Testbytes Software

How is Python used in Cyber Security

Posted on November 16, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Python is one of the versatile programming language, created by Guido van Rossum between 1985- 1990. An interpreted language, Python has a design that focuses on code readability and allows programmers to write code in fewer lines as compared to others like Java and C++. it has an automatic memory management system that allows it to support numerous programming prototypes such as functional, imperative and procedural.\

Among the numerous options available, Python is still a preferred choice among cyber security professionals. There are a number of factors that make them prefer python as compared to other languages. Some of these are as mentioned below:

Easy to learn

Python, like Java and C, are much easier to learn as compared to many other programming languages. The user-friendly language works on minimal code and hence, improves code readability, implementation and syntax.

Easy debugging

Since Python as a programming language that uses minimum code, it gets easier for the programmers to debug the error as well as reduce the risk of language getting complicated and causing issues.

Wide use

Python is not just limited to a few software packages and products. It, rather, has extensive use and is used to power numerous web products like Google, YouTube, Quora, Reddit, etc.

Object-oriented language

Learning Python enables an individual to gain an understanding about several other object-oriented languages such as Java, C++ and C#. All one needs to learn is the syntax of the new language.

Open-source language

Python is available at zero cost to the developers. This, in turn, makes it a preferred choice among many developers and companies. Moreover, the language is so simple to use that it increases its appeal to the smaller teams.

Also Read : Top 25 Software Testing Companies to Look Out For in 2018

High-performance

The use of Python is not just limited to help business grow and attain results but it also very useful to develop fast applications.

Extensive support libraries

Python is available large standard libraries that are inclusive of options like string operations, protocols, internet, web service tools, etc. Since, a large number of codes are already written in Python, this, in turn, puts a limit to the length of codes that needs to be written in Python.

Improved programmer’s productivity

The productivity of the programmer also gets improved due to reduced length of codes and object-oriented codes. Its features such as process integration, unit testing framework and ability to manage enhanced control help in increasing the speed of the entire application.

User-friendly data structures:

A built-in list and dictionary data structures, Python allows the developers to reduce the length of high-level data typing. This, in turn, helps in reducing the length of support code that is needed.

Productivity and Speed:

With an object-oriented design, this language provides enhanced process control capabilities to its users. The language also has strong integrating and text processing abilities and its own unit testing framework, which, in turn, helps in improving its speed as well as productivity.

Conclusion:

A lot of the reasons mentioned above and several others make programmers prefer Python over any other programming language. Using Python by cyber security professionals over any other programming language is also common due to factors such as better respond time, user-friendly data structure and security.

Therefore, it is important to ensure that the focus is on making sure that the aim is met as well as ensure better performance.

5 Advantages of Outsourcing Software Testing

Posted on November 13, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

The increasing demand for quality software applications, forces enterprises to keep up with proper testing activities. Outsourcing can be used as a strategy to boost your business by assigning projects, be it complete or a part and thus focusing on core values of business and even can save time and money.

Moreover, if performed in a well-planned manner and the outsourcing results will not only prove helpful to the operations, but also contribute competitive advantage for the organization.
Some think that outsourcing is primarily about cost cutting, but its also useful for adding new skills, work with amazing talents globally and bring in fresh perspectives.
Now lets discuss the advantages of utilizing outsourcing software testing companies to unlock better business values:
Why do industry leaders look for outsourcing their software testing activities?
An external and independent testing team gives advantage of a dedicated, non-partial view of the system. Let’s discuss these points in details:

Minimized management efforts

When you outsource a testing job, the hassle of hiring and training workforce is avoided. This leads to an efficient and uninfluenced environment that correlates to customer requirements. It was found that an independent testing team finds more bugs and has a detailed study done compared to an in-house team of testers.
The time of testing is in no way compromised when there is a deadline or budget limitations. In other words, the outsourced teams are more tolerant to outside pressure which allows them to adhere strictly to customers’ requirements and objectives.

Less Infrastructure cost

For a software tester, you overhead cost for buying additional hardware or software tools for the testing team is saved. Sometimes, when the projects are vast and complex, the capital investment on the testing tools sometimes advances the HR cost. But, when you outsource, you already have a team that is well-equipped with all the necessary tools and techniques for carrying out the work for you.

No Ego Clashes Between the Team

It is often seen that the testing team are not very happy with the way developers treat them and vice versa. It basically happens because developers do not like to hear about any bugs in the system to be fixed in time and again. Having an in-house team increases the risks of misunderstandings between the team to crop up, which will eventually reduce the overall impact of the system to be tested.
An outsourced team can do this without any hassles, avoiding such kind of issues to crop up. They perform their work without any partiality and indifference.

Efficient Time-to-Market

When you outsource your project, you adhere your timeline with the team without putting any extra pressure on your internal team. This makes things flow simpler and efficiently which eventually reduces the overall software development life cycle activities. You can have the exact time-to-market specified without any problems

Improved Integration Cycle

When the project you are working is from another time zone, it sometimes gets difficult for your in-house team to match up with the working hours. For example, if you have a project from U.S, the time zone differs with respect to a day. Outsourcing can help you put this decision onto the independent team who can manage the integration cycle efficiently. Some people consider it as a challenge, but when well-planned and executed, it can prove to be of great advantage.

Conclusion
Going through this entire blog, it is important that you constantly evaluate your project’s objective and requirements before you decide to outsource. Get proper knowledge of the outsourcing partner, their work ethics, past history, and reputation has to be well evaluated.
Only when the entire ecosystem meets your expectation, it is certainly going to bring value to your testing needs.

Unit Testing vs Integration Testing : What’s the Difference?

Posted on November 10, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Unit Testing vs Integration Testing! Do you know what’s the difference between unit testing and integration testing?
Both of them are essential in the development phase as unit testing will evaluate the code you have written for particular feature means while integration testing will ensure that it’s working fine with the rest of the system.
But the difference doesn’t end there.
Let’s make an inch to inch comparison between both the process. Unit Test vs Integration Test!

1) What is UnitTesting:

Tests that are conducted by developers for a particular unit of code such as module or component that has been developed by them
One of the most effective and simple way to determine if the individual units of source code that are being tested are perfect and ready to use
Helps in cutting down the cost of bug fixes as the bugs are identified during the early stages of the software development life cycle (SDLC)

2) What is Integration Testing:

A type of testing that tests a product in terms of the integration between its modules
Its one of the most effective software testing techniques in which the individual units of a program are combined and tested as a group
Executed with the help of test stubs and test drivers that assist in its easy execution

Unit Testing vs Integration Testing – The Differences.

Both these forms of testing have their own significance but it is important to understand the difference between the two:

1. Aim

Unit testing tests each part of the program individually so as to ensure that each of them perform correctly. Whereas, integration testing combines the modules and test them as a group for their optimum functionality.

2. Time of testing

Unit testing is independent and can be performed at any point of SDLC. On the other hand, integration testing is conducted after unit testing is completed and system testing begins.

3. Sub-Divisions

Unit testing cannot be sub-divided whereas integration testing can be divided into top-down integration, bottom-up integration and so on.

4. Integration Errors

Unit testing cannot identify integration errors, or other system-wide errors that exist. Whereas, integration testing can identify all sorts of errors as its purpose is to test and identify errors in modules.

5. Specification

Unit testing begins with the specification of the modules whereas integration testing begins with interface specification.

6. Type of Testing

Unit testing is a form of white-box testing, which refers to testing of internal structure of a program or application. Whereas, integration testing is both white-box and black box testing.

7. External Dependencies

Unit testing does not examine whether a program code works properly with external dependencies whereas integration testing tests the code on the same parameters.

8. Maintenance

Conducted by the software developer oneself, testing a program using unit testing is cheaper as compared to integration testing which is executed by a team of testers.

Unit and Integration Testing are Equally Important

Both these forms of testing have their own importance as the absence of one might impact the overall performance and development of the product.

While unit testing ensures that optimum quality during the development phase of the product, integration testing ensures that there are no errors pending after the development of different modules.
Moreover, identifying the errors during integration testing raises the need for conducting unit testing again so as to identify the specific error in the program.
Therefore, to ensure the premium product delivery, it is better and advisable to keep implementing both these forms of testing as and when required.

How Do You Test Application Scalability

Posted on November 9, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Are you aware of the various factors that must be checked for the scalability of your app? As you can understand by its name, application scalability is how much you will scale the product with the increased workload. To make you understand better, suppose the users of your system increase by 2 times the load it can take, you will have to increase the server performance and lessen the server response time for a good UI experience.

Scalability testing is your answer to all the woes. It defines of the common problems like:

How is the server performing when the hardware and software are changed?
In that case, can we upgrade the system’s capability and increase productivity?

The Need for Scalable Testing
Why do you need a scalability test? Well, the answer is clear. It helps you determine how your application performed with increased load and helps you understand the total number of users it can withstand. The reason behind this is to understand at what point the systems starts lagging and what can be done to overcome such challenges.
How to Create a Scalability Test
Scalability testing is performed by conducting a series of load tests with complementary hardware and software changes made while keeping the other conditions same. It tests for various attributes as below:

System throughput
Network/Memory Usage
Performance measurement
Load with a number of users using the application
Screen Transition
Request and response time
Hits/Transactions per second

The scalability test should be performed systematically to ensure that all the attributes are covered and the data is collected. Obviously, the type of load may differ for each system depending upon its web server, users and type of system. Think about all the other parameters that might get affected when load increases.
Essential Requirements for Conducting the Scalability Test
Clear and concise requirements before the tests are performed is a basic necessity. The pre-requisites for scalability testing includes:
Memory: Evaluate the need for memory allocation for all the virtual users using the system
Processor: Check the requirements of the processor before you start
Operating System: Check which OS acts as an agent and tests the load
Load distribution capability: Make sure you have a centralized system where all the results are collected and evaluated from multiple users and machines.
Steps to Create a Scalability Test

1. Create and monitor all the scenarios
Try changing the scenarios and check the attributes that get affected due to the change
Re-check the scenario to make sure they perform the same way each time
Define a set of virtual users for the testing system
Create the load test by specifying settings that allow you to evaluate the application’s performance
Run your tests
If any lags, make changes to the server and run repeat the tests.

Analysing the Test Results
By running the test cases, you are actually just determining 40% of your performance testing objective. The critical part of this being the analyses and rectification of results. The scalability testing results can be compared and analysed in the following manner:
1. Virtual Users vs Response time
Some companies set a specific time interval, say for 2 minutes, in which they increase the number of users for a specific server load and test the behaviour of the application. In short, you will be testing the applications response time for a specified number of users.
2. Users vs Latency
This analysis is done to check the latency of the network on which the users operate.
3. Hits vs users
Hits per second are observed after 3 minutes of response and latency time starts.
4. Users vs errors
The load on the system giving rise to errors and bugs are tracked against a specific number of persons.

Conclusion:
Once the scalability testing has ended, whatever the outcomes are, make sure you have all the data recorded for further enhancing the load capacity of the system at any given time. It is always a good practise to have a backup in plan for the tests. Meaningful reference is essential for the next time you perform the same tests.

13 Best Java Tools 2020

Posted on November 8, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Choosing the right software development tool is like choosing your favorite candy from a candy store. They all have their unique taste and touch, but you still love them all equally.

Java is an object-oriented programming language, which is specially designed for mobile and set-top box devices. In this blog, we have focused on the 13 best Java tools that are readily expected to be used in the upcoming year and how well it would satisfy user needs.

2018 has seen many ups and downs in the development scenario since many of the developers constantly tried to learn and upgrade themselves to a new version of the tool.

Recent advancements show that modularity and light-weighted Java tools will increase popularity among development processes and expertise to demonstrate new concepts.

The below given lists showcases the top 13 Java tools for 2019:

Java Development Tools

1. Eclipse

Inspite of the many numbers of tools landing in the market today, Eclipse remains one of the preferred tools for almost 60% of the Java developers. Eclipse is a one-stop-shop of all IDE’s that features plug-ins and interfaces which can be customized at any time. It also serves a huge community and followers and is popular among large enterprise developers.

The current version of Eclipse IDE is 4.5 which supports Java Version 8. A few benefits of using the tools include:

Easy Navigation properties
Ease of error debugging
Easy package and plug-in downloads
Auto-completion feature
Supports multiple programming languages other than Java
Quick updates to the tool available
Syntax check while writing the code

2. NetBeans IDE

The NetBeans is an open-source IDE that supports almost all of the Java development types like Java SE, Java ME, and Java EE. The NetBeans IDE is provided by modules where each module defines a function that supports Java language. You just have to download & install the tool and you are ready to go.

It is known for its reusable framework property which simplifies the development of Java desktop applications. The latest version being the 8.2, it doesn’t run on the JDK9 Platform.

Benefits of using NetBeans are:

Dynamic Language Support
Supports Java Standards and Platforms
Power-packed GUI Builder
Support for Non-Java code
Platform Extensible
Ideal for first-timers

3. Java Development Kit (JDK)

The Java Development Kit offers a whole lot of features to developers to bring out the best in their programs. Since the inception of the Java platform, JDK remains one of the most used tools that includes a private Java virtual machine (JVM) and some other meaningful resources.

JDK is well known for its high performance, functionality, and memory allocation techniques. Both low-level and high-level functionality can be incorporated into the tool with the Java security API.

Benefits

Low cost of use
Easy for novice users
Easy transition from C to other languages.
User-friendly
Appeals internationally

4. Oracle JDeveloper

As the name suggests, this tool was announced by Oracle and provides a complete and comprehensive development framework. The Oracle application development aims to provide a declarative and visual approach to build an enhanced development experience.

Prior to the recent version of 11g, JDeveloper was available for 3 java editions viz. Java edition, studio edition, and the J2EE edition. It also consists of high-level features like Ant support, Open API, Audit & metrics, etc. Which may not be available on the other development tools for Java.

Benefits:

Incorporate security services
Re-usability of code features
Visual development environment
More than 150+ Ajax-enabled components available
Support to Java Persistence API

Java Testing Tools

5. JRat

The fourth tool Java Runtime Analysis Tool, widely known as Jett, is used as a testing tool for Java applications. It is an open-source platform that helps in determining the application’s execution and performance measurements. It identifies potential risks and analyses data using its pre-built desktop application.

Benefits

Is an open-source profiling tool
Supports a wide developer community
Improves framework support
Allows high-level profiling functionality
State of art heap analysis tool
Can perform runtime analysis for a remote machine

6. IntelliJ IDEA 13.1

IntelliJ IDEA will always act as a good friend for your application development. When you are busy writing the code, IntelliJ Idea will be busy creating the class references, flow execution, decision tree, fields, methods and much more. Using this functionality you can quickly navigate through your code and have an error analysis done in no time.

Any of the recent IDE’s will provide you more or less similar functionality, but IntelliJ is the only one that will present you with a deep static code analysis allowing you to focus more on your creativity.

Benefits:

Smart completion of your code
Data flow analysis
Re-factoring
Duplicate detection

7. Apache ANT

Apache ant is a popular and traditional built tool since its launch. Apache ANT is an open-source tool for Java developers provided by Apache Software Foundation. The tool is known to automate your process of software building which is achieved in easy steps.

The tool includes Ant libraries that have defined tasks to compile and execute the program. The benefit of these libraries is that it does not require to write another set of code for building the application. The whole process takes place and is defined by the targets which are XML files.

Benefits

Since Ant is built using plain XML, if you already know XML, it’s very simple to learn Ant.
Includes a large list of predefined tasks
Interface for creating your own task list
Clean and easy to understand dependency reports
Supports conflict management

8. Gradle

Gradle is the next generation view for JVM based tools. It takes its lessons from the famous Apache Maven and Ant and provides the better of the two. Gradle includes a declaratively modeling of your difficulty domain making use of strong and expressive domain-specific language (DSL), which is implemented in Groovy and not XML, unlike Apache Ant. Because Gradle is a JVM native, it allows you to write custom logic in the language you’re most comfortable with, be it Java or Groovy.

Benefits

Can create multiple APKs for your app
Re-usability of code and build process
Integration customized to the android studio.
Integrated SCM
Jenkins integration environment
A good number of plug-ins available

9. Mockito

Are you dealing with advanced framework integration? Then Mockito is a tool you should search for. Mockito offers you a mocking framework that is used by people looking out for unit testing their java application. Just as the name, it follows building a fake mock-up for testing purposes.

Mockito allows you to define classes as well as in interfaces that support test espionage and not just mock-ups. It also offers a good void method handling so you need not write separate code for the same. The only drawback being its maintenance issue.

Benefits

Efficient dependency handling
Can create tests in advance
Can create mock-ups for non-accessible resources.
Client involvement possible
Isolation of system made easy

10. YourKit

Known to be a Java profiling tool, YourKit offers the most powerful and innovative performance analysis capability. Your Kit solves some of the major reasons giving rise to performance and scalability problems. This functionality thus saves a lot of time developers put in.

Along with the above benefits, it also offers management of CPU and memory profiling. The tool is an all-stop shop for all the advanced Java profiling capabilities and features.

Advance YourKit features at disposal
Boosts productivity and saves a lot of time
High-level result-oriented
Easy and straight process for installation
Developer friendly.

11. Clover

Clover is a code coverage tool that identifies bugs that were not tested and can prove fatal for the systems working. It provides test automation functionality for smooth integration. The recent version being the 4.1.

Many organizations use clover for desktop and server applications. It balances the effort between a code that runs the program and code that tests it. You can test a part of the program that changed instead of testing the entire application all over again.

Benefits

Includes code coverage tests in the reports
Can integrate with any existing system
Quality assurance and cloud sourcing
Compare actual and expected results

12. FindBugs

Findbugs is a static analysis tool that identifies potential software bugs of the Java bytecode. These benefits the users to identify any bugs well before in advance. The tool is like a plug-in and has to be used in the development tools like Eclipse and IntelliJ.

You can check for bugs without actually running the application. It doesn’t focus on style or formatting of your code but searches for actual bugs that might hamper the performance.

Benefits:

Generates meaningful results
Eliminates false positives
Application-specific detector packages
Pluggable architecture
Setting can be shared among the network

13. Cobertura

Cobertura is a free Java tool that calculates the percentage of code the test has accessed. It is a plug-in that can be installed from Jenkins. It enables you to visualize and measure Java code by putting it in a detailed tree view.

Benefits

Configure built tools
Execute code from Jenkins
Hierarchy of projects
Generates HTML based reports
Customizable threshold

Conclusion

The Java environment is vast and keeps on changing with new tools and techniques every year. Though every tool discussed here have their own advantages and drawbacks, it all depends on a user’s need whether to use or not.

All the upcoming improvements in Java forces developers to adopt this tool for a wider array of digital transformations, and looking towards the future, Java is certainly one of best tool to make amazing apps in the coming years.

FitNesse Testing vs Selenium Testing, Which is Better & Why?

Posted on November 1, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Programming and development of a software product is not an end of the entire task.
It is rather the beginning of the journey that concludes with the delivery of the best quality product.
Although, innovations and improvisations continue to occur even after the delivery, there is one step that certainly forms to be an integral part of all these steps – testing.
Testing or software testing is one such step that helps ensure that the product developed and delivered in the market is as per to the set quality standards.
It can be done in a number of ways based on the product’s requirements, type and other specifications.
Two of the most commonly used ones are FitNesse testing and Selenium testing.
FitNesse Testing
FitNesse is a commonly used and accepted testing framework that allows testers, developers and customers to join together to create the test cases.

This type of testing allows testers to use their preferred software’s functionality to create test cases.
The test cases created can then be documented in the form of testable code so as to run the tests as well as get results.
Comparing the actual functionality of the software with customer requirements makes it easier to ensure the delivery of better performing software.
The best aspect of this type of testing is that it can be used easily even by a non-technical professional.
The installation of FitNesse testing framework is easy. If required, one can also write and execute FitNesse tests via the browser.
This framework is available with its own version control and can be shared among multiple team members.
An active developer and user community make it easier to use this open source tool.
One can also design automated test cases that provide ease of maintenance. The framework is also highly flexible as it allows one to use other testing tools such as GUI drivers.
Selenium Testing
Selenium is a popular open-source web automation framework, which is used to test only web-based applications. This framework can record the inputs entered by the user and automating a web browser using a script code.

Also Read: Selenium 4: New Features and Updates

Selenium can be used easily by anyone who possesses a basic knowledge and understanding of Java or any other object-oriented language. This framework is capable of functioning across different web browsers and operating systems (OS).
Selenium consists of four major parts that include:

Selenium Integrated Development Environment (IDE): Implemented as a Firefox extension, Selenium IDE allows the testers to record, test and debug the tests.
Selenium Remote Control (RC): Capable of creating more complex tasks using programming languages such as Java, C# and PHP, Selenium RC allows the execution of more than simple browser actions.
Selenium WebDriver: A substitute of Selenium RC, Selenium WebDriver sends the commands directly to the web browser as well as retrieve results. Selenium-WebDriver can better support dynamic web pages even when the elements of a particular page change without the page itself being reloaded.
Selenium Grid: This is, in fact, the best tool available to execute testing in minimum span of time. Using Selenium Grid allows the testers to execute multiple tests in parallel across different machines and browsers, hence, in turn, resulting in minimum execution time.

Making a choice between FitNesse and Selenium Testing
Using FitNesse or Selenium framework is recommended in different scenarios.
One is advised to use Selenium framework for testing when the customers have not yet got involved in the testing process or the codes written can only be understood by the developer or tester engaged in writing the these cases.
FitNesse framework should be used when the individuals involved in automation testing have limited technical knowledge.
It should also be preferred over Selenium when the main focus is on creating such test cases that are easy to comprehend.
Some other situations when FitNesse should be used are when the team is on a lookout of receiving immediate feedback from end user or the test cases are to be presented in a user-friendly manner such as table.

At times, it is also recommended to use both the technologies in a combined manner. For instance, using FitNesse to present the data in tabular form and then, connecting the same to the Selenium using another bridge technology called Selenesse.
Conclusion
At the end, it is apt to say that there is no one framework that one should rely upon. While Selenium is suitable to be used for automating the web user interface, FitNesse allows one to create such test cases that can be easily understood by the customers.
There is no technology to rely upon as each of these is significant. Choosing the best on the basis of the current situation is what allows one to make the best use of these technologies.

5 Main Software Testing Issues and Methods to Resolve Them

Posted on October 31, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Software testing is an integral part of any software development phase. Testing often accounts for more than 50% of the expenditure incurred in developing a particular software. The more complex is the software, the more time and resources need to be spent to make sure that flaws are detected and set right. However, often this is not the real picture.

Software or systems are often installed and rolled out with hundreds of defect in them. The result is poor performance and loss of many days both for the software development firm as well as the client. To avoid such problems team leads or managers must sort out some issues which are inherent to software testing. Let us go through 5 main software testing issues and methods to resolve them.

Inadequate schedule of testing:

Testing is a time consuming affair. It has to be so since it is done to bring out the defects or inadequacies of the system under different conditions and not to show that it works. Testing needs to go hand in hand with development. This will make sure that inadequacies or errors in a particular functionality of the system is brought to the notice of the development team and sorted out sooner than later.
However, more often than not what happens is that managers keep on postponing testing until late in the development process. This leaves very little time for final testing which results in inadequate schedule of the process.

The managers must emphasize the need for testing as a follow up and they have to make sure that development and testing of different functionalities of a system goes side by side. This will give the testing team enough time to look at the systemic inadequacies and vulnerabilities comprehensively.

Insufficient testing environment and tools:

Tools and environments are backbones of proper software testing. However, testing is often carried out in inadequate testing environment. An over reliance on manual testing or COTS testing tools is another aspect. Moreover, some of the environmental components themselves suffer from defects. What is commonly seen is that test environment, test data and test software are not under adequate configuration control.

Team managers must ensure that actual or close enough hardware and software requirements are met in a testing environment. This will make sure that testing brings out the flaws that would actually evolve during operations by the end user
Team managers must also deploy automated testing tools if the testing process is complex, as involving more human testers is not possible. This will make sure that testing is carried out fast, with limited resource and repeatedly and can bring out more flaws in the system

Wrong testing mindset

Often the mindset of the software testing team revolves around finding out functionality of the system rather than finding defects in it. This itself prohibits the team from finding out flaws in the software.

It is the duty of team lead to inculcate the notion that testing is done to find fault with the system or software under different conditions and not to prove that it works

Testing lessons are often ignored

It is often seen that same type of problems are repeated in systems,projects after projects.

This is purely a management related problem. Management must ensure that team leads are careful enough to document each and every lesson learnt in previous projects and implement them in projects thereafter.

Poor integration of testing and engineering processes

Often it is seen that testing and engineering processes are not properly integrated. This means that components or subsystems are often tested for flaws before they are mature enough to be tested on all parameters. Moreover, there may be some project specific needs that need to be looked into. One size fits all formula does not apply to software testing.

Testing team must ensure that components and subsystems are tested when they are mature enough to be tested on all parameters. This can only happen if the testing and engineering team works are well coordinated.

Conclusion
For letting us conclude, it is best said that unlike a single person, being a team is smarter. So, the best advice is to get together and fly high. Large enterprise and customers should not spend too much time accounting for errors which come up. Following a good and systematic practice for your QA needs will certainly provide quality to your team.

How AI will Change the Software Testing

Posted on October 27, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Software testing has always been an integral part to the success of any product in the market. Be it a newly launched product or the latest version of the existing product, it is important for companies to make sure that each of its product passes through a stringent quality test to make sure that it meets the set standards.

Gone are the days when companies used to rely on manual testing. With the advancement in technology, the companies have almost switched completely to the automated mode of testing.
And, now the day is here when more and more companies will be seen using artificial intelligence (AI) in its software testing process.
AI has become the new buzzword as more and more companies are getting increasingly dependent on machines and computers to perform tasks that would have otherwise been performed only by humans.
This form of intelligence has simplified a lot of tasks and one of those is testing. All one needs to do now is feeding the computer with the required data, setting the required logic and simply running the testing process.
Shortcomings of Manual Testing
Although considered to be a reliable form of testing, manual testing has its own cons. These, in turn, reduce the efficiency and performance of the entire process. Some of the common issues of using manual testing are:

Time-consuming.
Limited testing scenarios.
Limited possibility of testing manual/automation scenarios.
Maintaining the code as per QA trends.
Lack of automation

Benefits of AI in Software Testing
Incorporating AI in software testing is an apt decision as doing so will not only save a lot of time and labour but also will benefit in a number of other ways like:
1. Better Quality:
Using AI in software testing after the process of development not only saves time but also helps in ensuring better quality. It predicts, prevents as well as automates the entire process of testing using self-learning algorithms.
AI will not only support and improve the requirements models and test cases but also provide more sophisticated and refined form of text recognition and better code generators.
2. Quick and Reliable:
Using AI in the software testing process will save a lot of time of the development team. This is because using AI helps in delivering quick and faster results that are also reliable for the team.
Using AI will not only allow the team to use data to develop better projects but will also help them prevent any sort of repetition of errors done in the past.
3. Early Feedback:
Automating the entire testing process not only saves a lot of time but also helps the developers in collecting quick feedback. Collecting early feedback helps in ensuring that the bugs are fixed quickly and the better product is soon launched in the market.
Using AI will also allow the team to spot any or all sorts of bugs that might have occurred during the previous development process and avoid the same so as to ensure the delivery of a better performing product.
4. Traceability:
Since everything is stored on a machine, it becomes easier for the developers, testers and other team members to quickly trace and access the details of any testing process that has been executed.
Whether it is about missing a test case or identifying a dead case, all is possible with ease using AI.
5. Integrated Platform:
This type of testing uses one integrated platform and is also adaptable to client technology landscape. Having one single integrated platform makes this process a reliable process to execute a test.
Since the projects are built on open source stack making the project flexible and agile, cost effective and secure, AI testing can be executed much more smoothly.
6. Script Automation:
Using AI will end the need of creating a test design or automating a test script. This is because all this will be done and executed automatically by the AI algorithm.
With AI, it gets easier for the system to go through the log files as well as improve the test planning and coverage of the system.

Apart from testing, AI will also make developers as well as applications smarter. Using AI will make developers and applications smart in the following ways:

Quick turning of an idea into a code using better code generators.
Precise estimation of time lines.
Quick identification of bugs and effective remedies.
Automated decision-making about the next step of development and testing.
Enable quick and easy human interaction.
Applications capable of learning on their own.

However, it is true that AI has an ability to simplify a lot of tasks. But, it is important to find a balance between the role of a machine and human.
Being completely dependent on any of the two might hamper the productivity as well as performance. Therefore, the best way out is to find a way in which both machine and humans can exist simultaneously, delivering maximum results.

9 Best Practices to Improve Software Testing Process

Posted on October 26, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Software testing is the process used to evaluate a product to find out whether it actually meets the specific functions. It is the process that helps to provide the product owners with the information about its quality and whether it meets the required standards.

Providing the team with an unbiased and independent view of the software, software testing is an excellent step that allows business houses to comprehend the risks associated with the implementation of the software. Some of the common properties that are tested during software testing include whether it meets specified needs such as its design, development, responds correctly to all kinds of inputs, executes the desired functions within the desired time frame, is operational and achieves the results as desired by the stakeholders.
Software testing is conducted at a different stage of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). However, when a team chooses to begin it early, it helps in saving a lot of time, cost as well as ensure the delivery of an error-free product. If not, the team can always begin to conduct testing on a software as soon as an executable version of the software is available.
A typical testing process can be divided into five major steps:

Planning
Analysis and designing
Implementation and execution
Evaluating and reporting
Test closure activities

While every organization ensures that the software testing is conducted in a way that helps identify and fix all bugs, there is always a scope of improvement. Mentioned below are some of the simple ways that can be implanted to ensure process improvement in software testing:

Define a process

To ensure a successful execution of a software testing process, it is important to have a process in place beforehand. The process defined by the company should be robust as well as approved by the experts to ensure that there is no hurdle in its execution. Even though it is not required that the testing team follows this process stringently, but this definitely can serve as a guideline to begin the process. The process can improve and develop along with the product and testing requirements.

Involve testers in development

It is an excellent practice to involve testers in the process of product development right from the beginning of the SDLC. This is because, it helps the testers gain a better understanding of the product, its requirements and thus, develop comprehensive tests for the product. Along with this, doing so is also a cost-effective option to avoid bugs in the final product as well as prevent any delays in its delivery.

Maintain all the records

While it is true that all the bugs and product development related information is readily available over email, it is highly advisable to store this information intelligently in the form of documents and reports. This is to ensure that there is no scattering of the information over email or internet rather, it can be easily accessed from one single place, which, in turn, helps improve productivity.

Keep test cases ready in advance

It is good to keep the test cases ready in advance during requirement analysis and design phase. This will help improve the productivity as well as save a lot of time of both the developers as well as testers. It can also help the testers identify and determine whether the requirements mentioned for the product can be tested or not.
It is important to make sure that the test cases were written are clear enough to be comprehended by both the developer as well as a tester.

Have a positive mindset

For a tester to successfully implement the testing of a software, it is important to have a positive mindset before starting the test. This is because having a positive attitude helps one to easily identify any bugs or errors in the application. Think that there are multiple bugs and errors in the code and you will definitely end up finding many.

Divide the functional module

It is important for the testing team to divide the entire product module into smaller parts. This is because it helps ensure that each and every aspect of a particular application is tested. The division of the entire logic into smaller modules also make it easier to identify and fix the bugs so as to deliver a high-quality product.

Write a detailed bug report

When a testing team opts to write a clear and detailed bug report, it not only saves a lot of time of the company but also for the developers. It is important for the testers to understand that the clarity in the bug report is essential to fix any sort of bugs that are present in the product and hence, ensure the delivery of an error-free product.
Establish a good relationship with the development team by not only sharing a bug report but also suggesting them the most appropriate ways to fix the same. This will not only save the time of developers’ but also safeguard you from any sort of delay.

Create a good test environment

It is the responsibility of the testing team to ensure that the test environments established by it are an exact imitation of the product’s production. This is to ensure that there are no flaws or bugs that are missed out during the product’s testing.
For instance, there might be a situation when a developer has added certain configurations or run scripts but has missed adding the same in release document or configuration file. This, in turn, would lead to the application’s success in the lower environment but failure during production. In such a situation, when the testing team has complete control over the testing environment but developers do not, it is possible to gain a control over such situations.

Increase communication with developer

Establishing better and improved channels of communication between tester and developer can help in the process improvement in software testing. Having a discussion with the developer regarding any sort of issues, bugs and confusion can help in making things, process and the product better.

It is important to keep a record of all such discussions over email so that one can refer back to them in the case of any clashes or when the need arises.
To meet the ever-changing demands of the clients, it is important for the testing team to upgrade their skills and meet the essential requirements. Incorporating the above-mentioned tips can also be helpful for process improvement in software testing. Thus, it is the time that you stand strong professionally with your skills and deliver the best to the market.

10 Industries Where Blockchain May Cause Massive Disruption [Infographic]

Posted on October 24, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Blockchain technology has topped the headlines in various sectors due to its potential to disrupt and transform different industries. As an efficient and moreover a reliable way for storage and data exchange, it can be used to reform industries that rely on accessibility of certain data.

Being a complex form of technology, Blockchain is a globally distributed database that can run on various devices where not just information but anything of value can be stored like money, music, art, scientific discoveries, votes etc. where it can be also moved and stored securely, regardless of location.
This technology is beneficial as it works as a system of record that is shared among participants of different business networks, eliminating the need for disparate ledgers. Each member would have the access rights, where confidential data is shared on a need to know basis.
So, there’s no doubt that blockchain technology has the chance to change things, as its more a unique data structure where authorization is vital for digital transactions and are established as a result of the configuration of blockchain technology.