Blogs about software testing!
1) Difference between smoke and sanity testing ;
2) Difference between verification and validation ;
Smoke Testing:
Purpose: Smoke testing, often called "build verification testing," is conducted to check if the initial build of a software application is stable enough for further, more detailed testing.
Scope: It involves a broad and shallow examination of the application to identify major issues that could prevent further testing. Smoke tests cover essential functionalities.
Depth: Smoke tests are not exhaustive; they aim to catch critical errors quickly. It's like a quick sniff to see if something is burning.
Timing: Smoke testing is typically performed after a new build or release is available to ensure that it's worth spending more time on comprehensive testing.
Pass/Fail: If the application passes the smoke test, it's considered stable enough to proceed with more thorough testing. Failure means there are substantial issues that need attention.
Automation: Smoke tests can be automated but are often executed manually to make a quick initial assessment.
Sanity Testing:
Purpose: Sanity testing, also known as "narrow regression testing," focuses on specific areas or functionalities of the software that have been modified or added since the last round of testing.
Scope: It targets only the recent changes or specific features, not the entire application. The goal is to ensure that recent alterations haven't introduced new issues or broken existing functionalities.
Depth: Sanity tests go deeper than smoke tests but are still limited in scope compared to full regression testing.
Timing: Sanity testing is performed when there are minor updates or bug fixes, or when new features have been added to verify that these changes haven't adversely affected the application's core functionality.
Pass/Fail: A sanity test passes if the recent changes or additions haven't disrupted the essential functionalities. Failure indicates problems related to recent updates.
Automation: Sanity tests are often automated, especially when they need to be run frequently to validate incremental changes.
2) Verification vs. Validation:
Verification:
Definition: Verification is the process of evaluating whether a product, system, or component meets specified requirements and fulfills its intended purpose.
Timing: It occurs during the development phase and involves activities like reviews, inspections, and walkthroughs to check if the product is being built correctly.
Focus: Verification confirms that the product is being developed according to the design specifications and requirements. It ensures that the software is being "built right."
Examples: Code reviews, design document inspections, and unit testing are part of the verification process.
Validation:
Definition: Validation is the process of evaluating a final product to ensure that it meets the customer's needs and expectations and is fit for its intended use.
Timing: Validation takes place after the product is developed and typically involves actual testing with end-users or stakeholders.
Focus: Validation checks if the product meets the user's real-world requirements and if it is "the right product" for its intended purpose.
Examples: User acceptance testing (UAT), beta testing, and customer feedback sessions are part of the validation process.
In essence, verification ensures that the product is being built correctly, while validation ensures that it is the right product for the end-users. Both are crucial aspects of quality assurance in software development, working together to deliver a reliable and user-friendly final product.
2) Explain about agile methodologies
Agile methodologies have emerged as a revolutionary approach to project management and development, offering a more dynamic and collaborative way of working. They prioritize customer collaboration and flexibility, emphasizing adaptability and continuous improvement throughout the project lifecycle.
Agile is like a flexible way of working on projects.
Instead of planning everything at the start, it's about adapting and improving as you go.
Think of it as building a puzzle, where you add pieces one at a time and adjust if needed.
Key Ideas of Agile:
Teamwork: Agile is about working closely as a team, like a sports team, to get things done.
Changes Welcome: It's okay to change plans when you discover better ways to do things.
Regular Check-Ins: Agile teams have regular meetings to talk about progress and issues.
User Focus: It's all about making things that users really need and love.
Small Steps: Rather than big leaps, you take small, manageable steps toward the goal.
Popular Agile Methods:
Scrum: Think of Scrum like a rugby team huddling up to plan their next move (sprint) in a game.
Kanban: Imagine a to-do list where you pull tasks when you're ready to work on them.
Lean: It's like a buffet where you only put out food as people eat it, avoiding waste.
Benefits of Agile:
Faster Results: Agile helps you deliver useful stuff quickly.
Customer Happiness: By involving users, you make them happy with the final product.
Flexibility: You can change direction if needed, like a car taking a different route.
Example:
Imagine building a new car.
Traditional way: Plan everything about the car, build it all, and then realize it needs changes.
Agile way: Build a basic car, let people try it, and improve parts one by one based on feedback.
In a nutshell, agile is like being open to change and working closely with your team, bit by bit, to create something great. It's a way of working that's more like a friendly game of catch than a rigid plan, and it's all about making customers happy and getting things done faster.
3)Explain about epic and user stories?
Epic:
Think of an epic like a big, exciting adventure or journey in a movie or book.
It's a way to describe a large chunk of work or a big project.
Epics help us break down complex tasks into smaller, manageable pieces.
They're like the main chapters in a storybook, outlining the major parts of our project.
Epics can be like the "big picture" of what we want to achieve.
User Stories:
User stories are like the small, everyday scenes or actions in our storybook.
They're short, simple descriptions of what a user (or customer) wants from our project.
Each user story focuses on one specific thing that the user needs.
User stories help us understand what we should build and why.
They're written from the user's perspective, like a request or a need they have.
Relationship Between Epics and User Stories:
Epics and user stories work together like chapters and sentences in a book.
An epic is like a chapter that contains many user stories.
User stories are the details within each epic, describing the specific tasks or features we'll create.
Epics help us organize and prioritize user stories.
Example:
Imagine building a website as an epic.
User stories within this epic might include "As a user, I want to log in," or "As a user, I want to see my profile."
The epic (building the website) contains all these user stories, like chapters in a book.
Each user story explains what a user wants on the website.
In a nutshell, epics are the big chapters of our project story, and user stories are the smaller, detailed scenes or requests that make up those chapters. Together, they help us plan and build our projects step by step, just like a book unfolds one chapter at a time.