Manual Software Testing Training Part-4

Understanding Levels of Software Testing

Overview of Software Testing Levels

• The discussion begins with an overview of the different levels of software testing, which include unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT).

• Unit and integration testing are categorized as white box testing techniques conducted by developers at the code level.

• System testing and UAT fall under black box testing techniques where testers focus on functionality without needing to understand the underlying code.

Importance of Customer Requirements

• Testers must have a clear understanding of customer requirements to effectively test software applications.

• Reading documentation such as functional requirement documents is crucial for grasping what functionalities need to be tested.

• A comprehensive approach involves preparing test plans, writing test cases, executing them, finding defects, and reporting results during system testing.

Diving Deeper into System Testing

Definition and Environment for System Testing

• System testing evaluates the overall functionality of an application against customer requirements after integration testing is completed.

• It requires a separate QA or QC environment that replicates the hardware and software conditions used by customers.

Focus Areas in System Testing

• The main focus areas in system testing include GUI (Graphical User Interface), usability, functional, and non-functional testing.

• Functional aspects are emphasized more heavily than non-functional due to their complexity requiring specialized skills and environments.

Exploring GUI Testing

Understanding GUI Testing

• GUI (Graphical User Interface) refers to elements like text boxes, radio buttons, checkboxes, dropdown menus, etc., that users interact with in an application.

Understanding Frontend and Backend in Applications

Overview of Frontend and Backend

• Every application consists of two main parts: the frontend (user interface) and the backend (server-side operations). The frontend is what users interact with, while the backend handles data processing.

• When a user logs into an internet banking application, they see their account details on the frontend. The actual data is retrieved from databases stored on servers in the backend.

Testing Approaches: Frontend vs. Backend

• Testing can be categorized into frontend testing (GUI testing) and backend testing. GUI testing focuses on evaluating the user interface elements that users interact with.

• GUI testing involves checking various UI components such as menus, buttons, colors, fonts, sizes, icons, and images to ensure they meet design specifications.

Key Components of GUI Testing

GUI Testing Checklist

• A checklist is essential for GUI testing to verify all UI elements against requirements. This checklist often includes aspects like look-and-feel, attractiveness, color schemes, font clarity, and image quality.

• Important factors include verifying the size and position of UI elements based on design documents or wireframes that outline expected dimensions before development begins.

Error Message Validation

• It’s crucial to test error messages displayed during invalid actions. For instance, if a text box allows only 8 characters but receives more than that input or special characters, it should show an appropriate error message.

Sectional Screen Testing

• Different sections of a screen must be verified for proper layout—this includes logos in one section and footers/headers in others. Additionally, font readability is vital; users should easily understand all text presented.

UI Testing Considerations

Importance of Font and Color in UI Design

• The type and size of fonts must be verified, ensuring headings and body text are distinct.

• Colors play a crucial role in user attraction; proper color choices should be made to avoid harsh or dangerous colors.

• Different elements like normal text, links, and headings should utilize varied colors for clarity.

Screen Resolution Testing

• Zooming in and out on screens is essential; elements must maintain their positions without overlapping during this process.

• Overlapping elements indicate poor UI design; testing should ensure that all components remain visible at different zoom levels.

Alignment and Positioning of Elements

• Proper placement of UI elements (e.g., buttons, icons) according to requirements is critical; misplacement can be considered a bug.

• Text alignment must also be checked to ensure it meets design specifications without spelling errors.

Image Quality and Clarity

• Images used in the UI, especially logos, need to have high clarity with no blurriness; they should be tested for pixel quality.

• The size of images matters both visually (dimensions) and technically (file size); large files can slow down loading times.

User Interface Attractiveness

• The overall attractiveness of the interface is vital for user engagement; an unattractive UI may deter users from returning.

GUI Testing and Usability Testing Overview

Key Aspects of GUI Testing

• Images should be optimized for size, with a maximum limit of 10kB to ensure efficient uploading in applications.

• Headings must be properly aligned and displayed in larger font sizes at the beginning or sides of pages.

• Hyperlinks should change color after being clicked to indicate they have been visited; this is crucial for user navigation.

• UI elements such as buttons, text boxes, checkboxes, radio buttons, and dropdown menus need thorough testing for proper display and functionality.

• A checklist should be prepared before testing to ensure all UI elements are verified according to design documents.

Importance of Design Documents

• Design documents provide essential information about element sizes, colors, fonts, and layouts through mock screens that guide testers before application development is complete.

• Customer requirements focus on functionality while designers create detailed low-level and high-level design documents that include UI specifications.

• Proper inputs from design documents are critical; assumptions about functionality can lead to incomplete testing if not based on documented requirements.

Test Case Development Process

• Test cases must be written based on comprehensive documentation and reviewed by team members including product managers and developers for approval before execution begins.

Understanding Usability Testing

• Usability testing focuses on the ease of use within an application; it aims to ensure users find the software intuitive rather than complex.

• The presence of help menus is vital; they assist users who may encounter difficulties by providing immediate guidance when needed.

Context-Sensitive Help Verification

• Context-sensitive help allows users to receive assistance relevant to their current task or issue within the application interface.

User Manuals and Usability Testing

Importance of User Manuals

• User manuals are essential for understanding how to use a product or application, providing necessary functions and operational guidance.

• Every software should include a user manual that is easy to understand, catering to both technical and non-technical users.

• Context-sensitive help documents enhance usability by offering immediate assistance within the application.

Usability Testing Overview

• Usability testing focuses on the ease of use of an application, ensuring users feel comfortable and can navigate it effortlessly.

• Developers play a crucial role in usability; they must simplify complex processes in documentation for better user comprehension.

Functional Testing Explained

Understanding Functionality

• Functionality refers to how an application behaves according to customer requirements, encompassing various features like login and email composition in applications such as Gmail.

• Each functionality must be tested to ensure it operates correctly, such as sending emails or managing deleted items.

Distinction Between GUI and Functional Testing

• GUI testing focuses on the visual elements (alignment, size), while functional testing assesses whether these elements perform their intended tasks correctly.

• Functional testing verifies if input fields accept data according to specified requirements (e.g., character limits, format).

Key Aspects of Functional Testing

• The primary goal of functional testing is to ensure that all features work as intended based on customer specifications.

Functional Testing Overview

Key Areas of Functional Testing

• Functional testing encompasses various aspects including database testing, error handling, calculations, link existence and execution, as well as cookie and session management for web applications.

• Object properties testing is a crucial component where each element on the web page (buttons, text boxes, etc.) is verified for its properties.

Understanding Object Properties Testing

• An object in this context refers to any visible element on a web UI. Examples include buttons, text boxes, drop-down menus, images, logos, and text.

• Properties of elements such as text boxes include their enabled or disabled state; an enabled box allows user input while a disabled one does not.

• Radio buttons are another example where only one option can be selected at a time; selecting one disables the other option.

Drop Down Menus and Their Properties

• In drop-down menus, users can select only one item at a time from multiple options presented. This property must be verified during testing.

• Combo boxes or list boxes may allow multiple selections; thus their functionality also needs to be tested thoroughly.

Focus Attributes in User Interfaces

• The focus property indicates where the cursor moves after user input. For instance, entering a username automatically shifts focus to the password field.

• Verifying these properties is essential in object properties testing to ensure proper functionality of UI elements.

Database Testing Fundamentals

Importance of Database Testing

• Database testing is critical and requires knowledge of SQL commands. It involves verifying that data manipulation language (DML) operations function correctly within the application’s backend.

Backend vs Frontend Understanding

• The backend refers to the database where data is stored while users interact with the frontend (UI). Understanding both layers is vital for effective functional testing.

DML Operations Focus

• As part of database testing, testers primarily focus on DML operations which involve creating, reading, updating, and deleting data within the database.

Role of Testers in Database Functionality

Database Testing Overview

Understanding Database Interaction

• The database stores actual data, which is accessed through the user interface (UI). Users do not directly see the database; testing focuses on ensuring UI operations correctly interact with the database.

• Database testing can be categorized into functional and non-functional aspects. Functional testers perform operations like inserting, updating, deleting, and selecting data to verify proper functionality at the database level.

Data Manipulation Language (DML) Operations

• Data in databases is organized in tables. For example, employee details are stored in an employee table. Actions performed via the UI must reflect accurately in these tables.

• Basic DML operations include inserting new records, retrieving existing records using identifiers (like employee ID), updating records, and deleting them from tables.

Testing Procedures

• The primary goal of database testing is to ensure that UI actions affect the corresponding database tables as intended. This includes verifying that data insertion, updates, deletions, and selections work correctly.

• Testers log into the database after performing actions on the UI to confirm whether changes have been made successfully in the backend.

Black Box vs. White Box Testing

• Database testing involves both black box and white box techniques: black box for UI interactions without knowledge of underlying code; white box for querying and checking data directly within the database.

• As a beginner functional tester, focus primarily on DML operations—insertions, updates, deletions, and selections—to validate their effectiveness.

Gray Box Testing Concept

• The combination of black box (UI transactions without code insight) and white box (direct interaction with SQL queries in databases) forms what is known as gray box testing.

Gray Box Testing Overview

Introduction to Gray Box Testing

• Gray box testing combines elements of both black box and white box testing, allowing testers to evaluate the system's functionality while also understanding its internal workings.

• An example of gray box testing is database testing, where testers perform black box tests on the application while executing SQL queries to validate data integrity.

Database Testing Essentials

• Functional testers must possess a foundational understanding of database testing, which includes various operations beyond basic validation.

• Knowledge of SQL is essential for all testers; they should be able to write basic SQL statements such as SELECT, UPDATE, DELETE, and INSERT.

Key Aspects of Database Validation

• Testers need to verify table-level validations including:

• The number of columns in a table.

• Data types and constraints for each column (e.g., character type for names).

• Size limitations on data entries (e.g., maximum character length).

Relationships and Advanced Concepts

• Understanding relationships between tables is crucial; this includes verifying foreign keys and ensuring proper normalization practices are followed.

• Additional concepts include validating functions, procedures, triggers, views, indexes, and cursors within the database.

Role Specialization in Database Testing

• While functional testers can conduct some database tests from the UI perspective, specialized database testers may be recruited for more complex tasks requiring deeper knowledge.

Database Testing and Error Handling

Database Testing Overview

• Database testing involves verifying that database operations, particularly Data Manipulation Language (DML) operations, are correctly executed in relation to user interface (UI) actions.

• The primary goal is to ensure that actions performed through the UI effectively affect the database as intended.

Error Handling Testing

• Error handling testing focuses on validating error messages displayed when users perform invalid or incorrect actions within the application.

• It is crucial for applications to provide clear and understandable error messages so users can identify what went wrong during their interactions.

Key Aspects of Error Messages

• During error handling testing, testers verify that appropriate error messages are shown when incorrect actions are taken by users.

• Effective error messages should be readable and presented in simple language that is easily understood by users.

Importance of Specificity in Error Messages

• Clear requirements dictate what kind of errors should be displayed; assumptions about error messaging should be avoided.

• For example, a login screen must specify whether an issue lies with the username or password based on user input.

Examples of Effective Messaging

• An ambiguous message like "incorrect data" does not help users understand their mistake compared to a specific message like "invalid user."

• Specificity in error messaging aids users in rectifying their mistakes efficiently, enhancing overall usability.

Calculations and Manipulations Testing

Understanding Calculations Testing

• Calculations or manipulations testing verifies if calculations within applications—especially financial ones—are functioning correctly.

Practical Example of Calculation Verification

• In a banking application scenario, after transferring money from an account, it’s essential to check if the remaining balance reflects this transaction accurately.

Validating Calculation Functionality

• When performing calculations testing, both valid and invalid data inputs should be tested to ensure robustness.

Testing Data Operations

Focus on Data Types in Testing

• Emphasis on testing various data types, including positive and negative numbers, to ensure the application performs correctly across all scenarios.

• Importance of verifying calculations with different sets of data, including small and large numbers, to confirm that manipulations are accurate.

Calculation Verification

• Testers must verify that calculations align with requirements, ensuring accuracy in operations performed by the application.

• The focus is primarily on calculation and manipulation testing to ascertain whether the application handles diverse data inputs effectively.

Links Existence and Execution

Understanding Links in Web Applications

• Explanation of links existence: verifying where links are placed within a web application according to documentation.

• Links execution involves checking if clicking a link navigates users to the correct page.

Types of Links

• Three main types of links identified:

• Internal Links: Navigate within the same page but jump to different sections.

• External Links: Direct users to entirely different pages or websites.

• Broken Links: Exist without any action; clicking them leads nowhere.

Importance of Link Testing

• Developers may include broken links for future implementation; thus, it's crucial to verify their existence and functionality during testing.

Geo Testing Considerations

Link Color Verification

• In geo testing, testers check not only link existence but also aspects like link color changes upon interaction.

Cookies and Sessions in Web Applications

Definition and Functionality

• Cookies store user data from web applications for session management; they help maintain user states across sessions.

Browser Behavior with Cookies

Understanding Cookies and Sessions in Web Applications

What are Cookies?

• Cookies are temporary files created by the browser while browsing the internet, storing information about user activity.

• They contain data that persists until deleted, allowing browsers to remember user preferences and login details.

• For example, when logging into Gmail, cookies enable automatic login without re-entering credentials if the session is still active.

• The "remember me" checkbox utilizes cookies to retain user information for future sessions.

Testing Cookies

• Cookie testing involves verifying whether a browser saves and creates cookies correctly during web application usage.

What are Sessions?

• Sessions differ from cookies as they are created on the server side and manage user activity over time.

• For instance, after logging into an application like Gmail or a banking site, inactivity leads to session expiration for security reasons.

• A timestamp is initiated on the server when a session starts; inactivity triggers an expiration message upon further attempts to interact with the application.

Session Management

• This mechanism enhances security by automatically closing sessions after periods of inactivity, requiring users to log in again.

Key Differences Between Cookies and Sessions

• Cookies are client-side temporary files stored by browsers; sessions are server-side time slots that expire after inactivity.

• Both concepts are crucial in functional testing of web applications, focusing on how they handle user data and interactions.

Functional Testing Overview

Understanding Functional and Non-Functional Testing

Overview of Functional Testing

• Functional testing assesses whether an application meets customer requirements, focusing on the application's features and functionalities.

• It is conducted to ensure that the application operates correctly according to specified requirements before moving on to non-functional testing.

Transition to Non-Functional Testing

• Non-functional testing begins after functional testing confirms that the application's functionality is stable.

• This type of testing emphasizes customer expectations rather than just requirements, highlighting performance, security, and usability aspects.

Distinction Between Requirements and Expectations

• Customer requirements are specific features (e.g., fund transfer, balance check in a banking app), while expectations relate to how well these features perform (e.g., speed, security).

• Understanding this distinction is crucial for effective non-functional testing as it focuses on user experience beyond mere functionality.

Focus Areas in Non-Functional Testing

• Key areas include performance testing (speed under load), security testing (protection against unauthorized access), and overall system stability under varying conditions.

• Non-functional testers require specialized skills and environments due to the complexity of tasks like performance evaluation and security assessments.

Types of Performance Testing

• Performance testing primarily evaluates how quickly an application responds under different loads.

Categories of Performance Testing

1. Load Testing:

• Assesses how the application performs under expected user loads.

2. Stress Testing:

• Evaluates application behavior under extreme conditions or loads beyond normal operational capacity.

3. Volume Testing:

• Tests the application's ability to handle large volumes of data effectively.

Performance and Load Testing Overview

Understanding Performance Testing for Applications

• Performance testing is primarily conducted for web applications, as desktop applications are installed locally and do not require such testing due to consistent speed.

• A user accesses the application through a browser, sending requests to the server and receiving responses while browsing pages served by the server.

Load Testing Explained

• Load testing involves incrementally increasing the number of users accessing an application to assess its response time and performance under varying loads.

• The goal is to determine how well the application performs with different numbers of concurrent users, starting from one user up to a specified limit.

• Customers provide expected user load requirements (e.g., 100 users), which must be replicated during load testing using specialized tools that create virtual users.

Tools for Load Testing

• Since replicating physical users in real environments is impractical, tools like LoadRunner or JMeter are utilized to simulate multiple virtual users without needing numerous physical machines.

• These tools facilitate performance testing by generating requests to the server based on defined parameters.

Key Aspects of Load Testing

• During load testing, it’s crucial to monitor if the application can handle increased loads without breaking down; identifying failure points helps improve overall performance.

• Metrics such as response time and processing time are used to evaluate application performance under various conditions.

Stress Testing vs. Load Testing

Differences Between Stress and Load Testing

• Stress testing differs from load testing in that it involves suddenly increasing or decreasing loads on an application rather than gradually ramping up.

• In stress testing, initial low user counts may be followed by sudden spikes (e.g., from 5 to 50 users), assessing how well the system copes with abrupt changes in demand.

Real-world Implications of Stress Testing

Understanding Performance Testing

Stress Testing

• Stress testing involves suddenly increasing and decreasing the load on an application to assess its stability and identify failure points, contrasting with load testing, which gradually increases the load.

Volume Testing

• Volume testing evaluates how much data an application can handle by sending varying amounts of records to see if they fit in the database without errors or crashes.

• The focus is on determining the application's limits regarding data handling capacity, ensuring it can manage expected loads without failure.

• This type of testing checks the application's capability to process large volumes of data effectively, identifying potential bottlenecks.

Performance Testing Overview

• Load, stress, and volume testing are all subsets of performance testing, which measures an application's speed and responsiveness under different conditions.

Exploring Security Testing

Importance of Security Testing

• Security testing assesses how well an application protects sensitive information, particularly crucial for banking and financial applications where data security is paramount.

Key Concepts in Security Testing

• Authentication and authorization are critical components; authentication verifies user identity while authorization determines access levels within the application.

• Validating whether users accessing the application are legitimate is a primary focus during security assessments.

Access Control Mechanisms

• Authorization ensures that valid users have restricted access based on their roles; for example, a user from the accounts department should only access relevant features.

Security Testing and Recovery Mechanisms

Security Testing Overview

• Security testing involves detailed assessments such as hacking, data communication, and protocol-level testing. A dedicated team of security testing specialists is responsible for these tasks.

• This type of testing is categorized as non-functional testing, focusing on the application's resilience against security threats.

Understanding Recovery Testing

• Recovery refers to the ability to restore lost data or functionality after an error or failure occurs. For example, if data is deleted while typing, recovery mechanisms should allow users to retrieve it.

• An example of recovery in action can be seen in Gmail: if a user composes an email and experiences a system crash, the draft will be saved automatically for later retrieval.

• The primary goal of recovery testing is to verify whether an application effectively provides recovery mechanisms when transitioning from abnormal states back to normal states.

Compatibility Testing Explained

• Compatibility testing ensures that applications function correctly across different environments. It includes three main types: software compatibility (forward and backward), and hardware compatibility.

Software Compatibility

• Forward compatibility means that newer versions of software should successfully upgrade older versions without issues. For instance, upgrading from version 1.1 to 1.2 must not disrupt functionality.

• Backward compatibility allows new software versions (e.g., 1.3) to work with older systems (e.g., version 1.2 installed on Windows 2010). Both forward and backward compatibilities are essential for seamless upgrades.

Hardware Compatibility

• Hardware compatibility tests ensure that applications can install and operate on various hardware configurations specified by customers, such as RAM size or specific machine requirements.

System Testing Types and Their Importance

Hardware Compatibility Testing

• The software must function across multiple hardware platforms, including Windows and Linux, with varying RAM configurations (4 GB or 8 GB).

• Installation should be feasible on different hard disk sizes (1 MB or 2 MB), emphasizing the importance of hardware compatibility in configuration testing.

Installation Testing

• Installation testing involves verifying each step of the installation process to ensure screens are clear and navigation is intuitive.

• The installation process should be simple enough for non-technical users to complete without difficulty.

• Uninstallation testing is crucial; it ensures that all related files are removed from the system upon uninstallation to prevent future installation issues.

Garbage and Sanitation Testing

• Garbage testing checks for any extra functionalities not specified in customer requirements, which may be considered bugs.

• Any additional features beyond what was requested by the customer should prompt a bug report for removal, ensuring compliance with original specifications.

Non-functional Testing Overview

• Non-functional testing includes performance, security, recovery, compatibility, configuration, installation, and garbage testing. It follows functional testing.

• Specialized skills and environments are required for conducting non-functional tests; they cannot typically be performed by standard functional testers.

Differences Between Functional and Non-functional Testing

• Functional testing validates what the software does while non-functional testing verifies how well it performs regarding user expectations.