Software Testing is one of the core steps in the Software Development Lifecycle. Moreover, this process itself includes a series of activities that happen during software testing. Software testing is also considered one of the important steps as it is the step where the developed software is validated as per the usage of the customer.
If the software passes the test successfully, it means that it is free from all sorts of bugs and errors and ready for further deployment. Let us first understand what does Software Testing Life cycle means and why it is important.
Learn: Importance Of Software Testing And Quality Assurance For Businesses
For the most part, there are two kinds of software testing: one is Manual testing, and the other is Automation testing. In manual testing, the tests are performed physically to find any imperfections, and the tester takes a “genuine client” approach when performing the manual testing.
While in automation testing, automation tools are used to find the bugs and defects in the software. The tester must execute the test scripts, and the rest is done naturally. In most cases, the testing is executed in an efficient style.
Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC):
The software testing life cycle refers to the complete set of activities that are aimed at determining the current condition of a system and accordingly making recommendations for improvement. It is a method for testing software and ensuring compliance with quality requirements.
It is like the process where QA checks the products just before it gets packed to roam in the market. The software testing process involves various stages, which we will discuss in this blog.
Checking the developed software means verifying if it fits specified requirements or not. Testers collaborate with the development team to check if the product has any flaws. In some circumstances, they must contact a stakeholder to obtain information about specific product specifications. This testing cycle also includes a few mechanisms for validating and verifying the product.
Benefits of STLC:
- The well-designed systematic testing speeds up the testing process, allowing teams to find and fix problems faster.
- Testing is done with pre-defined and structured goals and respective phases, which makes the project progress easier to track.
Stages of Software Testing Life Cycle:
In total, there are six different stages of the Software Testing Life Cycle. And each of the steps has its own fixed entry and exit parameter, which defines when the particular stage starts and when it ends. Each of the steps has its own contribution in overall making the test successful.
Let us look into what those six stages of the testing life cycle are:
1) Analysis of Requirement:
This is the very first stage of the Software Testing Life Cycle where the basic requirements of the software are analyzed in-depth. The requirements of high-level businesses and companies, architectural requirements that explain how the feature will be developed from scratch and supported further, and specific system requirements from which developers build the product are all basic software requirements.
Here the features can be either functional or non-functional as well.
- Entry Point: Requirements, Criteria of Acceptance, and the anticipated product architecture are all defined.
- Exit Point: Approved matrix of tracing the requirement and automation feasibility report.
2) Test Planning:
Now comes the second stage, where the involvement of the QA team creates this plan after analyzing all the necessary testing requirements. After learning about the product domain, they define the scope and objectives. Test planning helps to convert the reviews and insights received during requirements or analysis of the product into a written quality assurance approach.
The test plan specifies the scope, objectives, types of functional and non-functional tests (both automated and manual), and test environments, among other things.
- Entry Point: In-depth requirement analysis, RTM, and automation feasibility report.
- Exit Point: An approved test plan that includes the given deadlines along with the risk and cost analysis.
3) Designing the Test Case and Development:
On the basis of different test plans, the testers create a number of as well as a variety of test cases. Transparent, efficient, and adaptive test cases are important. Each case specifies the test inputs, processes, conditions of execution, and expected outcomes. Existing test cases are reviewed, modified, and approved as needed. And from the development environment, relevant test data is generated or imported.
- Entry Point: An approved test plan, which includes the given deadlines along with the risk and cost analysis.
- Exit Point: Automation scripts and approved test cases.
4) Test Environment Set-up:
To perform different numbers of actual testing activities, like the execution of the developed test cases on the software, the software testing process requires an appropriate platform and environment that includes the necessary and required hardware and software to create and replicate the favorable conditions and intended environmental factors.
Testers establish different parameters of the test environment once it is ready.
- Entry Point: The design of the system and project architecture definitions.
- Exit Point: Completely functional test environment and the test cases, which are finally accepted.
5) Test Execution:
Now the time comes for actual testing by the QA team. QA software testing services USA helps to test the established cases in the given or deployed environment. Now, the final comparison can be done between the expected and actual results. And accordingly, the final report is accumulated to give back to the development team.
- Entry Point: The complete setup of the test environment and the acceptance test cases.
- Exit Point: The tests given are well performed and properly documented.
6) Closure of Test Cycle:
The delivery of software marks the start of the closure of the Test cycle. This phase involves the meeting of the QA team members and discussing the test results. Quality attained, test coverage, test metrics, project cost, adherence to deadlines, and other testing-related aspects are assessed and reviewed.
- Entry Point: The results of the test conducted and logging from all the last phases.
- Exit Point: The final test closure report is approved and delivered.
Conclusion:
The above points explain the different steps in the Software Testing Life cycle, but each stage consists of a different number of elaborate steps. And all the steps are carried out very strategically to get the expected results. If the steps are followed in a sequence, this cycle becomes more efficient as well as productive.