Ascend with me, dear reader, as we scale the colossal mountain that is the software development industry. Now, as any seasoned mountaineer will tell you, using modern tools and techniques will make your ascent significantly easier. This is the very essence of the shifting trend within our industry that sees increased emphasis laid on test automation for projects and products. If you listen keenly to the gusts of wind blowing through the industry, you'll detect a thunderous applause for testers who specialize in automation. After all, the applauders say, hasn’t there been a Bard-like poetic justice in watching software developers give up the pen and ink of their coding jobs, for the sleek, hi-tech world of test automation? More...

If you are a software tester, you would agree with me on this - the use of tools is inevitable, even if code and you share a love-hate relationship. And why would it not be so? The digital toolbox has instruments powerful enough to scrutinize systems faster and more precisely than a human brain could ever manage. They join hands with strategists, facilitating system investigation, monitoring its performance, and conducting specialized testing. And they do so while retaining impeccable standards. Let's discuss some of these tools and how they fit into the grand scheme of things. More...

When we talk about software testing, the image that typically comes to mind is a skilled gunfighter, staring down a town of pesky bugs and glitches. A lone wolf, vigilantly examining lines of code for these devilish inconsistencies. Sublime, isn't it? However, let's delve a bit deeper than the dusty streets of your typical software showdown.

We are about to explore a concept in this post that dives into the palpitating heart of systems development: 'testing requirements.' Now, at first glance, it might sound like we are discussing the classification of office stationery or perhaps a series of bench tests on the latest office chairs. We're not. More...

By now, we all understand that the term 'integration testing' confidently wears many hats in the software universe. Just like the chameleon changing its colours, integration testing adapts and takes on a sense of variety in different software landscapes. However, when we peek into the court of professional testers, it often refers to testing a software system through the lens of its integration points with external systems. Let me paint you a picture to illustrate this further. More...

Embarking on a journey in software development is akin to setting sail on a grand adventure. You're charting new courses, overcoming daunting challenges, and hunting for hidden treasures (or bugs, in our case). Among these adventures lurks a monster that's often side-lined but is extremely crucial: Usability Testing. More...

Among the several precision disciplines that define our roles as testers, feature confirmation and regression testing stand out as true stalwarts. They anchor our work in structure - feature confirmation acts as a beacon, shining light on the path defined by product requirements, while regression testing is a rigid indoor exercise, guarded by the blueprint of specific instructions dictating the what and the how of our testing.

Yet, there is another technique that seems to dance in the diffused, stimulating glow of the software testing spectrum. Like a swing dancer in a ballroom of waltzes, exploratory testing breaks away from the steady pattern and exhales a breath of fresh air into the otherwise rigorous, often impervious field of testing. Born from the context-driven school of thought, exploratory testing advocates for a hands-on, reflexive approach, allowing testers to tap into their creative reserves. More...

You've been through the process, that complex yet thrilling journey of transforming an abstract concept into a functional system. But as the wheel of time rolls on, the evolution of your product brings on complexities. Not only do you have to build new functionalities, but you also have to ensure they do not disrupt any past ones. Enter the Regression Testing. More...

Software testers have an integral role to play in the software development cycle with their principal task being ensuring that the system's features work as per the specified requirements. If you're engaged in developing fresh software or enhancing an existing one, your testing team will most likely invest considerable time in feature verification.

However, feature testing isn't an exclusive reserve of the development process. When adopting commercial off-the-shelf software, you're likely to undertake a good deal of feature-by-feature testing. Similarly, for software being developed in an iterative manner, testers progressively authenticate each new feature as it becomes part of the deployed environment. More...

In every realm of work, there is a uniqueness that demands recognition. This truth shines brightly in the world of software testing. It is critical to understand that no two software development projects, even those sharing a technological DNA, can truly be considered identical. Various variables - from the environment within which they're created to the team orchestrating their inception – build unique compositions of software ecosystems. And for us, the software testers, it is paramount to understand and consider these peculiar compositions.

Let's dig a little deeper into some specific examples. Picture this - a software product is on your testing radar. You must determine its peculiarities that could significantly influence test execution. First, you have to understand the technology underlying your product. Is it a web application? A mobile application? Perhaps it's a comic mixing of both? You need to understand what languages and software libraries are used, the platforms the product operates on, and the product’s unique architecture. Is there an API serving as a bridge to the client? How does it store data: is it in a relational or a document database? Also, try to grasp how the software is integrated with other systems and the nature of these interactions? Are they real-time integrations, or defined in batches? Finally, ask yourself, is the software custom-built, or is it an off-the-shelf solution being installed? More...

From my more than two decades of expertise in software development, DevOps, and system administration, one lesson I’ve learnt is the importance of software testing. It’s not by chance that this post tackles the significance of learning software testing theory and techniques. In my tenure, testing has proven to be the backbone of software development- for both test specialists and developers.

Software testers often find themselves thrust into the field with little formal training on the same. The lack of structured learning on software testing for testers equates to a missing puzzle piece in the grand scheme of software development. While it might seem to work fine for developers, the long-term impacts are evident. More...