Difference Between Dynamic and Static Testing: Pros and Cons

Posted on January 16, 2024January 16, 2024 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Two fundamental approaches, dynamic testing, and static testing, each offer unique advantages and drawbacks in ensuring software quality. Dynamic testing involves the execution of code to uncover defects, while static testing entails the examination of code without execution.

In this blog, we will delve into the nuances of dynamic and static testing, exploring their respective pros and cons.

By gaining insights into these testing methodologies, you can make informed decisions about the most effective strategies to enhance the quality and reliability of your software products.

What Is Static Testing?

Static testing is a method of software testing that doesn’t involve the execution of the code. Instead, it focuses on reviewing and analyzing the code, design, and associated documentation to identify defects and improve the quality of the software. The process of static testing typically involves the following steps:

Planning: The first step in static testing is to plan the review process. This includes identifying the scope of the review, selecting the reviewers, and establishing review criteria.
Review Preparation: This step involves gathering the artifacts to be reviewed, such as source code, requirements, design documents, and test plans.
Review Meeting: If applicable, a review meeting may be conducted to discuss the findings of the review and make decisions regarding the identified issues.
Review Execution: During this phase, the reviewers examine the artifacts to identify defects, inconsistencies, and areas for improvement. This can be done using various techniques, such as walkthroughs, inspections, or peer reviews.
Defect Reporting: Any defects or issues identified during the review process are documented and reported for further analysis and resolution.
Rework: Once the issues are identified, the necessary rework is performed to address the identified defects and improve the quality of the software.
Follow-up: After the review and rework, follow-up activities ensure that the identified issues have been appropriately addressed and that the necessary improvements have been made.

Static testing techniques:

Informal reviews: Here, no formal review method is applied. The team of reviewers just checks the documents and gives comments. The purpose is to maintain the quality from the initial stage. It is non-documented in nature
Formal Reviews: It is well structured and documented and follows six main steps: Planning, kick-off, preparation, review meeting, rework follow-up
Technical Reviews: The team of technical experts will review the software for technical specifications. The purpose is to pin out the difference between the required specification and product design and then correct the flaws. It focuses on technical documents such as test strategy, test plan, and requirement specification documents.
Walk-through: The author explains the software to the team, and teammates can raise questions if they have any. It is headed by the author, and review comments are noted down.
Inspection Process: The meeting is headed by a trained moderator. A formal review is done, a record is maintained for all the errors, and the authors are informed to make corrections to the given feedback.
Static code review: Code is reviewed without execution; it is checked for syntax, coding standards, and code optimization. It is also referred to as white box testing.

Advantages/Pros of Static Testing:

Helps in identifying the flaws in the code
The testing is conducted by trained software developers with good knowledge of coding
It is a fast and easy way to find and fix the errors
With automated tools, it becomes quite fast to scan and review the software
The use of Automated tools provides mitigation recommendations
With static testing, it is possible to find errors at an early stage of the development life cycle, thus, in turn, reducing the cost of fixing them.

Disadvantages/Cons of Static Testing:

It demands a great deal of time when done manually
Automated tools work with few programming languages
Automated tools may provide false positives and false negatives
Automated tools only scan the code
Automated tools cannot pinpoint weak points that may create troubles in run-time

What Is Dynamic Testing?

Dynamic testing is a crucial phase in the software testing process, involving the execution of the code to validate its behavior and performance. This process is essential for identifying defects and ensuring the overall quality and reliability of the software. The dynamic testing process typically involves the following key steps:

Test Planning: The dynamic testing process begins with comprehensive test planning, where test objectives, scope, and test scenarios are defined. This phase also involves the creation of test cases based on requirements and specifications.
Test Execution: In this phase, the prepared test cases are executed against the software under test. The actual behavior and performance of the software are observed, and the outcomes are compared against the expected results.
Defect Reporting: Any discrepancies between the expected and actual outcomes are documented as defects or issues. These are then reported to the development team for further analysis and resolution.
Regression Testing: After fixing the reported defects, regression testing is conducted to ensure that the changes made do not adversely impact the existing functionalities of the software.
Test Result Analysis: The test results are thoroughly analyzed to assess the software’s performance, identify any remaining defects, and make decisions about the software’s readiness for release.
Reporting and Documentation: A comprehensive report is generated, documenting the test results, the identified defects, and any recommendations for improvement. This documentation serves as a reference for future testing activities and for tracking the software’s quality over time.

Advantages/Pros of Dynamic Code Analysis

Dynamic coding helps identify weak areas in a run-time environment
Dynamic testing supports the analysis of applications even if the tester does not have the actual code.
It identifies weak areas that are hard to find with static code analysis
It allows validation of static code analysis findings
It can be applied to any application

Dynamic code analysis limitations/Cons:

Automated tools may give a false security that everything is checked
Automated tools can generate false positives and false negatives
It is not easy to find a trained professional for dynamic testing
It is difficult to trace the vulnerability in the code, and it takes longer to fix the problem. Thus, it becomes costly to fix the errors

What Is The Difference Between Static and Dynamic Application Testing?

Criteria	Static Application Testing	Dynamic Application Testing
Timing of Testing	Conducted during the development phase without execution.	Conducted during the execution phase of the application.
Scope of Testing	Focuses on examining the code, design, and requirements.	Involves evaluating the application’s runtime behavior.
Automation Possibility	Often manual, but it can be automated using static analysis tools.	Primarily automated through testing tools and frameworks.
Identification of Defects	Detects issues through code analysis without executing the program.	Identifies defects by actively running the application.
Examples of Techniques Used	Code reviews, inspections, and walkthroughs.	Unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and others.
Timing of Issue Discovery	Issues are identified before the code is executed.	Problems are discovered while the application is running.
Focus Area	Emphasizes code and design flaws.	Concentrates on finding functional and performance issues.
Applicability	Best suited for early development stages.	Crucial for uncovering issues in a real-world operating environment.
Risk Mitigation	Helps in addressing potential issues before runtime.	Identifies problems that may occur during actual usage.
Resource Utilization	Less resource-intensive during execution.	More resource-intensive due to dynamic testing requirements.
Feedback to Developers	Provides feedback on code quality and design early in the process.	Offers insights into how the application performs in real scenarios.

Conclusion

Both dynamic and static testing play pivotal roles in ensuring software quality. Dynamic testing excels in uncovering runtime defects and validating the functional aspects of the software, while static testing is adept at identifying issues early in the development process.

Each approach has its own set of pros and cons, and the most effective testing strategy often involves a combination of both methods.

By leveraging the strengths of dynamic and static testing while mitigating their respective limitations, organizations can achieve a comprehensive and robust approach to software quality assurance, ultimately leading to higher customer satisfaction and improved competitiveness in the market.

What’s the Difference Between Alpha and Beta Testing: When to use them?

Posted on September 19, 2017 by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Alpha and beta testing might be confusing when it comes to explaining it, but the clear distance would be

Alpha testing is done before product release to find out issues it can have once it reaches the user. It’s a kind of user acceptance testing where a group of people will be given access to an early version and their reaction to the software will be recorded via video and questionnaire

Beta Testing on the other hand is testing the software after deployment. The Beta version of the software will be released in the AppStore itself and limited users who have signed up for beta testing will get access to the app.

Phases of Alpha and Beta Testing

Phases of Alpha testing

Alpha, Beta, and Gamma tests are usually done for product-oriented companies.

Pre-Alpha:- During this phase the software is in a prototype form. Though the UI is complete, all other features might still be incomplete.
Alpha: During this phase, the Software is close to the development, and internal testing for bugs and flaws begins.
Beta: During this phase, the software is released to a certain user base known as beta testers to collect their reviews and feedback and then Amend the software based on that feedback.
Gamma: After Beta Testing the changes are made to the software and the software is tested for any bugs or flaws. No major changes are made in the functionality of the software during this phase, rather software is checked for bugs and they are corrected.
Release: If everything goes well, the software is released to the public.

Alpha Testing

Alpha testing is a type of internal testing performed for Commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) by a highly-skilled group of testers and engineers at the developing site to find bugs that were initially not found.

This dedicated team observes the behavior and notes the product down the differences.

It usually involves testing the product by imitating the real user environment by carrying out tasks that an actual user might perform.

Once the software passes the alpha test, it is considered fit to be used for the next phase, i.e. beta testing.

The term ‘alpha’ can be differentiated based on the projects it is used for.

In the case of a web application, alpha testing can be interpreted as an online application that has access via personal invitation, to gather initial feedback from the users for improvement and bugs.

Pros of Alpha Testing

Primarily used as usability testing which is done by internal developers who develop the app or by the testers
Critical issues or fixes can be addressed by developers immediately in Alpha testing
This is one of the fast ways of getting approval from the customer before proceeding with the process of delivery
Any major or minor changes, which might have been missed in the requirement gathering phase, can be fixed at this stage itself

Cons of Alpha Testing

Data presented by the customer usually doesn’t represent the actual data. Data created by testers/team might need a pre-approval from the customer
Since alpha testing is just the usability testing, reliability and security are not performed
The key users of the system deployed by the customer might not be the actual system users in reality and may be unaware of the working of it

Beta Testing

Beta-testing basically deals with imitating the end-users input to ensure release readiness.

It’s considered the last stage of testing and includes distributing the products to beta test sites and individual users.

Some other tests may also include testing a free trial of the product downloaded from the internet.

The product is then tested by users in real-time to find bugs that are left to be fixed. It is also used to determine the quality of the product.

Beta testing also includes many sub-tests if required, for some software, particularly for PC games.

These tests are known as Open beta tests and closed beta tests.

The closed beta test is followed immediately after the alpha test ends and is limited to only a few selected beta testers.

The latter which includes testing by the general public is then known as the open test.

Pros of beta testing

This testing helps in identifying the gaps between the actual implementation and the requirement gathering. This may add/remove a few requirements
Any requirement which may not have been captured initially in the contract is worked upon thereby reducing the product failure risk via customer validation
The Beta test ensures the application runs in a real business environment with live data
The after-sales service requirements may be identified in beta testing. Any support required for future implementation can be understood and arranged accordingly

Cons of Beta testing

Finding the correct beta tester or a group of testers can sometimes be difficult
Since the testing is carried out in a real-time environment, you cannot have any control over the testing mechanism

Gamma Testing
Many of us have been turning around the term ‘Gamma’ thinking about its importance.

It is the third and final testing phase just before the release of the app.

Since being the final phase of the testing, Gamma does not include any enhancements and changes to be made to the product, only the part of the code that is wicked or tends to affect the performance of the product can be changed.

It validates the performance and functionality of the product making sure the product is completely ready for use by the end-user.

Pros of Gamma testing

You can be assured of the safety and functionality of your application just before its market release. It does not bring any chance of modification and changes unless the identified bug is of high importance.
This testing is done directly without any in-house testing being repeated. Hence, saves a lot of time
You can be well sure about the readiness of the application, fulfilling all the requirements stated by the customer

Cons of Gamma testing

There is very limited scope for the team to update or change the code, and if there is any, it might hamper the performance of the application
Due to heavy deadlines, increasing pressure, and shorter development cycles, many organizations tend to skip the Gamma testing phase

Phases of Testing

Alpha, Beta, and Gamma tests are usually done for product-oriented companies.

Pre-Alpha:- During this phase the software is in a prototype form. Though the UI is complete, all other features might still be incomplete.
Alpha: During this phase, the Software is close to the development, and internal testing for bugs and flaws begins.
Beta: During this phase, the software is released to a certain user base known as beta testers to collect their reviews and feedback and then Amend the software based on that feedback.
Gamma: After Beta Testing the changes are made to the software and the software is tested for any bugs or flaws. No major changes are made in the functionality of the software during this phase, rather the software is checked for bugs and they are corrected.
Release: If everything goes well, the software is released to the public.

Difference Between Alpha Testing And Gamma Testing

	Alpha	Beta	Gamma
Why is it done	End to end testing of the software, make sure the software is ready for beta testing	Beta Testing is done to ensure that the software is ready to be released to the market	Gamma testing test the software for some particular requirements
When is it done	Alpha Testing is done at the end of the development phase	Beta Testing is done after Alpha Testing	Gamma testing is done after Beta Testing
Who does it	In house development or testing team	Beta testers who are a group of end-users conduct Beta testing	Gamma testing is done by a limited number of end-users with limited features and use
Result	Alpha Testing detects the bugs, flaws, missing features in the software	It is done to improve the functionality, usability, and compatibility of the software	It gives assurance to the software that all specified requirements are met
Next step	Beta Testing	Gamma Testing	Final release

Care to see an infographic about the difference between alpha and beta testing?
Entry and exit criteria for Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Testing
Entry Criteria for Alpha testing:

Software requirements document
Complete list of Test Cases
Testing Team
Test Lab environment setup
Ready QA Build
Test Management tool
Traceability Matrix

Exit Criteria for Alpha testing:

Execution of all the test cases and their pass status.
Completed Test summary report
Severity issues fixed and closed
Sign off document

Entry Criteria for Beta Testing:

Alpha Testing Sign off document
Completed Beta version of the software
Test Environment for Beta testers
Real-time fault catching tools
A team of Beta testers

Exit Criteria for Beta Testing:

All issues should be fixed
Beta tester’s Feedback report
Beta testing summary report

Entry Criteria for Gamma Testing:

Beta testing summary report
Software is ready for public release
Software fulfills all its requirements for the Public Release

Exit Criteria for Gamma Testing

Software is ready for market release
No critical bug is detected in the software
Software fulfills all the specified requirements

Conclusion

Alpha and beta testing are very important when it comes to software engineering. So next time, don’t forget to do your homework about alpha, beta, and gamma testing for improved software quality.