying application flaws. When the test fails, it is simpler to examine the source code. It can withstand application modification, which facilitates automation.

To get thorough test coverage while testing at the API level, you require a greater level of technical know-how and equipment. Additionally, software testers need to be knowledgeable in their respective fields. It is crucial to take into account if testers have a thorough understanding of various application interfaces.

AI allows you to transform manual UI testing into automated API tests that handle all the labor-intensive tasks. You will be able to connect the actions taken in UI tests to API tests as a novice.

3. Domain expertise

In software testing, domain knowledge is essential. With artificial intelligence, you can test apps more effectively whether they are subjected to human or automated testing. For instance, developing test scripts in Java, Python, or C# might be difficult. Advanced testing technologies allow the creation of test scripts and codes by testers. AI enables robots to self-write faultless code.

Manual testing is preferable to handle complicated test scenarios, though. You would be able to determine when to execute test cases using manual or automated testing if you had sufficient domain expertise. Knowing how the application will function and help the company is crucial when implementing AI in test automation. We should typically anticipate failure in results while executing test automation. No matter how little, important, or serious the application fault is, it must be easy for QA teams to scale it.

4. AI Spidering

Writing test scripts for test automation is most frequently done via spidering. It contains a feature that allows you to use AI/ML technologies to direct users to your web application. The application then automatically starts to crawl over itself while scanning and gathering data.

As you perform tests, the tools gradually assemble a dataset and develop patterns for your application. When you use this tool again, it will identify possible problems by referring to its collection of patterns and behaviour.

Though some of the distinctions might not be relevant, keep that in mind. In this instance, a subject matter expert will need to confirm whether the problem that ML has identified is a bug or not.

Understanding which components of an application should be evaluated will be made easier by spidering AI. Simply said, machine learning will handle difficult jobs, and a tester will need to confirm the accuracy of the output.

5. Test Scripts

When a code has been changed, it will be challenging for software testers to estimate how many tests are necessary. Artificial intelligence-based automated testing solutions can determine if a given application needs numerous tests or not.

The use of AI in testing has two advantages. You can save extra time by ceasing to run tests that are not necessary. It is practical to evaluate a system’s overall performance without running the test scripts again. As a result, you don’t need to manually check on it every time.

6. Automated Tests by Robots (RPA)

RPA is the name given to software that automates repetitive commercial tasks without involving any human beings. It assists in fully maintaining and automating the interfaces already present in IT systems. RPA scans the screen, uses the systems to traverse, then locates and collects data.

The tests may be run via online, desktop, or mobile apps, and the duties are entirely handled by the bots. It assists with test data setup and regression test execution.

RPA testing initiatives are undoubtedly being taken by many businesses. However, business testing is powered by RPA, which may reduce the amount of testing that testers complete. Scalability, codeless testing, cost savings, higher productivity, precise findings, and adaptability are among RPA’s key benefits.

Artificial intelligence can automate about half of the test procedures. Machine learning may be used by testers to train systems to find mistakes that manual testing might miss. You may speed up the process of getting reliable findings by incorporating AI into your test automation. Since AI handles the majority of the testing procedure, you can save time.

Automation has a significant impact on the software industry’s ability to increase test efficiency. Projects use extra people for manual testing or utilise automation tools or techniques to increase the amount of test automation in order to ensure test coverage satisfaction and hence lower risk. The option relies on whether the project cycle time or test time is reduced. The significance and necessity of automating software testing have grown as a result of rising software usage, increasingly complicated software functionalities, and shorter timeframes for evaluating programme quality. By applying machine learning to automate software testing, mistakes in manual testing are reduced and assessment is sped up.

Because it helps software testing companies to boost their test efficiency, automation is essential in the software business. In order to assess created software with a range of drawbacks, a number of automated approaches have been conceived to provide test data, approaches based on genetic algorithms being one of them.

Top 50 Must Read Jmeter Interview Questions

To be able to answer the questions about Jmeter Interview Questions you must go through the most frequently asked interview questions about the tool. Let’s have a look.
Q 1: What is JMeter?
Ans: JMeter is a Java-based tool used for Performance and Load Testing. It simulates virtual users and sends multiple requests to the server. It then collects the response and other details to assess the performance of the system under different conditions.
Q 2: Explain Samplers and Thread Groups in JMeter?
Ans: Sampler generates sample results sets with different attributes like time, data size, etc. These allow JMeter to send requests to the server. Some of the most frequently used samplers are HTTP requests, JDBC requests, etc.
Thread Groups are user sets that contain the details of the number of users to be loaded into the system and the time gap between them. It is the basic step for any load testing activity.
Q 3: What is a pre-processor element? Name some.
Ans: A pre-processor is something that is executed before the sampler executes. It can be used to set the values for the sample request.
Some of the pre-processor elements are:

  • HTTP URL re-writing modifier
  • BeanShellPreProcessor
  • HTML link parser

Q 4: What is the order in which the test elements are executed?
Ans: The sequence is:

  • Configuration elements
  • Pre-processors
  • Timers
  • Samplers
  • Post-processors
  • Assertions
  • Listeners

Q 5: What is a regular expression? What is the difference between “contain” and “matches” in the regular expression?
Ans: A regular expression is a pattern used to search and match a particular text.
In a regular expression, “contain” means the search text can be some part of the matched expression. Like “press” in “expression”. “Matches” on the other hand need to match the complete expression. “exp.n” for “expression”.
Q 6: What are the configuration elements?
Ans: A configuration element works in parallel with Samplers. They are used to set the default values for variables.
Q 7: What is a timer in JMeter? Mention different types of timers?
Ans: JMeter is designed to send requests to the server continuously without a break. If we need a pause in between successive requests we can make use of the timer. There are many timers available and some of the most common ones are:

  • Constant Timer
  • Gaussian Random Timer
  • Uniform Random Timer
  • Synchronizing Timer

Q 8: What is an assertion? Name some assertions in JMeter.
Ans: Assertions are used to help validate and verify the server response with the expected results.
Some of the common Assertions are:

  • Response Assertion
  • Duration Assertion
  • Size Assertion
  • XML Assertion
  • HTML Assertion

Q 9: Can you do spike testing using JMeter?
Ans: With help of a synchronization timer we can achieve a spike effect in JMeter. A synchronizing timer will block all requests till a particular number of threads are blocked and then release them all together, creating a huge load or spike.

Tensed regarding your Automation Tester Interview?: Read This blog

Q 10: What is distributed load testing?
Ans: The load testing in which loads are simulated from numerous systems to create a huge load is called distributed load testing. In JMeter, we can use the master-slave configuration to achieve distributed load testing.
Q 11: What are the benefits of JMeter?
Ans: The benefits of JMeter are:

  • It can be used for the performance testing of both static and dynamic resources
  • It can handle the maximum number of concurrent users
  • It provides very detailed graphical results and analysis.

Q 12: What are the protocols supported by JMeter?
Ans: The protocols supported by JMeter are:

  • Web: HTTP, HTTPS
  • Web Services: SOAP /XML RPC
  • Database via JDBC
  • Directory: LDAP
  • Messaging via JMS
  • Service: POP3, IMAP, SMTP
  • FTP Service

Mobile app test cost calculator
Q 13: What is the difference between Test Fragment and Thread Group?
Ans: Test Fragments are similar to Thread Groups with the difference that they are implemented only when they are referenced by a Module controller or an Include controller.
Q 14: What are Configuration Elements?
Ans: Configuration Elements are used to create variables and default values for the Samplers. They can also be used to alter the requests made by the Samplers. It is executed at the start of the scope and can be accessed only within that branch.
Q 15: How will use ensure the reusability of your JMeter scripts?
Ans:  Some things that help improve the reusability are:

  • Use of config elements like “CSV Data Set Config”, “User-Defined Variables”
  • Modularizing the tasks and calling them via Module Controller
  • Writing BeanShell functions.

Q 16:Name some listeners in JMeter?
Ans: Some listeners are:

  • BeanShell Listener
  • Monitor Results
  • Aggregate Report
  • Summary Report
  • View Results Tree
  • Spline Visualiser

Q 17: Name the different types of controllers?
Ans: There are mainly 2 types of controllers in JMeter:

  • Samplers Controllers – They are used to send specific requests to the server and simulate the user request.
  • Logical Controllers – Logical Controllers control the flow or order of processing of the Samplers. It can be used to change the sequence of requests coming from the child element.

Q 18: What is a workbench?
Ans: Workbench is like a storage area for components that can be added to the test plan as per the need. They are not saved with the test plan but get saved as Test Fragments separately.
Q 19: What is co-relation in JMeter?
Ans: Co-relation is the process of extracting a value from the response received, to use in upcoming requests. This is especially useful for session-id, cookies, etc.
Q 20: Can JMeter be used for load testing mobile applications?
Ans: Yes, JMeter can be used for sending HTTP or HTTPS to the server from your mobile application provided both the mobile and the server are on the same network.
Q 21: What is a root CA certificate?
Ans: In the case of HTTPS requests, when the browser hits the server, authentication is required. JMeter can generate this certificate temporarily to intercept the traffic and record the actions. To perform the action on mobiles, the certificate needs to be installed on your mobile as well. These are called the root CA certificates.
Q 22: What is the default screen in JMeter?
Ans: The default screen in JMeter opens the Test Plan and Workbench tabs.
Q 23: What is a Test Plan and what the important elements in the Test Plan?
Ans: A test plan contains the details of the things to test and how the tests are carried out. A test plan in JMeter contains the following elements:

  • Pre-processor Elements
  • Post-processor Elements
  • Thread Groups
  • Controllers
  • Listeners
  • Timers
  • Assertions
  • Configuration Elements

Q 24: Is it possible to reduce resource utilization in JMeter?
Ans: Some of the popular ways to minimize resource utilization while running JMeter are:

  • Use a non-GUI mode for running the tests
  • Use only the minimal number of listeners
  • Avoid using the “View Result Tree” listener as it consumes a lot of space
  • Use parameterization where ever possible
  • Avoid the functional mode
  • For the output select CSV instead of XML
  • Disable unwanted graphs, they consume a lot of space

Q 25: What is Beanshell scripting?
Ans: BeanShell is a lightweight java scripting that can help you with complex and application-specific tasks.
Q 26: What is the difference between Gaussian and Poisson Timers?
Ans: Both the timers use mathematical formulas to create delays and offsets. The difference between the two is that in the Gaussian Timer the deviation value is calculated whereas in Poisson the lambda value is calculated.
Q 27: How can you configure the master-slave configuration?
Ans: The master-slave configuration is used for distributed load testing.
To configure we can:

  • Edit the JMeter.properties file on the master machine and add the IP addresses of the slave machines in the remote_host field.
  • Save the properties file and relaunch JMeter for the changes to be effective
  • From the RUN menu, select Remote Start and choose the above-added IP address of the slave machine. Choose Remote Start all to invoke all the slave machines.

Q 28: Which is the XML parser present in JMeter?
Ans: Apache’s Xerces XML parser
Q 29: What is the default protocol used for testing a web service using SSL encryption?
Ans: TLS protocol is used for testing web services using SSL encryption.
Q 30: What is the default LDAP port over SSL?
Ans: 625
Q 31: What is the maximum number of users that can be simulated by JMeter?
Ans: JMeter can simulate an unlimited number of users. The number of users is equal to the number of threads in a test plan. The only limitation to the number of threads is the hardware resources of the test machine. For getting a higher number of users we may need to scale up the hardware.

Are you a tester? Then you must go through these interview questions

Q 32:Can JMeter be used for API testing?
Ans: Yes, it can be used for SOAP and REST web services testing. Performance testing of RESTful API can also be done with JMeter.
Q 33: What is a JTL file in JMeter?
Ans: JTL stands for JMeter Test Logs. It contains the results of the tests. The file extension of the JTL file can be selected before the execution. If the same file is selected for multiple runs, each subsequent result gets appended to the end of the same file.
Q 34: What is the latest version of JMeter?
Ans: The latest version is JMeter 5.4.1 and it was released in January 2021.
Q 35:What is Throughput in JMeter?
Ans: Throughput is the number of requests served or successfully processed per unit of time.
Throughput = (No. of requests)/(total time)
Q 36:How can you calculate the number of concurrent users?
Ans: Concurrent users mean the number of users performing the same operation at the same time in the system. The number of users in the system can be found out using the number of threads. But a vague calculation of the number of concurrent users – if there are
100 unique visitors, with each visitor spending 10 mins in the system. Then we can say that the number of concurrent users is 100/10 = 10 users.
Q 37: What is the load time in JMeter?
Ans: In JMeter, load time refers to the total time before sending a request to after receiving a response. For multiple threads, the load time is calculated at the thread level and is the total time between the thread request and the response received.
Load Time = Time after a response is received – Time before a request is sent.
Q 38: What are Monitor Tests?
Ans: Monitor Tests are generally used for stress testing. They provide additional information about server performance. It also helps to monitor multiple servers from the console.
Q 39:Can we use Selenium scripts in JMeter?
Ans: Yes we can. One way is by using Junit libraries to create Selenium scripts, save them as Jars and copy them to the JMeter directory. Another way is to add the web driver sampler plugin to the JMeter ext folder.
Q 40: Explain how JMeter works?
Ans: JMeter simulates multiple concurrent users using threads and sends requests to the server, create a load. It then measures the time and performance of the server and displays it in the form of tables and graphs.
Q 41: What is the ramp-up period in JMeter?
Ans: While running load tests, all the users are not loaded into the system together. The number of users is slowly and progressively increased to better understand the system bottlenecks and performance. The ramp-up period is thus the time taken for all the users to get into the system.
Q 42: What is the Rendezvous Point?
Ans: The Rendezvous Point is the term used with stress testing. It is the point at which all the delayed requests are released to hit the server and create a spike.
Q 43: What are Post-Processors?
Ans: Post-Processors are the elements of the test plan that are executed after the sampler request execution. Generally, they are used for extracting some values from the sampler response.
Q 44: What is the 90% line in JMeter?
Ans: 90% line is one of the metrics of the Aggregate Report Listener. It means 90% of the responses were within this limit. It is similar to the percentile value and can also be called the 90th percentile of the response time.
jmeter interview questions
Q 45: What are the common techniques of Performance Testing?
Ans: The most common performance testing techniques are:

  • Spike Testing
  • Load Testing
  • Volume Testing
  • Endurance Testing
  • Stress Testing

Q 46: How can you run JMeter in GUI mode?
Ans: The following command is used to run JMeter in GUI mode:
:jmeter -n -ttest.jmx -l test.jtl
Q 47: How can you analyze the JMeter results?
Ans: The JMeter results are stored in the .jtl file. It is possible to add different graphs like the response time graph, aggregate report, etc. We can also analyze the response time and the TPS (transactions per second). In some cases, we may also want to add some plugins to get additional graphs.
Q 48:Is it possible to configure email notifications in JMeter?
Ans: Yes, we can use the SMTP sampler to trigger emails at the start and end of the JMeter tests.
Q 49: What are the different types of recording in JMeter?
Ans: JMeter allows manual and automation recording. For automation recording, we can use the workbench to record the script. For manual recording, we can make use of fiddler or network log (F12)
Q 50: How can you forcefully stop a test in the middle of the execution?
Ans: For Windows machines, we can double-click on the stoptest.bat and shutdown.bat to forcefully stop the test. In the case of Mac, stoptest.sh and shutdown.sh files need to be double-clicked.
Hope you have gone through all of the Jmeter interview questions we have listed here. We wish you all the best!
 

24 Top software testing companies in USA 2022 Update

Which are the prominent software testing companies in the USA?

Before any company puts up software they certainly check that is it working and will be brought to use as per the requirements of the company.

if you think that finding the best one from the USA is like the same story of the needle in a haystack, you have reached the right place. Here is the list of best software companies which are there in the USA which are known for providing QA/testing services.

Top software testing companies in USA (Quick Access Table)

Company Name Founding year Location Employee Strength Core   Services
TestBytes 2013 New York NY  51 – 200 Mobile App Testing, Game Testing, Test Management Services, Automation Testing, Security Testing, Web Application Testing, Software Performance Testing, Load Testing, Functionality Testing, Browser Compatibility Testing, and Localization Testing
Alqa 2004 Colorado, The United States 700 Manual and Automation Testing in domains: Finance, Health, Banking, and eCommerce. 
Quality Logic 1986 West Emerald Street, Boise, ID 83704 USA 100-250 Web and mobile development, OTT and streaming media, Automation and Security testing
ScienceSoft  1990 Dallas, United States 75 Manual Testing, Automation Testing, and DevOps. 
DeviQA 2010 NYC, United States 50 – 250 Web/ Mobile, API, E2E, UAT, UI automation using top notch tools, performance testing, stress testing, load testing, and QA consultancy
Hidden Brains InfoTech 2003 Schaumburg, IL, United States 50 – 250 Development, IOT, Blockchain technology, Big Data, AI, Product Maintenance and Support
Powercode 2002 Random Lake, Wisconsin 11-50 Web and App Development, Testing and maintenance
BairesDev 2009 San Francisco, California 1001-5000 Web and App Development, Testing and maintenance
Testmatick 2009 New York, USA 51 – 200 Mobile App Testing, Game Testing, Test Management Services, Automation Testing, Security Testing, Web Application Testing, Software Performance Testing, Load testing, Functionality Testing, Browser Compatibility Testing, and Localization Testing
QASource 2002 CA, USA 500-1000 AI, Automation Testing, Mobile Testing, API Testing, QA Outsourcing Services
Zymr Inc. 2012 California, USA 50-249 Web and App Development, Testing and maintenance in the field of Cloud and Cybersecurity
QATestLab 2005 Kyiv, Ukraine 50-249 Mobile Testing, Functional Testing, Automated Testing, and Performance Testing
LambdaTest 2017 San Francisco, USA 11-50 Cloud Mobile, Web and API Testing
Algoworks 2006 California, USA 200-500 Salesforce development and Testing
Nexsoftsys  2008 NYC, USA 11-50 Software Development, AWS, Big Data, Block Chain, Data Integration, ETL, Software IT Outsourcing, QA and Testing Services
Awsquality 2016 Ruston LA, USA 11-50 Salesforce development to testing
Synergytop 2014 California, USA 50-249 Design and Development of Web and mobile applications along with Quality analysis
Abstracta 2008 California, USA 50-249 Extensive testing in the  domain: BFSI, Retail, Healthcare, and Technology
Rademade 2011 Buenos Aires, Argentina 50-250 Design of product from development to maintenance in the domain: FinTech, BFSI, Healthcare, and Blockchain domains
Codebright 2015 Virginia, USA 50-250 Strategic Consulting, User experience, Project Management, Web Development, Mobile Development, Quality Assurance, and AI
Agile-infoways-PVT-ltd 2006 Dallas, USA 700-1000 Mobile App Development, Website Development, Web/Mobile App Design, eCommerce Solution and Quality Assurance
Systematix-infotech-pvt-ltd 2015 NC, USA 50-249 AI, ML, RPA, Development, CRM, and Quality Assurance
Sunflower-lab 2010 Ohio, USA 50-100 Mobile Testing, Functional Testing, Automated Testing, and Performance Testing in domain: Finance, Real Estate and Oil and Gas
Blue-label-labs 2008 NYC, USA 50-250 Strategy Development, Design, Development and Quality Assurance of Product
  1. TestBytes

Testbytes logo
Location: 65 Broadway Suite 1101, New York NY 10006
No of Employees: 50 – 200
Founded In: 2013

  •  Testbytes provide all kind of testing services in the testing domain but what makes them apart are Mobile App Testing, Game Testing, Test Management Services, Automation Testing, Security Testing, Web Application Testing, Software Performance Testing, Load Testing, Functionality Testing, Browser Compatibility Testing, and Localization Testing.
  • One of the best communities of software testers with a top-notch testing skill set. you can reach out to them at info@testbytes.net.
  • Testbytes also have a strong Linkedin presence with more than 25k followers


  2.  A1qa
a1qa logo
Location: Colorado, The United States
No of Employees: 700
Founded In: 2004

  • A1qa is a software testing company that has its headquarters in Lakewood, Colorado. It has a strength of around 700 QA professionals, and it is been 16 years since a1qa has been providing software testing services.
  • Their testing services include consulting, full-cycle testing, test automation, web app and, mobile app testing, pre-certification testing, and documentation services.
  • Talking about the cost of services they provide; it entirely depends on services but on average, they charge you between 25$ – 49$ per hour.
  • They are located at S. Wadsworth Blvd., Suite 485, Lakewood, Colorado 80235
  • The United States and you can contact them at +17202075122.

  3. Quality Logic
Quality Logic company logo
Location: West Emerald Street, Boise, ID 83704 USA
No of Employees: 51-200
Founded In: 1986

  • Quality Logic is a QA company based on locations such as West Emerald Street Boise, 1st Street, Suite 103 Simi Valley, CA 93065, NW 64th Street, Suite 120 Oklahoma City, OK 73116 USA
  • As their website says their testing services range from mobile apps to 3D printers
  • They also possess a variety of testing tools that are customized for  various specifications

  4. ScienceSoft 

Location:  Dallas area, TX, United States
No of Employees: 75
Founded In: 1990

  • They are a renowned software testing company
  • It is been 30 years since they have created their name in the USA for their testing services. In this span, they have completed around 500 projects.
  • Their domain expertise lies in Retail, BFSI, HealthCare, telecommunications, and Entertainment. They help other companies to have correct testing practices and help them build a bug-free product.
  • They have a team of 75 software testing professionals who have a forte in testing according to compliance: ISO 9001:2015.

  5. DeviQA
Devi QA logo
Location:  NYC, United States
No of Employees: 50 – 250
Founded In: 2010

  • DeviQA has been offering testing services in the last 10 years in the USA. Always top number in the automation testing awards.
  • They deal with a lot number of testing services such as Web/ Mobile, API, E2E, UAT, UI automation using top-notch tools, performance testing, stress testing, load testing, and QA consultancy.
  • They have tested their hands in varied domains and some of their top domains are cybersecurity, education, travel, and BFSI.
  • They believe in providing the top-level services, but customer’s data is secure which is their top priority.


  6. Hidden Brains InfoTech
Hidden brains logo
Location:  Schaumburg, IL, United States
No of Employees: 50 – 250
Founded In: 2003

  • Hidden Brains provides testing services to a lot of clients in the USA. 
  • Talking about their number of clients, they have around 2000 clients which are spread around 103 countries. They have been catering to the services in 100+ domains.
  • Their professionals are top-notch software professionals who are well acquainted with the best software testing practice and methodologies.
  • The company is Microsoft Certified Partner and has won various awards in the software testing industry.

  7. BetterQA

Location:  Random Lake, Wisconsin
No of Employees: 11-50
Founded In: 2002

  • They have their headquarters at Ukraine
  • Even if it is test automation practices or development, they believe in providing the best at a very rational cost.
  • It is been 15 years since they are providing services to customers and customers are happy with the services.

  8. BairesDev
bairesdev logo
Location:  San Francisco, California
No of Employees: 1001-5000
Founded In: 2009

  • It is one of the most dynamic and fast-growing IT companies in Latin America. 
  • They help in making a product from development to maintenance. Some of their well-known clients are Pinterest, Rolls-Royce, Motorola, and others.
  • Their forte and expertise lie in Testing, renowned to follow all the well-known agile practices.

  9. Testmatick

Location:  New York, USA
No of Employees: 51 – 200
Founded In: 2009

  • The company was founded in the year 2009 and has been headquartered in New York. It is one of the top testing service providers in New York.
  • They have a strong team of testers who can start working on your project as soon as possible and can help you show the graphs where your product is lacking.
  •  Testmatick has a strength of around 200 members.

  10. QASource
qa source Logo
Location:  CA, USA
No of Employees: 500-1000
Founded In: 2002

  • QASource have around 17years of experience
  • They charge you around 25$ – 49$ per hour with strength between 500 -1000.
  • Their top clients are eBay, IBM, ORACLE, Facebook, prudential and others. You can visit their website qasource.com for more information.

  11. Zymr Inc.

Location:  California, USA
No of Employees: 50-249
Founded In: 2012

  • Zymr is a full-stack service provider company providing various services ranging from development to maintenance. 
  • Around 1500 sprints have been successfully delivered by them. 
  • The company is known to provide services of software testing plus web and App Development, testing and upholding in the ground of Cloud and Cyber security and so on

12. QATestLab

Location:  Kyiv, Ukraine
No of Employees: 50-249
Founded In: 2005

  • QATestLab is a software testing service provider in the USA which has been providing its services since 2005.
  • They have a team strength of 50-249 members. They serve various industries such as e-commerce, tourism, and other government projects.
  • The company provides all kinds of testing services in the testing domain such as Mobile Testing, Functional Testing, Automated Testing, and Performance Testing.
  • Loomia, BlazeMeter, imi, Freestyle Solutions, and PaperTrail are some of the top clients of QATestLab.


13. LambdaTest

Location:  San Francisco, USA
No of Employees: 11-50
Founded In: 2017

  • LambdaTest is a software testing company that has its headquarters in California, USA. It has a strength of around 250 QA professionals, and it is been 3 years since LambdaTest has been offering software testing services.
  • They have around 2000 combinations of physical devices and browsers ready for testing.
  • They offer you their selenium grid with which you can easily automate your automated tests in a parallel way.

  14. Algoworks

Location:  California, USA
No of Employees: 200-500
Founded In: 2006

  • One of the top esteemed testing service providers in the USA. It is been operating its functions in The USA for 14 years. Algoworks provide various services such as salesforce development to testing.
  • They specialize in salesforce testing. They have a strength of 1000 consultants which provides the best testing services to build the right product.
  • They have been catering to 500 fortune companies such as Dell and Amazon for many years and in this span of a career.
  • Architects of Algoworks will formulate the best strategy for you to test your software in a very rational cost.

  15. Nexsoftsys 

Location:  NYC, USA
No of Employees: 50-249
Founded In: 2008

  • Nexsoftsys is a technological partner which provide its testing services to various companies in the USA.
  • They have expertise in various technologies such as Java, Golang, Python, Magenta, and Android.
  • It is been 11 years since they have created their name in the USA for their testing services. In this span, they have completed around 500 projects.
  • They have a team of 250 software testing professionals who have a forte in testing according to the best software testing practices.

  16. Awsquality

Location:  Ruston LA, USA
No of Employees: 11-50
Founded In: 2016

  • Awsquality has been offering testing services in the last 6 years in the USA. Prominent in salesforce development and testing.
  • They deal with a lot number of salesforce services such as Salesforce.com, Force.com, ERP, and others.
  • They have tested their hands in varied domains and have delivered more than 150 projects so far.
  • Awsquality believes in providing top-level services, and this is the reason they have been serving Fortune 100 companies so far. 

  17. Synergytop
synergy top
Location:  California, USA
No of Employees: 50-249
Founded In: 2014

  • Synergytop provides testing services to a lot of clients in the USA. They provide extensive services such as the Design and Development of Web and mobile applications along with Quality analysis.
  • Talking about their strength, they have around 250 professionals onboarded who provide the best services in the industry.
  • They have been catering to the services since 2014. Their professionals are top-notch software professionals who are well acquainted with the best software testing practices and methodologies.
  • They offer services in a very rational cost. They are located at 11832 Cypress Canyon Road, Suite 2, San Diego, California 92131 United States.

  18. Abstracta
Abstracta Logo
Location:  California, USA
No of Employees: 50-249
Founded In: 2008

  • Headquartered in California, USA. Abstracta is a renowned name
  • They have been serving various domains such as BFSI, Retail, Healthcare, and Technology.
  • It is been 12 years since they are providing services to customers and customers are happy with the services.
  • Their main product is named GXTest which is extensively used for mobile testing..

  19.  Rademade
rademade logo
Location:  Buenos Aires, Argentina
No of Employees: 50-250
Founded In: 2011

  • It is one of the most dynamic and fast-growing IT companies in Ukraine. They have a team count of around 250 members.
  • They help in making a product from development to maintenance. Some of their well-known clients into FinTech, BFSI, Healthcare and Blockchain domains. Their forte and expertise lie in Testing.
  • They follow all the well-known agile practices. They are going to charge you between 25 – 49$ per hour depending upon the project.

  20. Codebright
CodeBright company Logo
Location:  Virginia, USA
No of Employees: 50-250
Founded In: 2015

  • The company was founded in the year 2015 and has been headquartered in Virginia. 
  • They have a strong team of testers who can start working on your project as soon as possible and can help you show the graphs where your product is lacking.
  • Software testing one of  their service offering among others

  21. Agile-infoways-PVT-ltd
Agile infoway logo
Location:  Dallas, USA
No of Employees: 700-1000
Founded In: 2006

  • One of the top testing service providers in the USA for the last 13 years. 
  • They have delivered more than 2200 projects so far and have a very huge client base of 750 numbers.
  • Their services include, mobile app development, digital marketing, e-commerce development

  22. Systematix-infotech-PVT-ltd
Systematix-infotech-PVT-ltd
Location:  NC, USA
No of Employees: 50-249
Founded In: 2015

  • Systematix is a CMMI Level 3 company which is ISO 9001: 2015 certified. It provides various services from AI, ML, RPA, Development, CRM, and Quality Assurance. 
  • They have been certified with various certifications such as Google Certified Partner, DataStax Partners, and Microsoft Gold Partner.
  • They deal with various technologies such as JavaScript, Tableau, and Python. They have delivered around 2500 projects in much less duration.

  23. Sunflower-lab
Sunflower-lab logo
Location:  Ohio, USA
No of Employees: 50-100
Founded In: 2010

  • It is a software testing service provider in the USA which has been providing its services since 2010.
  • They provide all kinds of testing services in the testing domain such as Mobile Testing, Functional Testing, Automated Testing, and Performance Testing.
  • Sunflower Labs services include Custom Software Development, Web App Development, Mobile App Development, IoT App Development, Wearable App Development, Alexa Echo App Development, AR/VR App Development, and Strategic IT Consulting


24Blue-label-labs
Blue Label Labs Logo
Location:  NYC, USA
No of Employees: 50-250
Founded In: 2008

  • Blue-label-labs is a software testing company that has its headquarters in New York, USA. It has a strength of around 250 QA professionals, and it is been 11 years since it has been offering software testing services.
  • Till now they have developed 250 applications so far. They provide services from development to post-launch maintenance.

Conclusion
We do know that there are many software testing companies in the USA. However, the names that we have mentioned in this blog are considered as some of the best and provide quality services in QA.

Smoke Testing Vs Sanity Testing: What’s the difference?

Smoke testing vs sanity testing! which one hail? To be frank, each process is important and the situation and requirement demand which one to choose from.

However, the comparison depicted here in this blog will help you understand more about smoke and sanity testing.

Smoke Testing

Smoke Technique is one of the testing types that’s instigated from hardware testing.

This technique comes into the scenario at the time of attaining build software from the development team.

The main reason to go for the smoke testing is to find out whether the software which is built is testable or not.

It is usually done at the point where the software is built.  This process has been given another name as well. It is actually called “Day 0″.

The smoke Testing process is counted as the best one because it is a time-saving one.

The most astounding feature about the process is that the time consumed is less since the testing is only done when the main functions of the application are not properly working or if certain major bugs are not sorted till that moment.

The main emphasis of Smoke Testing is on the working of the major features and primary functions of the application.

Going for the test is the basic and important feature of an application before one goes for the deep, accurate testing (before understanding all probable positive and negative values) is referred to as smoke testing.

The whole emphasis while going for the smoke testing is on the productive flow of the claim and it possesses only the verified data, not the unacceptable one.

In smoke testing,  the process confirms every build is testable or not; hence it is called Build Verification Testing.

When smoke testing is being conducted then one can look for the blocker bug at the initial period only so that the test engineer just doesn’t have to sit idle, or they can go on further and do the analysis of the independent testable modules.

Which test comes first smoke or sanity?

Smoke testing is usually performed on a new build/feature.  The main motto behind smoke testing is to ensure that the software is ready to be tested.

Sanity testing is performed when time is not at the disposal of the dev team. Smoke testing is done first and then the application goes through quick regression or sanity testing

What is the process for conducting smoke testing

The process to Conduct Smoke Testing:

For Smoke testing, there is no requirement to create test cases. In this, the only requirement is to pick the required test cases from the already created test cases.

As stated before too, Smoke Testing emphasis the workflow of core applications so that choosing test case suits that cover the main functionality of the application is done.

It is vital to bring down the number of test cases as much as possible and the time of implementation should not be more than half an hour.

When smoke testing is performed

Usually when the new build is implemented then one round of smoke testing is conducted because there are chances of blocker bugs in the latest one which is created.

However, there can be a certain change that might have wrecked a major feature that as fixing the bug or adding a new function which can affect a major piece of the original software, or the smoke testing is done where the installation is taking place.

When the stable build is all installed then smoke testing is conducted to find the blocker bug.

Why is smoke testing done?

There are certain reasons because of which smoke testing is conducted. Stated below are the important ones.

  • The smoke testing is basically done to make sure that the product is testable.
  • The smoke testing is done in the beginning so that the bugs which are there in the basic features could be detected and further can be sent to the development team so that the development team gets a lot of time to get rid of the bug.
  • Smoke testing is done to ensure that the application is installed in the approved manner.

Types of Smoke Testing

The Smoke testing is further divided into two types:

 Formal smoke testing

In this, kind of testing the application is sent to the Test Lead by the development team.

Further, the test lead will divide the task of testing the app among respective tests along with reports which state the whole scenario after going through the smoke testing.

Once the testing team is over with smoke testing, they will report for the testing done to the test lead.

 Informal smoke testing

Here, the Test lead notifies that the application is all set for further testing.

The test leads do not give any specific instructions to perform the smoke testing, but still, the testing team begins with the testing procedure of the application by going for the smoke testing.

Example for smoke testing

A detailed explanation about smoke testing and example for the process is given in this blog, please go through

Sanity Testing

Sanity Testing is a division of regression testing. Sanity testing is usually done to make sure that the code changes which are being done are carried out properly.

Sanity testing is a general strike to note down that the testing for the build can further go on or not.

The main emphasis of the team while doing the sanity testing process is to confirm the functioning of the application and not about the detailed testing.

Sanity testing is usually carried out on build where the production deployment is essential right away similar to a critical bug fix.

The functionality of Sanity Testing:

The main reason for which sanity testing is conducted is to know about the changes or the projected functionality is being done in the same order as it was mentioned.

If the sanity test fails, the software product is declined by the testing team to stay on a safer side in terms of time and money.

It is carried out once the software product has carried out the smoke test and the Quality Assurance team has acknowledged for the further testing.

Features of Sanity Testing:

  • Division of Regression Testing:

Sanity testing is further a division of regression testing and emphasizes the smaller part of the application.

  • No script required

There is no such script available for sanity testing most of the time.

  • No documentation

There is no documentation required for the sanity testing so it is undocumented.

  • Narrow and extensive

Sanity testing is narrow but at the same time it is an extensive approach of testing where limited functionalities are covered in depth.

  • Carried out by testers

Usually, sanity testing is carried out by the testers only.

Advantages of Sanity Testing:

  • Sanity testing is a great aid when it is about quick identification of the defects in the main area of functionality.
  • It can be further performed in a lesser time as there is no need for any kind of documentation for performing the sanity testing.
  • During the sanity testing if there are defects found then the project is further declined and this is a great way to save out on time which can be further utilized to carry out regression tests.

Example for Sanity Testing

  • For instance, build 2 has a multitude of feature which are tested and fixed accordingly.
  • Now build 3 with added features and integration has again come for testing
  • To make sure that the new features haven’t affected the existing ones, smoke testing will be performed
  • Once that’s done a high-level analysis of the entire software will be carried out to ensure no new bugs have surfaced.

Sanity Testing Process

The main reason for which the sanity test is performed is to know about the incorrect outcomes or faults which are not accessible in the constituent process.

Even it is done to make sure that the newly added features do not disturb the functionalities of ongoing features.

Further, three steps are implemented in the sanity testing process that is Identification, Evaluation, and Testing

First step- Identification

In the sanity testing process, the first step is the Identification one where one finds out the newly added constituents and features along with the adjustment there in the code while going for the process of fixing the bug.

Second step- Evaluation

Once the identification step is completed, one needs to analyze the recently implemented constituents, characteristics and further change them so as to verify their proposed and suitable working as mentioned in the stated requirements.

Third step- Testing

After performing the identification and evaluation step one needs to go further to the third step which is testing.

In this step, we examine and evaluate all the connected constraints, constituents, and fundamentals of all the above analyzed attributed and change them so as to ensure that all of it is working properly.

Once all the above-stated steps are going in the right manner, the build can be made to undergo more exhaustive and strenuous testing, and the release can be carried further for the thorough testing process.

Comparison of Smoke Testing and Sanity Testing

Thus both the tests have their own unique traits which make them required for the software processes.

Smoke testing vs sanity testing

                               Smoke Testing                  Sanity Testing
Used for checking critical functionalities of a software The focus will be on a particular area or minor functionalities
Performed to check the stability Used to verify the rationality
Both manual and automated test cases can be used Generally, sanity testing does not have a test script or test cases
Usually performed before passing the build to the testing team Executed before UAT and regression
Carried over by developers Performed by testers
A subset of acceptance testing A subset of regression testing

Some testing vs sanity testing

Conclusion

Hope you got to know the difference between sanity testing and smoke testing and are able to understand, smoke testing vs sanity testing has no meaning to it as both processes have equal importance.

What is a Software Bug? Cost of bug fix!

All applications run on codes in different languages be it Java, .Net, Python, or any other. Most of these codes are written by developers. This also means it is prone to errors. These errors are called Software Bugs. Any deviation from the expected behavior of the application in terms of the functionality, the calculated results, the navigations, or the overall look and feel can be considered as a defect or bug in that application or software.
Bug-free software is every developer’s dream, and it is possible to make this dream a reality only through thorough testing. Different types of techniques are employed to find the maximum number of bugs before the application or product reaches the customers.
What is a software bug?
A software bug can be named as the error or an anomaly in a system that’s causing unusual behavior and invalid output in a system. Errors like these are mostly human-made and can gravely affect the functionality of the software.

What’s bug fixing?
Anomalies that are preventing the software to work as per the SRS document can be fixed through the process called bug fixing.  There will be a software testing team to thoroughly examine the software and report the bugs found to developers so that they can fix them.
What are the most common challenges faced in debugging

  • Debuggers stop working or there is some issue with it and you are not noticing it
  • Logical errors are hard to correct
  • unsorted data
  • deep log creation issues
  • Grammatical errors
  • inability to do debugging in realtime
  • losing progress in between

What are the different types of software bugs?
There are several different types of bugs that are found in the application. These can be

  1. Functional Errors

Any issues with the functionality of the application are treated as a functional error. E.g. when you enter some data in the application and hit the “Save” button, your data should be saved to the application database. It should be retrievable at a later stage as well. If the system does not save the data or throws an error while saving, it can be considered a functional defect.

  1. Logical Errors

A logical error is mainly attributed to the code logic. The logic that was written by the developer may not function as expected leading to incorrect output. A classic example of this would be division by 0 or assigning the value to a wrong variable, or any other such mistake at the coding level. These logical errors can be easily avoided by doing peer reviews and code walk-throughs with the team.

  1. Calculation Errors

As the name suggests, these bugs arise for the calculation or formulae mistakes at the time of coding. It can also be caused by passing the wrong parameter to the functions. Some other common reasons for a calculation error include choosing the wrong algorithm, mismatch in datatype, incorrect data values flowing from another system, or even hardcoding some values in the code.

  1. Validation Message Errors

Errors caused by incorrect or missing validation messages are referred to as validation message errors. For example, when entering the wrong data or format, like in a number field (age) you enter characters like name, it should show an appropriate error message. Likewise, whenever you want to save some data, a save confirmation or save failure message should be displayed. In all such cases, both positive and negative message pop-ups or message banners are checked. If they are not displayed, then it is considered an error.

  1. Cosmetic Errors

Cosmetic errors are those that do not impact the application or its functionality directly. They are also minor issues that are fixed and implemented with the least priority. Some examples of cosmetic errors are spelling mistakes, alignment issues, color variations, and more.

  1. Work Flow Errors

Workflow errors are also called navigation errors. As the name suggests, they refer to navigation issues when traveling back and forth through the application. The page to be displayed when the “Next” button is clicked or when the “Back” button is clicked, should be as expected. Any mismatch in the expected and actual page is considered a workflow error.

  1. Integration Errors

Integration error refers to errors arising out of data mismatch or others during the interaction between multiple systems and modules. These errors can be identified only during integration testing. In most cases, these integration errors are caused by how the data from one module is consumed by the other module, or sometimes the data may get altered in the system flow, or there could be a data-type mismatch, etc.

  1. Memory Leaks

Another common error usually found during rigorous and continuous testing is related to memory leaks. In such cases, the application performance starts deteriorating drastically after a certain period. This is generally due to the continuous use of memory without releasing them after use. Memory leaks are very difficult to find or fix and the only way is to ensure proper coding standards and best practices are followed at the time of coding.

  1. App Crashes

App Crash is a very priority issue that needs to be resolved at the earliest. It is clear from the name that in such cases the app abruptly closes and all the data is lost. This can be very annoying for the end customers. The crash can be due to several reasons including API call failure, page time out, upstream or downstream system down, or others.

  1. Security Errors

In the internet world today, security is of utmost importance. Security bugs are very critical. They can be related to the safety of the user data, masking of user data and preferences, financial or health data, security based on privileges ( like admin pages being accessible only to app admins), and more. These issues if found in production can be detrimental to the application itself as the customers would lose trust in the system.

What’s the difference between Bug Priority and Severity
The most common and also the most controversial terms concerning the software bugs are its severity and priority. They are invariably the discussion point between a developer and a tester. Let us try to understand these terms better.
The severity of a bug is the impact that the bug has on the business from a testing point of view.
The priority of the bug on the other hand is fixed by the developers, based on how soon they want to fix the issue and merge with production code.

Sno Severity Priority
1 It measures the impact of the bug on the business or application It defines the urgency with which the development team plan to fix the bug
2 Severity is generally of 4 types:
1. Sev1 – Critical bugs or blockers that do allow the application to be used
2. Sev2 – These are major issues that hamper the functionality of the application.
3. Sev3 – These are minor issues that do not impact the frequently used features in the application
4. Sev4 – These are the least important defects that are cosmetic and do not impact the functionality of the application. Like color, alignment, etc.
Priority is generally of 4 types:
1. High/Urgent – Need to be fixed immediately.
2. Medium – Can be fixed within the next 1-2 cycles.
3. Low – Very less priority bug. They may or may not be fixed soon based on the team bandwidth
4. Deferred – These bugs are the least priority and are moved to different release at a much later date
3 Decided by a tester Decided by a developer
4 It is related to the quality of the product It is related to the priority and timeline of the project
5 It always remains the same It can change based on business and the available developer bandwidth

Explaining Bug Life Cycle
Another important term associated with a software bug is the lifecycle.  A bug life cycle refers to the different stages a software bug goes through.
The different stages of a bug are:

  1. New

When a defect or bug is raised by a tester it will be in a new status. Once the developers check, verify, and accept the defect only then it will be moved to the next stage.

  1. Open/Assigned

Once the developers accept the defect it is moved to the assigned state and is also assigned to a developer for fixing.

  1. Duplicate

Sometimes a defect raised by the tester would have been raised by someone else previously or a fix for one defect would be applicable for this defect as well, in such cases the developer will mark this new defect as the duplicate of the old one.

  1. Rejected

Some defects may not be accepted by the developers for various reasons like it may be the expected behavior, it may have already been fixed, or any other reason. These defects are marked as rejected and are not included in any defect metrics.

  1. Deferred

Some defects may be considered as low priority or they may be fixed with the next module release. These defects are deferred to the next cycle or release

  1. Fixed

Once the defect is fixed by the developer in the development environment, it is marked as fixed. The code fix for the defect gets moved to the test environment in the next cycle.

  1. Ready to Test

Once the code fix for the defect is available in the test environment, it is marked as ready to test. Once a new build is available for testing, a tester would ideally filter out the ready to test defects, and do a retest.

  1. Re-opened

When a tester retest a defect, if the defect is not fixed as expected or if it is only partially fixed, the tester would mark it as re-opened with suitable comments on what needs to be further fixed.

  1. Verified and closed

During the defect retesting, if the defect is completely fixed, the tester would mark it as verified and closed. This would be the end of the defect cycle for that particular defect.
Buglife cycle
Why Does Software Have Bugs?

  1. Coding errors


Programming errors are the most reasonable reason for the bugs in the software. Codes are developed by humans. And as humans, coders are supposed to make mistakes.
There are many bugs that are introduced due to programming errors that might be because of wrong coding of the functionality, syntax errors, etc.
They could even be minor or we can say very clumsy errors that may result in big software flaws. Programming errors can be easily found, but sometimes these tiny errors can be very irritating and time-consuming.
2. Miscommunication 

Miscommunication is indeed the reason behind many flaws and misunderstandings in our day-to-day lives. They play no fewer roles in software engineering.
Miscommunication is one of the main reasons behind software defects.
Many a time clients themselves are not clear on their ideas and sometimes even if they are clear of their idea, they are not able to deliver it to the software development and testing team.
This gap in the understanding between the client and the software team is the reason behind many software defects.
Read also: Major bug tracking tools of 2020

  1. Compex and huge software

 

Software complexity is another major reason that results in software defects.
It gets even more difficult for developers and testers to have less knowledge of modern software development methods.
The latest software methods can reduce these complexities to a great level, but if the developers are not known to these methods, the software complexities may result in errors.

  1. Quick deadlines


Deadlines are one of the major reasons for software bugs. Usually, the deadlines in the software industry are comparatively very short.
In order to meet the deadlines, both developers and testers are in a rush to complete the work.
And in this hurry, developers might introduce many programming bugs in the code and the testers might miss out on testing the code properly.
When both developers and testers are responsible for introducing the errors, the code is expected to have a lot many bugs and there are high chances that a buggy code is released to the market.
Software development is not an easy task and this should be properly understood by the clients so that they can give enough amount of time to both developers and testers so that they can receive bug-free software hence saving a lot of time for maintaining and rectifying a buggy software at late hours.

  1. Frequent changes in requirement


In this dynamic world, everything keeps changing and so does the software requirements.
The constant change in requirements can add problems for the developers and the testers.
Changing requirements are one of the major reasons for software defects.
The frequent requirement changes may confuse and irritate both the developers and testers, hence increasing the chances of faults.
6. Third-party integration

Often development process requires the integration of third-party modules that have been developed entirely different teams. As a stand-alone software, these modules might work fine. However, after integration, their behavior can change and affect the software it has integrated with.
7. automation scripts that have no use

The software industry is very dynamic and every time there is something new that is coming in the market.
The old strategies, codes, scripts soon become obsolete. There are so many obsolete automation scripts that are replaced by more advanced automation scripts.
These obsolete automation scripts if used in the code can mismatch with the new coding techniques and can result in the bugs.
There are many developers and testers who do not keep themselves update with the recent software market techniques and end up using these old automation scripts leading to the introduction of the bugs.

  1. Poor documentation


Poorly documented code is another reason for software bugs. It is very difficult to maintain and modify such codes. It sometimes leads to losing the flow of the code that results in many errors.
It sometimes even gets harder for the developers to understand their code. In such cases, a requirement change can become even more difficult, leading to more errors.
Such code is given to other coders to rectify or modify, it is very difficult increasing the possibilities of further errors. Though there are no rules for proper documentation of code, it is just considered a good coding practice.

  1. Software development tools


Visual tools, class libraries, compilers, scripting tools, etc. such development tools can introduce bugs in the software.
Also, it is found that these tools are poorly documents which further adds up to the bugs as we have already discussed above.
No doubt software development tools have made coding comparatively very easy.
Coders are not required to code everything from scratch, readymade scripts, libraries, etc can be easily called in the code, refusing your efforts many forth.
But while they add up to the advantages by providing ready to use stuff, they too add up to the bugs and contribute to poorly documented code.
 
Cost of fixing bugs

“In 2017, software failures cost the economy US$1.7 trillion in financial losses.”
Software bugs can result in heavy losses and hence as they say “Prevention is better than cure”, it is always better to get these bugs fixed at the early stages of software development lifecycles.
The cost of fixing these bugs grows exponentially with each phase of SDLC. The bugs are easy to detect and rectify at unit testing when the code is still with the developer.
The efforts, time and cost of fixing these bugs keep increasing as the software grows in the lifecycle.
At the development level, it is quite easy to detect and rectify the bugs, as the developer has recently developed the code and it is fresh in his mind.

The most trivial defects can be detected and corrected at this phase, leading to the least software bug fixing cost apprehension.
At the testing phase the complexities of detecting the bugs increases.
Though it is easy to detect functional and other major defects it is another time-consuming task to detect the bug and pass it on to the developer’s team to rectify it.
Also, it is difficult to uncover the more fundamental defects like memory leaks at this stage. Hence the cost of bug fixing increases at this level.
After the release, it is not only very costly to fix the bugs, but is also very risky to release buggy software to end customers. Calling back the software from the market, it is not only a hit to finances but can be very damaging to your reputation also.

 
Conclusion
The software industry is very dynamic, and it every now and then keeps getting upgraded to a better version of itself to make it more efficient and effective, but bugs are one thing that has always been a part of software codes.
These bugs can sometimes be very easy to locate and rectify but sometimes even the silliest bug can irritate a veteran coder.
Read also: Epic software failures of all time
Hence it both developers and testers should follow software development and testing best practices so that these bugs could be minimized, hence reducing late hours’ efforts to the minimal.
If coding and testing are done with maximum care from the very beginning, we can reduce the number of bugs to a great extent.
 

Testbytes esteemed client gets listed in Forbes 30 under 30 list. Congrats Saumya and Gaurav!

Days back, exactly on December 3, 2019, Forbes released their ninth annual 30 under 30 list to honor innovative and hardworking young business minds. The list contains 600 promising entrepreneurs who were daring enough to take the risk and emerged successfully out of sheer courage.
In total there are 20 categories and from that, 30 brave young souls thwere selected from each category. And, one of the main criteria to compete in this prestigious evaluation was that the entrepreneurs have to be less than 30 years old.
The candidates who passed the initial stages had to go through rigorous scrutiny by the expert and experienced Forbes team.  Because of this reason alone, the people who emerged victoriously can prestigiously bear the shining emblem of lifelong reputation.
Talking about categories, the 600 torchbearers were selected from 20 industries such as,

  1. Art and style
  2. Consumer technology
  3. Food and drink
  4. Retail and e-commerce
  5. Enterprise technology
  6. Hollywood and entertainment
  7. Education
  8. Games
  9. Finance
  10. Healthcare
  11. Marketing and advertisement
  12. Media
  13. Science
  14. Energy
  15. Social entrepreneurs
  16. Sports
  17. Big money
  18. Venture capital
  19. Music
  20. Law and policy

The intention behind explaining this is to wholeheartedly congratulate two people who got selected.
As a software testing and quality assurance company, Testbytes proudly announce that our former client who has been a crucial part of our QA journey has made it to the list.
Saumya Bhatnagar and Gaurav Bhattacharya are the founders of the company involve soft and they were included in the list for their innovation in developing a platform that helps organizations in communicating with their employees in an efficient way to make sure that they are aligned with the workflow of projects. The company has its head office in Santa Monica USA.
Fame is not something new for them. The dashing duo was in limelight before solely because of their innovative ideas
Talking about working with them, it was an absolute pleasure. The whole process was easy because of the clearly defined requirement and streamlined communication. The association was long and lasted for approximately a year.
Since we make sure that our client does not have to go through any complication owing to us, we make sure that we get all the data and necessary arrangements that need to be done in making the project a 100% success. So it was a kind of perfect combination of two people who had the perfect idea of what they are doing.
Coming back to the prestigious title awarded by Forbes to Saumya Bhatnagar and Gaurav Bhattacharya, The duo was selected from 15,000 online submissions and from the huge list; only 600 are awarded this title.
An achievement indeed!
Once again, we truly wish success in all the future endeavors of involvesoft and Saumya Bhatnagar and Gaurav Bhattacharya and a hearty appreciation for being a part of such a prestigious list.
We also wish our vast clientele who wish to be  get enrolled in this esteemed list, good luck