Lecture 19: Software Testing Techniques

Question 1

What is a test case?

Answer 1

Explicit set of instructions designed to detect a particular class of defect in a software system

Question 2

What is a test plan?

Answer 2

Document that contains a complete set of test cases for a system
Should be written before testing starts

Question 3

What does a formal test case have?

Answer 3

Identification and classification (Number and title, importance should be indicated)
Instructions
Expected results

Question 4

What is unit testing?

Answer 4

Verify the module-level functionality works
Independent, short code fragments that test an interface or individual module

Question 5

What are stubs?

Answer 5

Needed to simulate missing lower level modules

Question 6

What are drivers?

Answer 6

Needed to simulate missing calls from the higher level modules

Question 7

What is integration testing?

Answer 7

Verify (unit tested) modules perform correctly when integrated together
Initially all programs to be integrated are first stubbed out
In a predetermined order, a series of test programs are generated with the unit tested routines replacing the stubs

Question 8

What is systems testing?

Answer 8

Verify all elements of a system (hardware and software) behave and perform properly

Question 9

What is acceptance testing?

Answer 9

Ensure that the entire system meets all user requirements

Question 10

What is regression testing?

Answer 10

Set or subset of all tests that are re-run after any change or commit
Cover as much of the system as possible
Prevent regressions: system reverting to an earlier, incorrect state

Question 11

What is big bang testing?

Answer 11

Each module is first tested in isolation
The entire system is then assembled and tested as a unit
Low probability of working
Hard to isolate defects

Question 12

What is top down testing?

Answer 12

Only the top module is tested in isolation
Stubs are used as placeholders for lower-level modules
Program modules are merged from top to bottom
As each new module is integrated, the entire system is tested

Question 13

What is bottom up testing?

Answer 13

Modules are merged and tested from the bottom to top
Drivers used as placeholders for higher-level modules
Only modules tested in isolation are the terminal modules

Question 14

What is sandwich testing?

Answer 14

Test the top module and terminal modules in isolation
Work both ways, top down and bottom up