Software Testing and Quality Assurance

Lecture 29 - Introduction to Software Testing

Lecture Outline
  

Introduction to testing types. Testing activities. Introduction to test cases, test oracles and their execution.

Testing Policy


Only exhaustive testing can show a program is free from defects. However, exhaustive testing is impossible; Testing policies define the approach to be used in selecting system tests; For example,


All functions accessed through menus should be tested; Combinations of functions accessed through the same menu should be tested; Where user input is required, all functions must be tested with correct and incorrect input.
3

Software Testing & Development Life Cycle

Requirements Architectural Design Detail Design System Testing Integration Testing Unit Testing

Implementation
4

Unit Testing

module to be tested
results software engineer test cases

Unit Testing
module to be tested interface local data structures boundary conditions independent paths error handling paths

test cases
6

Unit Testing
driver
interface local data structures

Module

boundary conditions independent paths error handling paths

stub

stub

test cases RESULTS

7

Integration Testing


Involves building a system from its components and testing it for problems that arise from component interactions. Top-down integration


Develop the skeleton of the system and populate it with components. Integrate infrastructure components then add functional components. To simplify error localisation, systems should be incrementally integrated.
8

Bottom-up integration


Integration Testing
 

The Big-bang Approach. Incremental Approach.

Top-Down Integration
A top module is tested with stubs G

stubs are replaced one at a time, "depth first" as new modules are integrated, some subset of tests is re-run re-

10

Bottom-Up Integration
A

drivers are replaced one at a time, "depth first" worker modules are grouped into builds and integrated

cluster
11

Thread-Based Integration
A Top modules are tested with stubs G

C Worker modules are grouped into builds and integrated

cluster
12

System Testing


System Functional Test



Test entire system against the functional requirements. Test the non-functional requirements of the system. For example, Response times, load testing etc. Set of tests that the software must pass before it is accepted by the client.
13

System Performance Test



System Acceptance Test



Trivial Example


You have been asked to write a term paper on Integration Testing in Component Based System. To do this, you need to find references from a range of library databases. You logs on to the KFUPM library system and uses the search facility to find relevant papers from IEEE, ACM and Elsevier databases. One paper of special interest requires authentication and you have to fill an online form to receive the paper.  If you are allowed, the paper will be downloaded and ready for collection.  An email will be send to you once the paper is ready.

Scenario-based Testing
14

Student Activity


Identify the possible interactions for the system testing of library system.

15

Trivial Example - System Testing

 

Test the login mechanism using correct and incorrect login. Test the search facility using queries against known source to check that the search mechanism is actually documents. Test system presentation facility to check that information about documents is displayed properly. Test the mechanism to request permission for downloading. Test the e-mail response indicating that the16 download document is available.

Regression Testing


Change do not always effect the entire program. Change in one part of system can effect other part. After each change


Entire test suite of a system must be run again.

Need for an automatic test suite execution.

17

Test Activities


Boils down to selecting and executing test cases. Test case consists of


Set of test inputs, of if the program is nonterminating, a sequence of test inputs. Expected results when the inputs are executed; and Execution conditions or execution environment in which the inputs are to be executed.
18

These steps generally remain same from unit testing to system testing.

Test Case Selection



Coverage criterion;
  

Equivalence Partitioning Boundary-Value Analysis Coverage-Based Testing

 

Control-flow Data-flow

Expected behavior of every test input to be generated. (Test Oracles) Testing environment.
19

Test Oracles


Determines whether or not the program has passed or failed the test case. A test oracle is
  

A program A process A body of data

 

In many cases - directly form the requirements. For example, a test case assessing performance - performance threshold.
20

Difficult to automate or to assess their quality

Test Execution


Test inputs on the program-under-test



Record the actual behavior.

Generally can be automated to an extend !!!!

21

Test Evaluation


Compare the actual behavior with the expected behavior.

Generally can be automated to an extend !!!!

22

Test Reporting


Report the outcome of the testing.

 

Developers Project Mangers etc.

Generally can be automated to an extend !!!!

23

Key Points


A system typically undergoes a range of testing types. Each type of testing is aimed at detecting different kinds of failures. Testing boils down to the selection and execution of test cases.

24